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Mar
06
Posted by admin under
Automotive,
Hybrid Vehicles,
Transport
Italdesign unveiled the images of the concept car Namir designed by Giugiaro at the Geneva Autoshow. The car is said to have 814 CC Wankel engine and two electric motors rated at 268hp (200 kW) with a lithium ion battery pack. The press release claims that the car is capable of achieving 62mph in 3.5 seconds and with a top speed of 186 mph. The car is estimated to provide a fuel efficiency of 92 MPG or 39 km/L. As far as carbon emissions, Italdesign says the car will release less than 60 g/km of CO2. And with the car’s 50 liter gas tank, the car can travel up to 2,000 km without a refill or a charge.
Related:
Italdesign
Geneva Autoshow
Nov
03
Posted by admin under
Automotive,
Hybrid Vehicles,
Transport
Oak Park, Michigan – October 29, 2008 – Azure Dynamics Corporation (TSX: AZD, LSE: ADC & OTCQX: AZDDF) – (“Azure” or the “Company”), a leading developer of hybrid electric and electric powertrains for commercial vehicles, announced today it has signed Sales & Service agreements with eight additional Ford dealerships to represent Azure’s innovative BalanceTM Hybrid Electric commercial truck. This brings the total number of dealerships to fourteen since the enrollment program began in June. The new dealerships are:
- Badger Truck Center, Milwaukee, WI;
- Boyer Ford Trucks, Minneapolis, MN;
- Grande Ford, San Antonio, TX;
- Northside Truck and Equipment, Portland, OR;
- Sherway Ford, Toronto, ON;
- Sopp Ford, Los Angeles, CA;
- Tuttle Click Ford, Irvine, CA;
- Minuteman Trucks Inc., Walpole, MA.
“These new partners are all highly regarded and influential commercial truck retailers in the major metro markets they serve,” said Jay Sandler, Azure Dynamics’ Vice President of Sales. “We’re thrilled to have them on board.”
The new dealership agreements are the result of Azure’s effort to enlist approximately 50 dealers in major markets in the U.S. and Canada to broaden Azure’s distribution network for its BalanceTM Hybrid Electric. The dealerships will maintain inventory of ready-to-deliver Cube Vans and Walk-in Vans equipped with Azure’s hybrid electric powertrains.
Tim Blide, General Manager at Boyer Trucks, commented on the partnership with Azure, “Boyer Ford is very enthusiastic about carrying the Azure hybrid vehicle line. Our partnership with Azure puts us at the forefront of alternative fuel vehicle options providing our customers with advanced technology to help them lower their cost structure while also contributing to a cleaner, greener environment. We think the product will do very well in the markets we serve.”
The BalanceTM Hybrid Electric system is integrated on Ford’s E450 Cutaway and Strip Chassis drive system and utilizes a conventional 5.4 liter Triton gasoline engine and 5-speed automatic TorqShift transmission. The hybrid powertrain features electric-launch up to 20 mph, and engine-off at idle, while electronically supporting key ancillary functions like air conditioning, power steering and braking. The powertrain can improve fuel economy by up to 40%, while reducing carbon emissions up to 30% in city conditions.
For more information about Azure Dynamics and its family of hybrid electric and electric commercial vehicles, please visit www.azuredynamics.com.
About Azure Dynamics
Azure Dynamics Corporation (TSX: AZD) (LSE: ADC)(OTCQX: AZDDF)is a world leader in the development and production of hybrid electric and electric components and powertrain systems for commercial vehicles. Azure is strategically targeting the commercial delivery vehicle and shuttle bus markets and is currently working internationally with various partners and customers. The Company is committed to providing customers and partners with innovative, cost-efficient, and environmentally-friendly energy management solutions. For more information please visit www.azuredynamics.com.
Oct
31
Posted by admin under
Alternative Energy,
Building Design
Google is doing their share towards energy conservation by providing a Halloween themed energy savings calculator. The calculator can be used to estimate the savings in home heating and electricity usage by plugging in information such as, whether you are using programmable thermostats and if you currently take benefit of power saving tips on your computers. The page also provides a link to a list of energy saving tips and resources.
Oct
07
Posted by admin under
Alternative Fuels,
Biofuels
WASHINGTON – October 7, 2008 - Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Ed Schafer and Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman today released the National Biofuels Action Plan (NBAP), an interagency plan detailing the collaborative efforts of Federal agencies to accelerate the development of a sustainable biofuels industry.
“Federal leadership can provide the vision for research, industry and citizens to understand how the nation will become less dependent on foreign oil and create strong rural economies,” Secretary Schafer said. “This National Biofuels Action Plan supports the drive for biofuels growth to supply energy that is clean and affordable, and always renewable.”
The NBAP was developed in response to President Bush’s plans to change the way America fuels its transportation fleets in the 2007 State of the Union Address. The President’s “Twenty In Ten” goal calls for cutting U.S. gasoline consumption by 20 percent over the next 10 years by investing in renewable and alternative fuel sources, increasing vehicle efficiency and developing alternative fuel vehicles.
“The National Biofuels Action Plan is a strategic blueprint that shows us the way to meet the President’s goal of meaningful biofuels production by the year 2022,” Secretary Bodman said. “And to do it in cost-effective, environmentally-responsible ways that utilize a science-based approach to ensure the next generation of biofuels that are made primarily from feedstocks outside the food supply that are produced sustainably.”
The President’s ambitious alternative fuels production target was later followed by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) and the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act (FCEA) of 2008, which responded to the President’s “Twenty in Ten” challenge with mandatory funding of more than $1 billion for such energy activities as loan guarantees for cellulosic ethanol projects as well as other renewable energy and energy-efficiency-related programs.
The NBAP was developed and is being implemented by the Biomass Research and Development (R&D) Board. Co-chaired by USDA and DOE officials, the Board was created to coordinate the activities of federal agencies involved in biomass research and development. Its membership represents the combined expertise and resources of senior decision makers from nearly a dozen executive branch agencies and the Administration.
To enhance the impact of federal biofuels investments and enable attainment of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), the NBAP outlines interagency actions and accelerated federally supported research efforts in seven areas including:
* Sustainability
* Feedstock Production
* Feedstock Logistics
* Conversion Science and Technology
* Distribution Infrastructure
* Blending
* Environment, Health and Safety
Interagency working groups have been chartered with near term deadlines to deliver such key results as: the development of science-based sustainability criteria and indicators, 10- year R&D forecasts for research to develop cost-effective methods of producing cellulosic biofuels from non-food based feedstock, to advance these next generation biofuels to commercialization, and recommendations on infrastructure issues.
DOE has dedicated more than $1 billion to research, development, and demonstration of cellulosic biofuels technology through 2009. Additionally, since 2006, USDA has invested almost $600 million for the research, development and demonstration of new biofuels technology. For more information about the NBAP and other USDA and DOE efforts, visit the USDA’s Energy webpage and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Media contact(s):
USDA: Jim Brownlee 202-720-4623
DOE: Jennifer Scoggins 202-586-4940
Oct
07
Posted by admin under
Alternative Fuels,
Biofuels
BOSTON, MA – October 7, 2008: Mascoma Corporation, with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm, members of the Michigan Congressional delegation and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, today announced that Mascoma has received a total of $26.0 million in funding from the DOE and an overall contribution of $23.5 million from the State of Michigan.
The funds will be applied toward the development of a cellulosic fuel production facility that uses non-food biomass to convert woodchips into fuel. The facility will be located in Chippewa County in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, in the town of Kinross. The funding provided by DOE and the State of Michigan will accelerate Mascoma’s construction of the facility and the scale-up of its technology process while also paving the pathway to commercial low-carbon and sustainable fuel production in Michigan.
“Michigan is proud to partner with Mascoma as a part of our commitment to lead the nation in alternative energy production,” said Governor Jennifer Granholm. “This company, and their partners, will create jobs in Michigan as they develop the next generation of cellulosic ethanol that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and make fuel more affordable for our families.”
Mascoma chose to locate the facility in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan after an extensive review process of other location options. The decision was based largely on the support provided by the State of Michigan, the availability of extensive sustainable feedstock in forests and other agricultural biomass resources in the region, and the expertise available through the Michigan-based project partners and workforce. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the State’s economic development arm, has become a national leader by attracting renewable energy businesses to Michigan.
“We’ve targeted industries like alternative energy to diversify Michigan’s economy and create new jobs,” MEDC President and CEO James C. Epolito said. “Innovative tools combined with effective partnerships are enabling us to attract high-tech companies like Mascoma and accelerate Michigan’s transformation.”
“Mascoma is pleased and honored to receive this important funding from the DOE and the State of Michigan,” said Bruce A. Jamerson, Chairman and CEO of Mascoma Corporation.
“This funding will allow us to accelerate commercial production of low cost, low carbon fuel that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote energy independence,” Jamerson continued.
Drawing on Michigan’s substantial natural resources, the facility will use sustainably harvested mixed hardwood chips and other non-food biomass materials as the raw material for the production of cellulosic fuel. The first phase of the project will develop preliminary engineering designs and permitting required to initiate construction at the Kinross site.
“I applaud the decision by the Department of Energy and the state of Michigan to provide the incentives Mascoma needed to scale up the technology and accelerate construction of this facility here in Michigan,” said Senator Carl Levin. “This investment in cutting-edge biofuel technology will create jobs in Michigan, and the incredible natural resources of the Upper Peninsula will help Mascoma to efficiently produce the next generation of fuels.”
“Mascoma Corporation’s cellulosic fuel facility is a prime example of how Michigan continues to lead the way in solving our nation’s energy crisis while creating new jobs in a green economy,” said Senator Debbie Stabenow. “I am pleased to work with the rest of the delegation and the State of Michigan to support Mascoma in their mission to develop low-carbon biofuels and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.”
Mascoma’s production facility is expected to produce 40 million gallons of ethanol and other valuable fuel products per year. General Motors Corporation and Marathon Oil Corporation, which are both investors in Mascoma, are providing support for this project.
“Mascoma and the Department of Energy recognize the potential northern Michigan and our workforce hold for developing alternative energy sources,” Congressman Bart Stupak said. “Mascoma’s proposed cellulosic fuels facility will be the first of its kind in the nation to produce ethanol from timber. This important federal-state-private partnership will put northern Michigan on the forefront of this developing technology, create hundreds of jobs in our community and the potential for many more. I am pleased to have played a role in helping to bring this significant investment to Chippewa County.”
Mascoma is partnering on this project with a well-established natural-resources company, JM Longyear, based in Marquette, Michigan. Longyear was founded 120 years ago and is experienced in timber, mining and project management.
The collaboration will involve the formation of a new company, Frontier Renewable Resources, which will own the project. In addition, Mascoma will team up with Michigan State and Michigan Tech Universities to tailor Mascoma’s technology and supply chain options for the specific Michigan feedstocks used in production.
About Mascoma
Mascoma Corporation is a leader in advanced low-carbon biofuels technology and is based in Boston, Massachusetts. Using proprietary microorganisms and enzymes developed at the company’s laboratories in Lebanon, New Hampshire, Mascoma is deploying advanced technologies that enable the creation of fuel from a range of non-food biomass feedstocks. Mascoma is developing demonstration and commercial scale production facilities globally. For more information, visit www.mascoma.com.
Media Contact:
Kate Casolaro
617 443 9933 x338 (Office)
617-312-4964 (Mobile)
kcasolaro@rasky.com
Oct
02
Posted by admin under
Automotive
TOKYO - Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today announced the launch of a new clean diesel X-TRAIL “20GT,” which goes on sale September 18 at Nissan dealers nationwide. The new X-TRAIL 20GT has met Japan’s stringent “Post New Long-term Regulations”*1 – the first vehicle in the world to do so*2.
Setting New Standards
The X-TRAIL 20GT achieves high fuel-efficiency of 15.2km/L under Japan’s 10-15 test mode operation, representing an increase of approximately 30% in fuel economy over a 2.5-liter gasoline engine with the same power output. In addition to its low fuel consumption, the X-TRAIL’s new “M9R” clean diesel engine is more economical to operate, due to the lower price of diesel versus standard gasoline in the Japan market.
In addition to complying with Japan’s stringent “Post New Long-term Regulations” emission standards which stresses high environmental performance, the new M9R clean diesel engine also achieves high levels of driving performance demanded by X-TRAIL owners.
The 2.0-liter M9R engine has the power equivalency of a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine, generating maximum power of 127kW(173PS)/3750rpm and maximum torque of 360N・m(36.7kgf・m)/2000rpm. The engine provides high torque at low rpm and delivers ample performance in any driving situation. At the same time, the environmentally–friendly and fuel-efficient M9R engine emits far lower CO2 than a comparable 3.5-liter gasoline V6 engine, achieving excellent emissions performance. The engine design also emphasizes smooth, quiet operation, eliminating unpleasant noise and vibration associated with current diesel powerplants.
New technologies utilized in the M9R engine which reduce emissions, noise and vibrations include:
Emissions Reduction Measures
* Common rail system
* EGR cooler
* Diesel particulate filter (DPF)
* Lean NOx Trap catalysts (LNT)
* Double swirl port
Noise and Vibration Reduction Measures
* Piezo injector
* Balancer shaft
* Highly Rigid Chassis
* Highly Rigid Engine Mount Brackets
* Sound insulation glass
Distinctive Styling and Comfortable Interior
The X-TRAIL 20GT offers versatility, convenience and high levels of dynamic driving pleasure. The front grille was redesigned to the same design found on the popular European version of the X-TRAIL. The new X-TRAIL 20GT also adds Nissan’s advanced Scratch Guard paint (offered as standard equipment in six colors), which self-repairs minor scratches in the paint’s clearcoat surface.
Inside, the comfortable, high utility X-TRAIL interior adds a number of new features for the 20GT model, including new sporty seat fabric, step lamps, Intelligent Key and additional audio speakers (6 speakers total).
The new clean diesel X-TRAIL 20GT is offered with ALL MODE 4x4i and 5-speed manual transmission. It is priced at 2,999,850 yen (including consumption tax).
*1: In Post New Long-Term Regulation, regulation values of NOx is reduced by 47% and the values of PM (particulate matter) by 64% from those of “New long-term regulation” which has been in effect since 2005 (applicable to vehicles weighing more than 1,265kg). Post New Long-Term Regulation is effective for new model vehicles beginning Oct. 2009, and for existing models and imported vehicles, starting Sept. 2010.
*2: As of 4, Sept. 2008.
Oct
01
Posted by admin under
Automotive,
Electric Cars,
Transport
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Tesla Motors Inc. plans to build a $250 million facility to manufacture a zero-emission luxury sedan in the heart of Silicon Valley. The nation’s leading all-electric car company will also relocate its corporate headquarters and research and development efforts to a consolidated campus in San Jose, Calif.
Tesla President and CEO Ze’ev Drori announced Wednesday that construction on the 89-acre site would begin in the summer of 2009. When fully operational, the facility will employ approximately 1,000 workers.
Tesla selected San Jose in part because the region already enjoys a high concentration of highly skilled engineers and support infrastructure. The factory – expected to achieve gold certification from U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) – will be 20 miles from the current headquarters in San Carlos, minimizing inconvenience for more than 250 employees.
“Big deals like this happen when both parties have something significant to gain,” said Drori, who praised San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed’s 15-year “Green Vision” job-creation initiative. “Locating Tesla’s headquarters, manufacturing and R&D in San Jose will allow us to proceed with minimum disruptions and virtually no dislocations.”
Model S is Tesla’s zero-emission, five-passenger luxury sedan powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. It is expected to have a base price of about $60,000 and get about 240 miles per charge with exceptional performance. The first sedans will likely roll off the assembly line in late 2010.
Tesla’s first production vehicle is the Roadster, a zero-emission, all-electric, two-seat sports car. On sale now in the United States and Europe, the Roadster is assembled at a Group Lotus PLC factory in Hethel, U.K. Tesla has no plans to move Roadster production.
Tesla, which has delivered about 30 Roadsters so far, announced last week it was ramping up production amid scorching demand. About 1,200 people have put down deposits to reserve a Roadster.
Tesla also announced recently a string of high-profile hires with deep industry expertise. Executive Vice President Mike Donoughe, who spent 24 years at Chrysler, is overseeing Tesla’s Model S and Roadster programs. Chief Financial Officer Deepak Ahuja was formerly controller at Ford. Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen, former director of design for Mazda North America, is designing the Model S.
“Tesla has amazing momentum right now. The excitement within the company is palpable,” said Tesla Product Architect and Chairman Elon Musk. “The company has clearly taken production of all-electric vehicles to the next level, and the Model S assembly plant will dramatically accelerate our growth.”
About Tesla Motors
Incorporated in 2003 in California’s Silicon Valley, Tesla Motors Inc. develops and manufactures electric vehicles with exceptional design, performance and efficiency, while conforming to all US and EU safety, environmental and durability standards. The Roadster is a zero-emission, all-electric two-seater for sale now in the United States and Europe. With a 0-to-60 mph acceleration of 3.9 seconds, a 14,000 rpm redline, and the fastest top-gear acceleration of any production car tested by Car & Driver magazine last year, the Roadster is unique in providing super car performance, zero emissions and extraordinary efficiency.
Jul
15
Posted by admin under
Automotive,
Electric Cars
Mitsubishi Motors Corp. will start selling its i-MiEV (Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle) plug-in electric vehicle to retail customers next summer, a year ahead of schedule. The iMiEV will be manufactured at the Mizushima factory in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture.
The iMiEV is an electric car version of Mitsubishi’s i-car, a model on sale in Japan. The iMiEV will sport a 47 kw permanent magnet synchronous electric motor mounted in the rear with the controller sitting above it. A lithium-ion battery pack consisting of 22 large format modules developed by GS Yuasa Corporation in Japan is packaged into the belly pan of the vehicle. The electric motor provides 180Nm of torque which enables it to achieve 31% quicker acceleration and a reduction of 5dB in its noise level compared to its gasoline cousin. The car is designed to seat four people and weighs 1,080kg (2380 lbs).
The iMiEV has a top speed of 130km/h (80 mph) with a range of 160 Km (100 miles). The car can be recharged using normal household current at 100 volts (taking approximately 14 hours to recharge), 200 volts (7 hr recharge time) and Quick-charge system with 3-phase 200 volt (taking 30 min to charge to 80 percent state-of-charge).
Mitsubishi Motors intends to set the price for the i MiEV at around 4 million yen (US$37,496). But government subsidies for low-emission vehicles are likely to reduce the actual price to an estimated 3 million yen. Mitsubishi Motors hopes to sell 2,000 i MiEVs in the first year and to boost the figure to 10,000 units by fiscal 2011.
Maximum speed 130km/h (80 mph)
Driving range 100 miles (160km)
Number of seats 4
Weight – 1,080kg (2380 lbs)
Motor
Permanent magnet synchronous electric motor mounted in the rear
Maximum continuous power 47 kW
Torque – 180 Nm
Battery
Lithium-ion 22 large format modules
Energy capacity – 16kWh
Supplier – GS Yuasa Corporation in Japan
Additional Resources
Review by AutoBlog Green
Jul
04
Posted by admin under
Automotive,
Hybrid Vehicles,
Transport
The Mississippi State University (MSU) Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS), located in Starkville, Mississippi on the campus of MSU is looking at whether the conversion of police vehicles to Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) can save money without compromising vehicle performance. "We know that many law enforcement vehicles spend much of their service life operating at low speed", says Dr. Mike Mazzola, PHEV project director at CAVS. "This is an expensive proposition, especially when the vehicle is a Ford Crown Victoria. If PHEVs can produce a drive cycle that operates the vehicle in all-electric mode without compromising vehicle performance, then fuel costs can be dramatically cut. The gasoline equivalent cost of all electric operation (based on likely reasonably stable electricity rates) is about $1/gallon", continues Mazzola.
nCode’s Advanced Application Center, also located in Starkville, has teamed up with CAVS to capture and analyze crucial drive cycle and performance data on an existing MSU Police car. This data is being used by engineers at CAVS to design the conversion of a standard Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor into a PHEV. "The trick with PHEV design is knowing when and when not to use the electric motor. The ability to capture, process, analyze, and report the data required to make this decision makes nCode a perfect partner for this project", continues Mazzola.
Gas-electric hybrid vehicles can operate in all-electric, all-gas, or any combination of the engine and motor working together. The plug-in hybrid vehicle has the added advantage of charging the electric motor batteries by "plugging" into a standard power outlet. nCode is currently collecting drive cycle data on and feeding that data to CAVS engineers. The goal is to have the PHEV design complete by the end of the summer and a prototype vehicle conversion underway this fall. When the prototype is fielded, nCode will again participate in the verification of the PHEV prototype performance.
Jun
26
Posted by admin under
Alternative Fuels,
Biofuels
Harvard University’s Office of Technology Development and SunEthanol, Inc., a biofuels technology company, announced today that they have entered into a new research collaboration agreement to further advance a promising approach for deriving ethanol from biomass.
Under the collaboration, Harvard Medical School researchers will work to develop new genetic strains of a proprietary natural bacterium that SunEthanol is using to convert cellulose into ethanol. SunEthanol is developing the “Q Microbe” – which a member of its team discovered near the Quabbin Reservoir in Central Massachusetts – to produce ethanol from a variety of plentiful biomass feedstocks, including switchgrass, corn stover, wheat straw, sugar cane bagasse, and wood pulp.
Importantly, none of these sources of biomass would be diverted from the food supply, addressing a major limitation to the current use of corn to produce ethanol. In addition, using a microbe to break down cellulose, free fermentable sugars, and convert them to ethanol is an efficient process that promises to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90% or more over gasoline.
The goal of the Harvard research will be to produce new genetically modified strains that might be capable of delivering higher yields of ethanol than the native source, a critical step in creating an economically viable alternative to the production of ethanol from corn. The research will take place in the laboratory of George Church, PhD, a professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Center for Computational Genetics.
The Church laboratory will apply its significant expertise in DNA synthesis and genome engineering to create modified strains that will then be tested by scientists at SunEthanol for improvements in biomass conversion and ethanol production. SunEthanol will have an option to license any of the strains created under the partnership.
“We are very excited to team with our colleagues at Harvard University to bring their pioneering expertise in genome science to bear on the creation of fuel from biomass,” said SunEthanol founder Jef Sharp. “SunEthanol is well positioned to create a new source of fuel from biomass, and we look forward to collaborating with Harvard to further improve the viability of our approach.”
“This agreement is further evidence of Harvard’s deep commitment to putting its expertise to work in solving the most pressing problems that face society,” said Isaac T. Kohlberg, senior associate provost and chief technology development officer, who heads Harvard’s Technology Development Office. “Teaming with a Massachusetts leader in alternative energy illustrates the broad impact that Harvard’s expertise in genetic engineering may have well beyond its traditional applications in medicine.”
About Harvard University’s Office of Technology Development
The Harvard Office of Technology Development (OTD) is responsible for all activities pertaining to the evaluation, patenting and licensing of new inventions and discoveries made at Harvard. OTD also serves to further the development of Harvard technologies through the establishment of sponsored research collaborations with industry. OTD’s mission is to promote the public good by fostering innovation and translating new inventions made at Harvard into useful products available and beneficial to society.
About SunEthanol
SunEthanol’s Q Microbe™ represents a Complete Cellulose Conversion (C3) technology. Instead of the conventional enzyme and yeast process, C3 technology consolidates multiple steps into a single efficient and natural process, resulting in a lower cost of production. Q Microbe™ was discovered by University of Massachusetts Amherst microbiologist, Dr. Susan Leschine, in the soil of New England near the Quabbin Reservoir not far from Amherst, and is being developed for cellulosic ethanol production by the SunEthanol team.
