LanzaTech continues to make strides in scaling up its alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) platform. Commercialization of the ATJ process has been years in the making, starting with the partnership between LanzaTech and the US Energy Department’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. PNNL developed a unique catalytic process to upgrade ethanol to alcohol-to-jet synthetic... Read more →

Hyundai Motor’s Hydrogen Mobility Solution has won the second International Truck of the Year (IToY) Truck Innovation Award. Hyundai Motor Company and H2 Energy set up its joint venture (JV), Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility, in April 2019. (Earlier post.) The goal of the cooperation is to expand Europe’s hydrogen mobility ecosystem... Read more →

At the Los Angeles Auto Show, Toyota introduced its new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) RAV4 performance model with an estimated 302-horsepower, advanced all-wheel drive, sport-tuned suspension and exclusive design features. In addition to an ability to do 0-60 mph in a projected 5.8 seconds—the second quickest acceleration time in the Toyota... Read more →

Audi unveiled the second model in its e-tron product line. The Audi e-tron Sportback is a battery-electric SUV coupé offering up to 300 kW of power and a range of up to 446 kilometers (277.1 miles) (WLTP) from a single battery charge. Combined electric power consumption is 26.3 - 21.6... Read more →

Volkswagen unveiled the ID. SPACE VIZZION electric concept—the seventh concept built off of the MEB platform—at a special event in Los Angeles. The Volkswagen ID. SPACE VIZZION electric concept combines the aerodynamic design of a Gran Turismo with the spaciousness and versatility of an SUV. With an 82 kWh battery... Read more →

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) called upon federal regulators to create a review process before allowing automated test vehicles to operate on public roads, based upon the agency’s investigation of a fatal collision between an Uber automated test vehicle and a pedestrian. During a board meeting held to determine... Read more →

Nikola Corporation said that it has developed a new battery that has a record energy density of 1,100 Wh kg-1 on the material level and 500 Wh kg-1 on the production cell level—including casing, terminals and separator—more than double current lithium-ion battery cells. The Nikola prototype cell eliminates binder material... Read more →

At the 9th edition of the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, SEAT announced the creation of a new strategic business unit focused on urban mobility and presented its new e-Kickscooter concept and its first electric e-Scooter concept. The SEAT Urban Mobility business unit will integrate all the product,... Read more →

The California Energy Commission (CEC) has launched a new funded program to help speed the commercialization of clean energy technologies. The California Test Bed (CalTestBed) initiative is designed to reduce the stumbling blocks of time, cost, and bureaucracy most entrepreneurs face when trying to bring breakthrough concepts to market. The... Read more →

Atieva, the Silicon Valley-based technology wing of Lucid Motors, announced that the spec battery pack of its own design will power the entire 24-car Formula E field for the upcoming 2019/20 race season in association with its partners. The Formula E battery pack was conceptualized, designed, tested, and manufactured by... Read more →

In May 2018, Bridgestone Corporation announced the development of the world’s first polymer to bond rubber and resins at the molecular level. The new polymer features unprecedented durability with crack resistance that is more than five times higher, abrasion resistance that is more than 2.5 times higher, and tensile strength... Read more →

Researchers at Fraunhofer IFAM have developed a casting technique that can be used to produce lightweight aluminum windings with a higher groove fill factor to replace copper windings in electric motors. In one study, they found that the aluminum coils increase the continuous output of the electrical machines compared to... Read more →

On Friday, the California Department of General Services (DGS) that, effective immediately, it is prohibiting purchasing by state agencies of any sedans solely powered by an internal combustion engine, with exemptions for certain public safety vehicles. A second policy, currently being developed by DGS, will require state agencies, starting on... Read more →

Volkswagen will assemble its ID.3 EV at the Gläserne Manufaktur in Dresden in addition to the Zwickau plant. The ID.3 is the first model in the latest generation that Volkswagen is putting on the road under its global electric offensive. Following on from Zwickau, Dresden now becomes the second assembly... Read more →

The Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) and its Thai partners in the Ministry of Transport, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Metropolitan Police Bureau, Chulalongkorn University and Grab Thailand will launch a project to ease traffic congestion on Rama4 Road. It will be known as the “Rama4 Model.” This project was initiated as an... Read more →

The first fully-electric Mercedes-Benz eCitaro city buses were handed over on 18 November 2019 to ESWE Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH (ESWE Verkehr) in Wiesbaden. The vehicles are part of a large-scale order for 56 units of the battery-powered city bus which is series-produced in Mannheim, Germany. Each delivery of one of our... Read more →

Cree, Inc. and ABB’s Power Grids business are partnering to expand the rollout of silicon carbide in the rapidly-growing high-power semiconductor market. The agreement incorporates the use of Cree’s Wolfspeed silicon carbide-based semiconductors into ABB’s comprehensive product portfolio, enabling Cree to broaden its customer base while accelerating ABB’s entry into... Read more →

SERES, a subsidiary of Chongqing Sokon Industrial Group Co., Ltd. and Shenzhen BYD Microelectronics Co., Ltd. (BYD Microelectronics) have entered a strategic partnership to develop next-generation power electronics. BYD Microelectronics operates China’s most comprehensive value chain of automotive-grade IGBTs, producing IGBT modules and wafers, SiC modules and wafers, automotive current... Read more →

BMW will introduce the electric i4 (earlier post)—the Group’s first purely electrically powered model for the premium mid-range—in 2021. The i4 will feature the fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology (earlier post), which will debut in the BMW iX3—to be produced from 2020 onwards—followed by the BMW iNEXT and then the BMW... Read more →

Greater exposure to ambient ultrafine particles (UFPs, <0.1 µm) produced by fuel burning could increase people’s chances of getting brain cancer according to a new study by a team of researchers in Canada in the journal Epidemiology. This is the first study to suggest a relationship with the incidence of... Read more →

In Los Angeles, Ford unveiled the all-electric Mustang Mach-E SUV. When it arrives in late 2020, Mustang Mach-E will be available with standard (75.7 kWh Li-ion battery) and extended-range (98.8 kWh battery) options with either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive powered by permanent magnet motors. Equipped with an extended-range battery... Read more →

According to the IEA says that, producing all of today’s hydrogen just using electricity would require 3600 TWh—more than the annual electricity generation of the European Union. A new approach developed by researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) could alleviate that situation a bit by using... Read more →

The BMW Group has pooled its years of experience with battery cells and extensive knowledge in the field in a new Competence Center in Munich. The purpose of the facility is to advance battery cell technology and carefully dissect the production processes. The new Battery Cell Competence Center puts us... Read more →

Volvo Buses recently demonstrated the potential of a 12-meter electric and autonomous bus at a bus depot. The demonstration, held together with bus operator Keolis, took place at Keolis’ bus depot just outside of Gothenburg, Sweden. During the demonstration, the fully-electric 12m autonomous bus successfully drove itself between the parking... Read more →

Scientists from Tokyo Metropolitan University have developed a low-temperature catalyst for removing NOx gas from industrial exhaust using ammonia. Composed of bulk “defective” vanadium oxide instead of vanadium oxides supported on titanium oxide as in commercial catalysts, the catalyst works at lower temperatures (< 150 ˚C) with much higher efficiency.... Read more →

The technology group Wärtsilä and Singapore-based PSA Marine will collaborate in the co-creation of smart technologies for the marine sector. The focus will be on solutions that are human-centric and deployable. Specific collaboration areas envisioned include the use of electric or hybrid technologies that further the use of low-emissions energy... Read more →

Recently, DNV GL identified the five most promising alternative fuels for shipping, with hydrogen as the ultimate zero-emission solution. The first complete hydrogen-fueled prospect has now been assembled by Ulstein Design & Solutions BV and Nedstack Fuel Cell Technology BV. The ULSTEIN SX190 Zero Emission DP2 construction support vessel is... Read more →

Cummins Inc. announced its next environmental sustainability strategy—PLANET 2050—which includes science-based goals that meet or exceed the goals in the United Nations Paris agreement on climate change. By 2050, Cummins is targeting net-zero carbon emissions. PLANET 2050 focuses on three priority areas: addressing climate change and air emissions; using natural... Read more →

An international team of researchers has synthesized one-dimensional bunched platinum-nickel (Pt-Ni) alloy nanocages with a Pt-skin structure for the oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells. The nanocages display high mass activity (3.52 amperes per milligram platinum) and specific activity (5.16 milliamperes per square centimeter platinum)—nearly 17 and 14 times higher... Read more →

Velodyne Lidar, Inc. introduced Alpha Prime, the next-generation lidar sensor utilizing Velodyne’s patented surround view technology to deliver the combined highest performance specifications for the autonomous mobility industry in one sensor. Offering a new level of power efficiency, the Alpha Prime is available now for orders and delivery. The Alpha... Read more →