Category Archives: energy

Death of the Diesel – High Gasoline Injection Pressures?

Efficient and hybridized gasoline should be the combustion-based alternative as diesel declines. Considering these added costs and complexities that have always been part of diesel, there is an unknown risk that the same pattern of reputational blight and penalties will occur on gasoline engines. This could/would accelerate the demise of the internal combustion engine while promoting electric vehicles. Continue reading

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BMW Has Claim on Leading Electrification. iNEXT Debuts in LA

“Sales of our electrified vehicles are up over 40% in the year to date. Around every fifth BMW 5 Series sedan or BMW 2 Series Active Tourer sold worldwide has a plug-in hybrid drivetrain, while our all-electric BMW i3 remains very successful with sales up over 10% in October,” said Pieter Nota, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales. Continue reading

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Energy Web Foundation Revises EV Charging Software

The EV charging toolkit is focused on automatically charging electric vehicles, e-bikes, and other electric mobility devices with clean energy and determining the avoided marginal carbon emissions based on the timing of EV charging. Continue reading

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Parker Solar Probe – First Close Flyby of Our Sun Today

Parker Solar Probe’s four sets of scientific measurement instruments are on and collecting as it works under extreme conditions that no automotive engineer has ever faced. Continue reading

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Potential Performance Improvement in Energy-Dense Batteries Touted by Toyota

Technologies such as cellphones, laptops, and hybrid and electric cars rely on Li-ion batteries, of course. The configuration of such batteries is predominantly a graphite anode and a cobalt-based material cathode. The electrolyte typically consists of an organic electrolyte that is generally flammable and volatile as numerous vehicle and laptop fires can attest. Continue reading

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UN on Global Warming: Rapid, Far-Reaching Unprecedented Changes in All Aspects of Society Needed

The Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C was approved by the IPCC on Saturday in Incheon, Republic of Korea. It will be a key scientific input into the Katowice Climate Change Conference in Poland in December, when governments review the Paris Agreement to tackle climate change. Continue reading

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Ford, Uber And Lyft Announce Agreement to Share Data

Ford Motor Company, Uber and Lyft today announced a pledge to SharedStreets, a new data platform designed – it’s claimed – to make it easier for the private sector to work with cities around the world to use your driving data to improve urban mobility. No mention of privacy or legal issues arising from the personnel data were addressed. Continue reading

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SoCalGas to Sell Renewable Natural Gas for First Time

Renewable natural gas (RNG) is produced from the methane generated in landfills, wastewater treatment plants, food processing and dairies and depending on its source, can be low-carbon or in some cases, even carbon-negative. It can be used to fuel trucks and buses, to generate electricity, to heat homes and businesses, and to cook. Capturing the methane from these waste sources and using it for fuel has two benefits: It keeps methane, a greenhouse gas, from entering the atmosphere and contributing to climate change, and it reduces the use of traditionally-sourced natural gas. Continue reading

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Toyota Mobility Foundation Wants Second Round of Proposals to Support Innovative Hydrogen Energy Technology

Shifting the world to hydrogen-based systems for energy supply and consumption is a much discussed topic, but cost remains a formidable obstacle for execution – as it has for decades. Continue reading

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Bosch Buys Small Piece of Fuel-Cell Specialist Ceres Power

Ceres Power is thought to be a leader in the development of next-generation SOFC technology. Its strategy is to commercialize its technology through mass production with partners, and to use this technology for grid-based and distributed power generation. The intention is that SOFC systems will be used in cities, factories, data centers, and as a power supply for charging points for electric vehicles. Continue reading

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US DOT and EPA Want to Slash Fuel Economy Standards. Trump Administration Proposal Has Many Critics

The Trump Administration claimed that the new national automobile fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards will give the American people greater access to safer, more affordable vehicles that are cleaner for the environment. Continue reading

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Honda, GM Expand Cooperation for Next Gen Battery

Under the agreement, the companies will collaborate based on GM’s next generation battery system with the intent for Honda to source the battery modules from GM. The collaboration will support each company’s respective vehicles. The combined scale and global manufacturing efficiencies will ultimately provide greater value to customers. IT’s another example of how automakers are scrambling to cover the cost of future products as they try to morph to mobility companies. Continue reading

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Non-Independence Day as EPA Prepares to Scuttle CAFE

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a Notice on the Mid-Term Evaluation (MTE) of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for the Model Years (MY) 2022- 2025 and indicated intent to place it in the Federal Register. This potential shift or softening of CAFE extensive and serious implications for all automotive industry participants. Continue reading

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New Tire Technology Needed for Electric Vehicles?

Marketing malarkey or genuine technological advance? Goodyear during the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show teased its EfficientGrip Performance with Electric Drive Technology (sic), a prototype tire for the growing electric vehicle market that will be on the road by 2019 … Continue reading

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GM Roughs in Choices for Autonomous Fuel Cells

General Motors in an active and thus far unsuccessful “pump up the moribund stock price with press releases” claims today that it will solve some of the transportation challenges created by natural disasters, complex logistics environments and global conflicts. The … Continue reading

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