Transportation News

Hitachi Chemical acquires 43.9% of Thai lead-acid battery company, plans to buy more

Jul 24, 2017: Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd. is acquiring a large portion of the Thai Storage Battery Public Company Limited (TSB Company), a manufacturer of automotive and industrial lead-acid storage batteries mainly in Southeast Asia, with a high market share in Thailand and...

BMW adamantly denies reports about diesel emission systems collusion and manipulation

Jul 24, 2017: On Sunday, the BMW Group issued a strong rejection of German media reports charging that the company had colluded with Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche and Daimler on the design and pricing of diesel exhaust systems and that its diesel emission systems...

London Taxi Bringing Electric Cab Rides to Cities Around the World

Jul 24, 2017: London Taxi Co. has reinvented itself as the London Electric Vehicle Co. and is preparing to bring electric taxi rides around the world. Going that route has brought in an initial order of 225 electric vehicles for delivery in the Netherlands, said CEO Chris Gubbey. Owner of the company, Chinese automaker Geely, had invested 325 […] The post London Taxi Bringing Electric Cab Rides to Cities Around the World appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Gas2 Week in Review, July 23: Electric Car Production Reports and Consumer Attitudes

Jul 23, 2017: Electric car production reports took the headlines this week on Gas2, with updates from Tesla and its wanna-be rivals capturing our readers’ interest. With the Tesla Model 3 production under way and completion numbers exceeding original quotas, other U.S. automakers seem to be scrambling to understand the EV industry. As example, the Chevy Bolt production [&hellip The post Gas2 Week in Review, July 23: Electric Car Production Reports and Consumer Attitudes appeared first on Gas 2.

Nissan ProPILOT Level 2 Autonomous Driving System Will Debut On 2018 LEAF

Jul 23, 2017: The 2018 Nissan LEAF will introduce the company's ProPILOT Level 2 autonomous driving system to America. The post Nissan ProPILOT Level 2 Autonomous Driving System Will Debut On 2018 LEAF appeared first on Gas 2.

Study finds in-car rush-hour exposure to some particulate pollution twice as high as previously thought

Jul 23, 2017: A new study, part of the Atlanta Commuter Exposures (ACE) Study, has assessed on-roadway in-cabin particulate pollution (PM2.5) collected from scripted rush hour commutes on highways and on non-highway side streets. Reported in the journal Atmospheric Environment, the study found...

Report: Toyota to begin mass production in China in 2019 of EVs based on C-HR

Jul 22, 2017: Japan’s Asahi Shimbun reports that Toyota will begin mass production of EVs in China in 2019, using the C-HR crossover (earlier post) as the base. The report says that production volume will be determined by regulations and available subsidies, but...

Chevy Volt May Be Casualty Of SUV Craze

Jul 22, 2017: General Motors is considering removing six sedans from its product mix, including the Chevy Volt. A plug-in hybrid SUV using the Voltec powertrain may appear in 2020. The post Chevy Volt May Be Casualty Of SUV Craze appeared first on Gas 2.

Project shows maritime fuel cell generator can increase energy efficiency by up to 30% at part load; reliability and cost issues

Jul 22, 2017: A recent project demonstrated a 100 kW fuel cell generator with 72 kg of hydrogen storage for marine applications. Project goals were to demonstrate the use of the generator in the maritime environment, identify areas requiring additional research and development,...

“Dirty, Difficult, And Dangerous”: Why Millennials Won’t Work In Oil

Jul 22, 2017: by Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com Like many industries today, the oil industry is trying to sell its many job opportunities to the fastest growing portion of the global workforce: Millennials. But unlike any other industry, oil and gas is facing...

How the humble bollard can save lives while improving urban design

Jul 21, 2017: Good design can save lives, but sometimes, it’s the humblest designs that do the most good. For instance, you rarely notice them, but bollards are popping up all around cities as an effective way to protect pedestrians during an accident or terrorist attack. That said, no one wants to feel like they are living in a fortress, which is why some designers like Reliance Foundry are creating bollards that don’t just protect people, they enhance the architecture of the city around them. A bollard...

Elon Musk just announced he got verbal approval to build a New York to DC hyperloop

Jul 21, 2017: Elon Musk just announced that the New York City to Washington D.C. hyperloop is happening. Taking to Twitter, Musk said that he has received verbal approval to build an underground hyperloop from city to city, with at least a dozen entrance/exits in each city. Once completed, riders will be able to zoom from city to city in under 30 minutes. https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/888053175155949572 Musk added - again, on Twitter - that there is still work to do to get official approval, but...

GM Engineers Used Lunar Rover Tech When Designing Chevy Bolt

Jul 21, 2017: General Motors has been tapping into engineering experience that goes back to astronauts driving its Lunar Rover on the moon. GM’s Chevrolet brand paid tribute Thursday to engineers who’d designed the all-electric Lunar Rover. It had been driven by Apollo 15 astronauts on the moon during a trip there in July 1971. It may be […] The post GM Engineers Used Lunar Rover Tech When Designing Chevy Bolt appeared first on HybridCars.com.

German Automakers and Government Officials Reach Accord on Emissions Software

Jul 21, 2017: Automotive executives and German government officials have reached agreement on software upgrades that could resolve the diesel emissions cheating scandal. Engine software updates on about 9 million diesel cars in Germany will cost automakers nearly 2 billion euros ($2.33 billion), coming out to about 100 euros ($116.77) per car. The software updates would mean the […] The post German Automakers and Government Officials Reach Accord on Emissions Software appeared first on HybridCars.com.

This boy accidentally found a 1.2 million-year-old fossil by tripping over it

Jul 21, 2017: Sometimes, there are benefits to being clumsy. A 9-year-old named Jude Sparks recently found this out. While hiking the Orange Mountains in New Mexico with his family, Sparks tripped over an object which at first, he thought was “just a big fat rotten cow.” Instead, it turned out to be a Stegomastodon fossil from 1.2 million years ago. https://youtu.be/xv12xqHcIhw The young boy told KVIA TV: “I didn’t know what it was. I just knew it wasn’t usual.” His family agreed, which...

We've made enough plastic trash to bury Manhattan under 2-miles of the stuff

Jul 21, 2017: Whether one is getting an iced latte to-go in the morning, received their restaurant leftovers in a plastic takeaway container, or forgot to take their reusable bags to the store, there are numerous ways one can obtain disposable plastic — and that is a problem. According to the first global analysis of the production of plastics, humans now produce more plastic than anything else and, as a result, have created 8.3 billion tonnes (9.bn tons) of the stuff since the 1950’s. If the trend...

SAIC-GM-Wuling launches its first EV; Buick Regal hybrid available in China

Jul 21, 2017: In China, SAIC-GM-Wuling officially launched the Baojun E100, the brand’s first fully-electric vehicle. Available in two variants, it is priced as low as RMB 35,800 (US$5,290) after national and local subsidies. Separately, Buick brought to market the all-new Regal for...

Frederike Top's geometric LED lamps cast colorful rays of ever-changing light

Jul 21, 2017: Related: Stickbulb’s new Boom LED lamp is made of reclaimed wood from NYC water tanks + Via Organisaion in Design…

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Promised For North America – Again

Jul 21, 2017: If there were an encyclopedia entry for “unrealized expectations,” the promise of the Mitsubishi Outlander’s coming to North America might be featured, but don’t let that dissuade you as it could be here by year’s end. Positive indicators include at least two Canadian dealer websites taking pre-orders for the plug-in hybrid that’s been said to […] The post Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Promised For North America – Again appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Next Bugatti Chiron to Go Hybrid

Jul 21, 2017: The next-gen Bugatti Chiron hypercar will get hybrid tech to help make it even faster, according to the company’s CEO. “Electrification will happen,” said Bugatti CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer. The current Chiron uses a quad-turbo 8.0-liter W16 that makes an absolutely massive 1,479 horsepower. It’s an evolution of the Veyron’s engine that started at 987 horsepower […] The post Next Bugatti Chiron to Go Hybrid appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Greenbuild: The world's biggest green building expo is coming to Boston

Jul 21, 2017: The world's biggest conference dedicated to green building is coming to Boston this November, and you won't want to miss it. The Greenbuild International Conference and Expo will bring together experts, professionals and leaders in sustainable building for mind-blowing exhibits, learning activities, a Net Zero zone, and pavilions with the latest in green building technology.

Continental Builds Autonomous Test CUbE

Jul 21, 2017: Continental is weighing in on what it thinks the future of autonomous driving will look like, and developing its own autonomous testbed. Known best for tires, Continental is also a major supplier of automotive electronics and systems. The company has built a vehicle to demonstrate driverless mobility and to develop and test autonomous driving systems […] The post Continental Builds Autonomous Test CUbE appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Gorgeous modern home makes stunning use of recycled and salvaged materials

Jul 21, 2017: Architecture studio tenfiftyfive paired modern luxury with sustainable and nature-centric design in their design of this gorgeous house extension in Melbourne. Named the Park House, this Instagram-worthy dwelling is built around two mature gumtrees and clad in timber to blend into the surroundings. More than just a pretty picture, this stylish abode also boasts energy-efficient principles as well as a natural-materials palette largely foraged from recycled and salvaged items. Completed...

Shigeru Ban designs 20,000 homes for severely overcrowded refugee camp in Kenya

Jul 21, 2017: Related: + Via…

Montreal supermarket is Canada's first to grow produce on its own rooftop garden

Jul 21, 2017: A supermarket in Montreal is raising the roof on local produce. Located in the Saint-Laurent borough, IGA Extra Famille Duchemin says it's the first grocery store in Canada to sell herbs and vegetables grown on its own roof. The 25,000-foot space features more than 30 different varieties of certified-organic produce, including tomatoes, lettuce, radishes, kale, eggplant, and basil. Photos via Facebook…

Hybrid and electric cars account for 7.5% of Kia 1H 2017 Europe sales, up from 1% in 2016

Jul 21, 2017: Kia Motors posted its best six-month sales period in Europe, with half-year sales surpassing 250,000 for the first time in the company’s history. Hybrid and electric vehicles accounted for 7.5% of European sales so far this year, up from just...

US DOI scientist claims he was reassigned for speaking up on climate change

Jul 21, 2017: Is the Donald Trump administration reassigning employees who speak out on the dangers of climate change? Joel Clement, former Office of Policy Analysis director at the Department of the Interior, seems to think so. He penned an opinion editorial piece for The Washington Post saying he was moved into an "unrelated job in the accounting office." He said he's a scientist and policy expert, not an accountant - "...but you don't have to be one to see that the administration's excuse for a reassignment...

UN-Habitat and DLR sign a memorandum of understanding on sustainable urban mobility

Jul 21, 2017: The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) Institute of Transport Research signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Berlin that aims to promote cooperation between the two institutions...

Audi offering free emissions software upgrade for up to 850,000 diesels

Jul 21, 2017: Audi is offering its customers in Europe and other markets—outside of the US and Canada—a retrofit program for cars with EU5 and EU6 diesel engines. A total of up to 850,000 cars worldwide with six-cylinder and eight-cylinder diesel engines (V6/V8...

Avionics Makes The World’s Coolest Retro Electric Bicycle (w/Video)

Jul 21, 2017: The Avionics V1 electric bicycle is the coolest retro bike in the world. Just watch the video and then say you don't want one! The post Avionics Makes The World’s Coolest Retro Electric Bicycle (w/Video) appeared first on Gas 2.

Two new approaches to high-performance SiOx anodes for Li-ion batteries

Jul 21, 2017: Although silicon is a very attractive anode material because of its higher energy density, its huge volume change over repeated charge−discharge cycles rapidly degrades cycle life. As an alternative approach to mitigate the well-known drawbacks of silicon while retaining the...

Elon Musk’s Hyperloop Takes Another Step Step Closer to Becoming a Reality

Jul 21, 2017: The Boring Company has received federal approval to build a series of tunnels that will link major East Coast cities together and significantly cut travel time between them. The tunnels would house Boring Company founder Elon Musk’s innovative ‘Hyperloop’ – a system in which train car type pods are launched through a tunnel with a […] The post Elon Musk’s Hyperloop Takes Another Step Step Closer to Becoming a Reality appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Elon Musk gets "verbal approval" for east coast underground Hyperloop

Jul 21, 2017: But as Mal said to Shepherd Bush in Serenity, "That's a long wait for a train don't come."…

Hyundai Ioniq EV Suffering From Battery Shortage

Jul 21, 2017: Hyundai’s electric Ioniq is too popular for Hyundai – or some of its suppliers – to handle. A report from Business Korea says that Hyundai is having trouble sourcing batteries for its Ioniq plug-in and EV. It says that Hyundai originally ordered 6,000 to 7,000 batteries from supplier LG Chem for installation in versions of […] The post Hyundai Ioniq EV Suffering From Battery Shortage appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Vertical farming startup raises $200M from Alphabet, Jeff Bezos

Jul 21, 2017: Indoor vertical farming is on the rise, if a recent funding round for San Francisco startup Plenty is any indication. The company just scored what they say is the largest agriculture technology investment in history at $200 million. Plenty has attracted attention - and quite a lot of money - from well-known tech entrepreneurs like Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Alphabet Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt. Related: 40-foot shipping container farm can grow 5 acres of food with 97% less water…

Saitama City, Honda Motor and Yamaha Motor begin electric motorcycle trials

Jul 21, 2017: Saitama City (Japan), Honda Motor and Yamaha Motor will begin evaluation testing towards the expansion of the use of electric motorcycles. As part of Saitama City’s “E-KIZUNA Project” policies to promote the spread of electric vehicles, this collaborative initiative by...

Scientists discover the Amazon forest sets off its own rainy season

Jul 21, 2017: For years, scientists have been stumped over why the rainy season in the southern Amazon rainforest begins when it does, two to three months earlier than they'd expect. But now an international team that includes researchers from NASA and Google has discovered the forest actually triggers its own rainy season, thanks to water vapor off plant leaves. The finding points to one disastrous consequence of deforestation in this part of the world: as trees are cut down, there's actually less rainfall. ...

Configurable wooden shelter hangs from the treetops

Jul 21, 2017: Related: + Etablissements Tourneux Via NotCot Etablissements Tourneux, shelter design, wooden shelters, treetop shelters, Sequoia shelter…

Aspiring Jedis can pilot the Millennium Falcon at Disney's upcoming 'Star Wars' hotel

Jul 21, 2017: Related: + Via…

And one e-bike to rule them all: Trek Supercommuter+ 8S review

Jul 21, 2017: I'm forever spoiled for other electric bikes.

First crop of DOE Battery500 seedlings awarded nearly $6M; high-risk, high-reward toward 500 Wh/kg

Jul 21, 2017: Announced in 2016, the Battery500 consortium, led by the US Department of Energy (DOE) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), intends to build a battery pack with a specific energy of 500 Wh/kg, compared to the 170-200 Wh/kg per kilogram in...

KAIST team extends cycle life of silicon anodes with molecular pulley polyrotaxane in binder

Jul 21, 2017: Silicon anodes can deliver 3~5-times higher capacities compared with current graphite anodes in lithium-ion batteries. However, their volume expands enormously during each charge-discharge cycle, leading to fractures of the electrode particles or delamination of the electrode film, both resulting in...

Gehry Partners unveils plant-covered offices for Los Angeles

Jul 21, 2017: Frank Gehry’s firm Gehry Partners is bringing a burst of greenery to Los Angeles’ Playa Vista neighborhood. The world-renowned architecture firm unveiled renderings for their new eight-story office project, called New Beatrice West, that will incorporate the firm’s current offices next door. The eco-conscious structure will be covered in green walls, topped with trees, and feature energy-efficient systems. Located on a corner lot across five contiguous lots, New Beatrice West will...

San Pedro Bay Ports release draft of 2017 Clean Air Action Plan Update; $7-$14 billion price tag

Jul 21, 2017: The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach released the draft of their proposed 2017 Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) Update. The document outlines a new set of aggressive near-term and long-term strategies for the nation’s busiest harbor complex to...

Apple Rumored to Be Secretly Working on Electric-Car Battery Development

Jul 21, 2017: More rumors that Apple is working on becoming an automaker, or at least an automotive supplier, have bubbled up thanks to a report out of China. Chinese publication Yicai Global says the tech giant is working in secret with a Chinese battery manufacturer – Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL) – on research and development for […] The post Apple Rumored to Be Secretly Working on Electric-Car Battery Development appeared first on HybridCars.com.

BMW Reportedly Increasing i3 Battery Range Again

Jul 21, 2017: What with cars like the 238-mile Chevy Bolt and 215-plus mile Tesla Model 3 making BMW’s 81-114-mile range i3 look a bit short-legged, the German carmaker may infuse a bit more range into its small EV. According to a “source,” BMW Blog says BMW is upgrading the battery pack from 94 Ah to 120, possibly […] The post BMW Reportedly Increasing i3 Battery Range Again appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Everyone should wear helmets. So why pick on cyclists?

Jul 20, 2017: Author Todd Babin wonders why there this obsession about cyclists and helmets. So do I.

The iconic Schwalbe scooter has been reincarnated as an electric vehicle

Jul 20, 2017: This classic scooter from the former country of East Germany is now an e-scooter with a 62-mile range.

A Gas2 Reader Offers His Thoughts On The Chevy Bolt

Jul 20, 2017: Gas2 reader Victor Sasson test drove a Chevy Bolt back in January when the first cars arrived at a local dealer. Here is his report. The post A Gas2 Reader Offers His Thoughts On The Chevy Bolt appeared first on Gas 2.

California to receive additional $153M in final settlement with Volkswagen

Jul 20, 2017: The California Air Resources Board (CARB) filed a consent decree for its final settlement with the Volkswagen Group of America (VW). The company will be required to pay an additional $153.8 million to California over the company’s use of illegal...