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Peer-to-peer car sharing service Getaround launches in Austin, Texas

Green Car Congress

This announcement closely follows the company’s February launch in the greater Portland metropolitan area with a $1.7 Getaround is free to join and for as little as $3 an hour, members can rent nearby cars by the hour, day, or week, and save hundreds or even thousands of dollars on auto payments, insurance and maintenance.

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Researchers to evaluate Oregon’s Ecodriving program

Green Car Congress

Led by Portland State University’s Donald Truxillo and John MacArthur, the project was one of the OTREC “Small Starts” grant winners announced earlier this month. The materials that ODOT provides, in the form of videos and brochures, will also instruct in the best ways to increase fuel efficiency through vehicle maintenance.

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Voith introduces topography-dependent shifting program SensoTop for N. American city transit buses

Green Car Congress

SensoTop is based on Voith’s DIWA transmission system, but is equipped with an additional maintenance-free inclination sensor which will automatically adapt gear-shifts based on topography of the bus route. The technology is currently being tested in a number of North American cities, including Portland, Oregon and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

San Diego 210
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RelayRides launches US-wide peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace; car2go car-sharing expands to new cities

Green Car Congress

RelayRides’ model is based on neighbors renting out their cars to fellow neighbors, instead of one that requires ownership and maintenance of a car fleet. Peer-to-peer car sharing service RelayRides is expanding and is now available to car owners and renters nationwide. RelayRides will use a key-exchange program—i.e.,

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Voith SensoTop technology nets up to 7% fuel savings for city transit buses

Green Car Congress

When combined with a maintenance-free inclination sensor that Voith has added to its ECU, this software allows the transmission to automatically adapt gear-shifting points based on acceleration, vehicle load and the topography of the route. Savings were achieved across multiple transit authorities and routes varying in elevation and length.

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DOE awarding up to $12M for projects to advance wave energy

Green Car Congress

Portland State University of Portland, Oregon, will develop a multistage, magnetically geared generator with airtight casing to improve the cost, reliability, and efficiency of MHK devices. In the Wave Energy prize, CWPT’s device demonstrated more than a three-fold improvement in energy capture per unit structural cost.

Energy 170
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Maven deploying its first all-electric shared-use fleet in Austin; 20 Chevy Bolts

Green Car Congress

Maven Gig vehicles are available for flat weekly rates that include the car, unlimited miles, insurance (minus deductibles) and maintenance. Maven Gig drivers have taken trips from San Francisco to Portland (~635 miles) and from San Diego to Los Angeles (~120 miles). Pricing starts at $229 per week plus taxes.

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