Transportation News

Updated Gen7 BMW 5 Series sedan introduces new 48V MHEV system, more powerful PHEV

May 27, 2020: BMW announced the updated, 2021 7th generation 5 Series Sedan. The MY2021 models feature improvements in exterior and interior design, aerodynamics and technology, plus the introduction of a new 48-volt mild hybrid system and a new plug-in hybrid drivetrain. The 2021 BMW 5 Series lineup includes the: 248 hp 530i...

SLOCAT preliminary analysis of impact of COVID-19 on regional mobility

May 27, 2020: The Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport (SLOCAT) has published a preliminary analysis of the early impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on passenger mobility in urban environments. The analysis looks at how different regions and income groups are affected, and seeks to provide a preliminary answer to the question of...

Rolls-Royce and Daimler Truck AG plan cooperation on stationary fuel-cell systems

May 27, 2020: Daimler Truck AG and Rolls-Royce plc plan to cooperate on stationary fuel-cell generators as CO2-neutral emergency power generators for safety-critical facilities such as data centers. They are to offer emission-free alternatives to diesel engines, which are currently used as emergency power generators or to cover peak loads. Daimler Truck AG...

Mercedes-Benz gradually increasing battery production in Kamenz plant

May 27, 2020: Local battery production is an important success factor for Mercedes-Benz AG’s electric offensive and the key element to meet the global demand for electrified vehicles flexibly and efficiently. The company is therefore investing more than €1 billion to establish a global battery production network. The network will consist of nine...

American Honda Motor to pay $1.9M in penalties in California for small engine emissions violations

May 27, 2020: The California Air Resources Board has reached a settlement of $1,927,800 with American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) to resolve clean-air violations related to the sale of small off-road engines in California. The violations involved small off-road engines used in generators and lawn and garden equipment. Through extensive tests in...

Babylon Bridge features hanging gardens over the Seine

May 26, 2020: Inspired by the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the proposed bridge would be covered with greenery on multiple levels.

LEED Platinum-certified Half Moon Bay Library targets net-zero energy

May 26, 2020: At three times the size of its predecessor with a recently minted LEED Platinum certification, California’s Half Moon Bay Library is an impressive community resource in more ways than one.

Heatherwick Studio completes nature-filled EDEN apartments in Singapore

May 26, 2020: Greenery spills down the sides of EDEN, a nature-filled apartment building in the historic Newton district of Singapore.

Montreal unveils plans for award-winning Biodiversity Corridor

May 26, 2020: Following decades of car-oriented growth that replaced swaths of greenery with asphalt, the city of Montreal is attempting to bring nature back.

Designers propose sustainable housing in response to COVID-19 lifestyle changes

May 26, 2020: In response to how COVID-19 continues to reshape our lives, Studio BELEM proposes a live/work housing scheme.

Cracow signs $40M order for 50 Solaris electric buses

May 26, 2020: Cracow, Poland public transport operator Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacyjne S.A. (MPK) has signed a contract for the purchase of 50 Solaris Urbino 18 electric buses. The new electric buses will expand the existing fleet of 400 Solaris vehicles of varying configurations, cruising the streets of Cracow—including 28 electric buses. The order...

New study provides detailed analysis of oxygen evolution reaction at molecular level

May 26, 2020: Ruthenium dioxide is widely used in industrial processes, in which it’s particularly important for catalyzing the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) that splits molecules of water and releases oxygen. However, the exact mechanism that takes place on this material’s surface, and how that reaction is affected by the orientation of the...

Order-taking begins for Mercedes-Benz EQV electric van

May 26, 2020: The new battery-electric-powered van from Mercedes-Benz, the EQV (earlier post), can now be ordered. For the market launch, the van is available in the long wheelbase version as the EQV 300. A 90 kWh battery pack enables a range of up to 418 kilometers (260 miles). The EQV starts with...

1st development phase of Autostack Industrie project for commercialization of fuel cell stacks complete

May 26, 2020: In 2017, Germany launched a consortium of leading industrial companies to investigate high-volume production of automotive fuel cell stacks. (Earlier post.) Now, the first development phase—Evolution 1—of the stack development is complete; the level achieved will be evaluated by the partners. The complexity and number of parts of a fuel...

Air Liquide introducing next-gen hydrogen stations

May 26, 2020: Air Liquide is introducing next-generation hydrogen stations with a high capacity of 1,000 kg and dual filling positions capable of filling 250 vehicles per day. Air Liquide’s high capacity gaseous hydrogen station can provide 700 bar fills at T40 temperatures per SAE J2601 protocol. Air Liquide integrates compression, high pressure...

Researchers use cold-spray deposition to create thermoelectric generators for harvesting waste heat from previously inaccessible sources

May 26, 2020: Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and collaborators have used an additive manufacturing technique, called cold-spray deposition, to create thermoelectric generators that can harvest waste heat—a huge untapped resource—from previously inaccessible sources, such as pipes with complex geometries. The generators display good performance over a wide temperature range. A...

Off-grid bamboo bungalow embraces nature in Thailand

May 25, 2020: Set approximately 1,200 meters above sea level in a rural area, the remote property has no electricity, water supply or even other buildings nearby. As a result, the architects created TREE Sukkasem VILLA, a self-sustaining home that combines traditional Thai design and contemporary elements.

Geothermal-powered dorm minimizes its carbon footprint in Quebec

May 25, 2020: The new dorm complements the boarding school's existing architecture while raising the bar for sustainable design.

Researchers use copper ions to enhance performance of Mg battery

May 25, 2020: Magnesium (Mg) is a promising candidates to replace lithium for electrochemical energy storage devices due to its abundance—far greater than that of lithium—enhanced safety, and theoretical high volumetric capacity. However, Mg batteries suffer from sluggish kinetics and poor reversibility, making it difficult to achieve high volumetric capacity. Now, researchers at...

UCLA study shows how air pollution can lead to damage to brain cells; zebrafish and Parkinson’s

May 24, 2020: A new UCLA study in zebrafish identified the process by which air pollution can damage brain cells, potentially contributing to Parkinson’s disease. Published in the journal Toxicological Sciences, the findings show that chemicals in diesel exhaust can trigger the toxic buildup of a protein in the brain called alpha-synuclein, which...

Alstom reports successful 1.5y trial operation of Coradia iLint fuel cell trains, next project phase begins

May 23, 2020: After 530 days and more than 180,000 driven kilometers, the successful trial operation of the world’s first two hydrogen trains was officially completed at the end of February. Two pre-series trains of Alstom’s Coradia iLint model have been in passenger service since September 2018. (Earlier post.) From 2022, 14 Coradia...

H2OzBus project to deploy 100 fuel cell buses across Australia

May 23, 2020: ITM Power announced the formation of the H2OzBus Project and the signing of a memorandum of understanding with a consortium of strategic partners. The consortium comprises Transit Systems, part of the SeaLink Travel Group; Ballard Power Systems; BOC Limited; Palisade Investment Partners; and ITM Power. The partners have signed a...

Argosy Minerals announces first shipment of lithium carbonate from Rincon project

May 23, 2020: Australia-based Argosy Minerals Limited confirmed the successful export shipment of five tonnes of >99.5% lithium carbonate product from its industrial-scale pilot plant operations at the Rincon Lithium Project in Salta Province, Argentina. The preliminary five tonne cargo was loaded onto the ship on Wednesday and set sail overnight from Buenos...

How to make vegetable broth with scraps to reduce food waste

May 22, 2020: Get ready to make flavorful, comforting recipes with this tutorial on how to make your own broth to reduce food waste.

Migrating monarch butterflies get the right-of-way in new agreement

May 22, 2020: A new nationwide right-of-way agreement aims to protect migrating monarch butterflies.

U.S. rabbit populations contend with lethal virus, RHDV2

May 22, 2020: Wildlife officials recently announced outbreaks of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Type 2 (RHDV2) ravaging Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and California. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) deems RHDV2 as seriously contagious and nearly always fatal amongst domestic and wild rabbit species and their close relatives, hares and pikas.

Ancient Mayan-inspired Casa Merida operates off the grid in Mexico

May 22, 2020: The self-sufficient Casa Merida stays naturally cool, unlike its neighbors that rely heavily on AC.

LEED-seeking apartments house formerly homeless families in San Francisco

May 22, 2020: The development is not only a champion of humanitarian architecture but also embodies sustainable principles including high-density living and energy-efficient design.

7 Japanese companies form e5 Consortium to promote electric vessels; launching electric tanker in 2022

May 22, 2020: Seven Japan-based companies—Asahi Tanker Co., Ltd.; Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.; Exeno Yamamizu Corporation; Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.; Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.; Tokyo Electric Power Company; and Mitsubishi Corporation—have formed the e5 Consortium, with the goal of establishing new ocean shipping infrastructure services through various initiatives to...

Bipartisan bill in Congress would direct DOD to replace non-tactical vehicles with ZEVs

May 22, 2020: Representatives Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. (D-CA-39) and Francis Rooney (R-FL-19) introduced the Department of Defense (DOD) Non-Tactical Vehicle Reduced Petroleum Consumption Act. This bill directs the DOD to replace such vehicles—from passenger cars to construction vehicles such as bulldozers and forklifts—as they age with zero-emission vehicles. The gradual procurement process...

PNNL team develops onboard fuel separation technology to enable octane-on-demand for improved fuel economy

May 22, 2020: Researchers at the US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have developed an onboard separation system that could support increased fuel economy and lower greenhouse gas emissions as part of an octane-on-demand fuel-delivery system. A paper on the team’s exploratory research, which was supported under the DOE’s Co-Optima...

Craiova, Romania orders 16 Solaris articulated electric buses

May 22, 2020: Solaris and the Romanian city of Craiova (Romania’s sixth-largest city) have signed a contract for the delivery of 16 18-meter articulated Urbino 18 electric buses. The articulated vehicles will make it to Craiova in the first half of 2021. The purchase marks the first use of electric buses in the...

Tritium launches “Plug and Charge” technology in its 350 kW fast chargers

May 22, 2020: Australia-based Tritium, a global provider of electric vehicle (EV) DC fast charging technology, has launched its Plug and Charge solution, the first of its kind in the world available to the market. The technology, leveraging the ISO15118 standard, enables an electric vehicle and charger to communicate seamlessly and authorize payments...

IHS Markit: US oil producers to halt 1.75 MMb/d per day of production; Canada to cut 0.5 MMb/d

May 22, 2020: Due to the collapse in oil prices, IHS Markit expects US producers are in the process of curtailing about 1.75 million barrels per day (MMb/d) of existing production by early June due to operating cash losses, lack of demand and storage capacity, and an unwillingness to sell resources at the...

Ricardo joins Digital Twin Consortium; targeting multiple transportation/mobility industries

May 22, 2020: Ricardo has become a “Groundbreaker,” one of a handful of international companies collaborating in the newly formed Digital Twin Consortium, which seeks to drive consistency in vocabulary, architecture, security and interoperability. Led by a steering committee consisting of founders Ansys, Dell, Lendlease and Microsoft, the open-membership Consortium represents an international...

Tiny minimalist cabin in the Pyrenees uses natural materials

May 21, 2020: Don't let the simple aesthetic of this cabin fool you! The Weekend Shelter by Agora Arquitectura conceals a powerhouse of passive design.

Crowds fill national park for Yellowstone reopening

May 21, 2020: As visitors poured in on May 18, cars with license plates from all over the country filled parking lots and hardly a mask was in sight.

US renewables hit milestone in surpassing coal output

May 21, 2020: Both the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) and the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysts (IEEFA) have revealed that, from March 25th through May 3rd, utility-scale solar, wind and hydropower collectively generated more electricity than coal! This record 40-day timespan has edged over 2019's run of 38 days when U.S. renewables first beat coal last year.

Architects design COVID-19 mobile testing labs for underserved communities

May 21, 2020: Perkins and Will is teaming up with multiple designers to find ways to reuse buses as mobile testing labs.

AKA Patagonia pays tribute to the Chilean landscape with low-impact construction

May 21, 2020: The hotel boasts views of volcanoes, mountains and glaciers.

SGH2 building largest green hydrogen production facility in California; gasification of waste into H2

May 21, 2020: Energy company SGH2 is bringing the world’s biggest green hydrogen production facility to Lancaster, California. The plant will feature SGH2’s technology, which will gasify recycled mixed paper waste to produce green hydrogen that reduces carbon emissions by two to three times more than green hydrogen produced using electrolysis and renewable...

York, Empa study finds retrofitting of VW diesel engines was successful

May 21, 2020: The VW diesel scandal began on 18 September 2015. On the opening day of the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a Notice of Violation: VW diesel engines with 1.6 and 2.0 liters displacement (type code EA 189) contained illegal software designed to manipulate...

Every Volvo model now comes with a 180 km/h speed limit and Care Key

May 21, 2020: Every new Volvo car now comes with a limited top speed of 180 km/h (112 mph), as Volvo Cars delivers on its promise made last year to introduce such a limitation and goes beyond regulation and legislation to help close the remaining gap to zero serious injuries and fatalities in...

Lightning Systems reaccredited under bp’s Advancing Low Carbon Program

May 21, 2020: Lightning Systems, a leading developer of zero-emission powertrains, has received reaccreditation under bp’s Advancing Low Carbon (ALC) program. The ALC program was created by bp to encourage bp and its partners to identify lower carbon opportunities. Activities within the program include everything from low carbon products to global research initiatives...

Frankfurt orders 13 Ebusco electric buses

May 21, 2020: Ebusco will deliver 13 electrical buses to Frankfurt with the Transdev Group in Germany in the end of 2020. The new low floor Ebusco 2.2 buses will be in operation in Frankfurt by Transdev Rhein-Main GmbH under the Alpina brand, which will replace the current diesel buses. The Transdev Group...

KYB & REE Automotive partner on next-generation modular EV Platform

May 21, 2020: EV platform company p and KYB Corporation (KYB), one of the world’s largest suppliers of suspensions, announced a strategic partnership to develop suspension capabilities for future electric vehicle (EV) platforms. Automotive Tier 1 supplier KYB’s semi-active and active suspension systems will boost REE’s next-generation EV platform, which delivers complete design...

InoBat Auto acquires Slovakia site for battery R&D and prototype production

May 21, 2020: European R&D and battery production company InoBat Auto has acquired a 290,000 sq ft (27,000 sq m) facility close to Bratislava, Slovakia. The property will house a 100MWh facility combining proprietary High Throughput Process (HTP) R&D with prototype battery cell-manufacturing capabilities. InoBat says the facility will produce batteries to specifications...