Eight Serbian scientists are leading a research project to develop the commercial production of biofuel from algae. The project is supported by the NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme and is carried out by Belgrade’s Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in cooperation with Manchester University in the United Kingdom... Read more →

Audi’s two latest natural-gas alternatives in the midsize category—the new A4 Avant g-tron (earlier post) and the new A5 Sportback g-tron—are now available for order in Europe. Both models are powered by a bivalent 2.0 TFSI engine developing 170 hp. Like the A3 Sportback g-tron that is already on the... Read more →

The Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU) Authority has approved the purchase of four Proterra Catalyst E2 zero-emissions battery-electric transit buses and related charging infrastructure. This purchase marks Proterra’s first airport customer and the first airport electric bus deployment in the Carolinas. Currently, RDU shuttle buses transport on average 112,166 passengers and luggage... Read more →

Researchers at Purdue University, the University of Notre Dame and Cummins have discovered a new reaction mechanism that could be used to improve SCR catalyst designs for pollution-control systems to further reduce emissions of smog-causing nitrogen oxides in diesel exhaust. The research focuses on zeolites—workhorses in petroleum and chemical refineries... Read more →

Wärtsilä has been contracted to deliver the ship design for a new processing and transportation vessel to be built at the Balenciaga shipyard in Spain on behalf of Hav Line AS of Norway. In addition to the design, Wärtsilä will also supply an integrated solution comprising a 10-cylinder Wärtsilä 31... Read more →

Using new PM2.5 exposure methods, researchers in China have estimated 1.30 million premature deaths in China in 2013 due to PM2.5. Their findings, presented in a paper in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology, are consistent with other estimates (1.37 million and 1.36 million) calculated using different PM2.5 exposure... Read more →

Chart and Ground Force Worldwide (GFW) have launched of the first dual LNG/diesel fueling truck, designed and built for a large rock quarry customer in Florida. The customer is using the vehicle as a fueling solution for their recently converted fleet of haul trucks, which were retro-fitted with LNG conversions.... Read more →

At a special preview event held in Seoul, Hyundai Motor provided an early glimpse of its next-generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, which is due to launch early next year. The new fuel cell SUV will spearhead Hyundai Motor’s plans to accelerate development of low emission vehicles, in line with Hyundai... Read more →

Continental’s new VoicR app enhances communication especially for drivers and fleets. Users record short voice messages and send them to persons nearby or to users all over the world. As known from the analog CB radio, VoicR uses predefined public channels as well as personalized channels. This direct communication between... Read more →

A comprehensively revised 120 PS (88 kW) 1.6-liter i-DTEC diesel engine will join the Honda Civic range in Europe from March 2018, offering a combination of performance and efficiency. The new engine is one of the first units to be officially tested under the new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test... Read more →

The US Department of Energy (DOE) selected four projects to move on to a second phase of research in their efforts to advance recovery of rare earth elements (REE) from coal and coal byproducts. (Earlier post.) DOE will invest $17.4 million to develop and test REE recovery systems originally selected... Read more →

Researchers at Purdue University have created a new type of non-liquid lubricant—a novel graphene-zinc oxide composite—that has been shown to reduce friction and wear significantly under the extreme conditions found in various applications, from air compressors to missile systems. The new liquid-free composite is made from a slurry of graphene,... Read more →

Toyota and Servco Pacific Inc. (Servco) have partnered to test a new car-sharing technology in Honolulu. The suite of software and services is an important part of Toyota’s Mobility Services Platform (MSPF) which will offer various functions to enable a more convenient mobility experience. When the employee-only pilot testing program... Read more →

Researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have developed a new type of rubber that is as tough as natural rubber but can also self-heal. The research is published in Advanced Materials. Self-healing materials aren’t new—researchers at SEAS have developed self-healing hydrogels, which... Read more →

A team at the University of Delaware has synthesized renewable jet-fuel-range alkanes by hydrodeoxygenation of lignocellulose-derived high-carbon furylmethanes over ReOx-modified Ir/SiO2 catalysts under mild reaction conditions (170 ˚C, 5 MPa). Their paper is featured on the cover of the journal ChemSusChem. In their work, they found that Ir−ReOx/SiO2 with a... Read more →

Hyundai Mobis has developed an on-board, bi-directional charger for plug-in vehicles. The bi-directional onboard charger (OBC) allows the vehicle to supply electricity in its battery to the grid. The power supplied by the vehicle can also be used as emergency power in homes. If more than enough power is supplied,... Read more →

UQM Technologies Inc. announced a European OEM will conduct a pilot trial of the UQM full electric drivetrain solution, the PowerPhase DT. The OEM will be running two of the DT systems for evaluation with the long term goal of an all-electric transit bus production program. The UQM PowerPhase DT... Read more →

Deutsche Post DHL Group and Ford presented the first of their jointly produced electric delivery vans in Cologne, Germany. The vehicle, called the StreetScooter WORK XL, is based on a Ford Transit chassis fitted with a battery-electric drivetrain and a body designed and built to Deutsche Post DHL specifications. (Earlier... Read more →

BMW Group, Intel and Mobileye signed a memorandum of understanding with the intention for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) to be the first automaker to join them in developing a world-leading, state-of-the-art autonomous driving platform for global deployment. In July 2016, BMW Group, Intel, and Mobileye announced that they were joining... Read more →

Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Rutgers University have developed a three-layer system to verify that components produced using additive manufacturing have not been compromised. Their system uses acoustic and other physical techniques to confirm that the printer is operating as expected, and nondestructive inspection techniques to verify... Read more →

Researchers at the University of Sydney, with colleagues at Nanyang Technological University, have found a solution for one of the biggest stumbling blocks hindering the commercialization of rechargeable zinc-air batteries. Zinc-air batteries are powered by zinc metal and oxygen from the air. Cheaper to produce than lithium-ion batteries, they can... Read more →

Last year, the municipality of Florence, Italy called a tender notice that involved 70 new electric taxi licenses, all of which have now been allocated. Nissan LEAF is now the most popular EV taxi in Florence after 67 taxi owners decided to buy a Nissan LEAF ENEL EDITION. In addition,... Read more →

Lithium-air (or lithium-oxygen) batteries potentially could offer three times the gravimetric energy of current Li-ion batteries (3500 Wh/kg at the cell level); as such, they are looked to a potential solution for long-range EVs. However, tests of various approaches to creating such batteries have produced conflicting and confusing results, as... Read more →

New Flyer of America Inc., the US subsidiary of New Flyer Industries Inc., the largest transit bus and motor coach manufacturer and parts distributor in North America, is advancing production of 105 Xcelsior diesel-electric hybrid, forty-foot heavy-duty transit buses for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). It is the second... Read more →

BYD has secured its first major pure electric bus order in Israel. A fleet of 17 single-deck 12m buses will service the northern port city of Haifa, Israel’s third-largest city. The buses will be operated by Egged, Israel’s largest bus operator with almost 3,000 buses. The buses were purchased after... Read more →

UFF (U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland rf), a Finnish non-profit environmental and development organization, will use Neste MY Renewable Diesel, produced entirely from waste and residues, to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced in UFF’s logistics chain. UFF is an organization that recycles clothing for non-profit... Read more →

The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox offers an EPA-certified 39 mpg (6.03 l/100 km) on the highway (FWD model) with the available 1.6L turbo-diesel engine. (Earlier post.) GM expects that number to top the segment in highway fuel economy, with greater highway mileage than the 2017 Toyota RAV4 hybrid (30 mpg) and... Read more →

Nissan Germany is offering a €2,000 (US$2,360) scrappage bonus for Euro 1-4 diesel vehicles to buyers of a Nissan LEAF or Nissan e-NV200 electric vehicle. In combination with Nissan Elektrobonus (€3,000 for a LEAF and €3,250 for an e-NV200) and the state environmental bonus (€2,000), the scrappage bonus—which is available... Read more →

Exposure to high levels of PM2.5 air pollution increased stress hormone levels and negative metabolic changes in otherwise healthy, young adults according to the findings of a recent study conducted in China. Air purifiers appear to lessen the negative effects. The research is published in the American Heart Association’s journal... Read more →

Ryder System, Inc. will become the exclusive sales channel partner and service provider for Chanje, a new California based medium-duty electric vehicle (EV) and energy services company. (Earlier post.) As part of their future technology strategy, Ryder has placed its initial order of Chanje vehicles, the first of which will... Read more →

Nissan Motor Corporation and its Infiniti brand revealed a sleek, open-wheeled electric retro roadster prototype at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The car, called Prototype 9, is a re-imagining of a 1940s race car with time-honored production techniques employed to realize its retro design. The Prototype 9 is the... Read more →

Registration of model year 2016 plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) in New Jersey was up 79% over 2015, according to a recent analysis by ChargEVC, a diverse coalition of organizations and companies that support growth of the electric vehicle market. New Jersey now has more than 10,000 PEVs on the road,... Read more →

Bosch, Geo++, Mitsubishi Electric and u-blox have created Sapcorda Services GmbH, a joint venture that will bring high precision GNSS (global navigation satellite system) positioning services to mass-market applications. Sapcorda will offer globally available GNSS positioning services via internet and satellite broadcast and will enable accurate GNSS positioning at centimeter... Read more →

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd and ITS Russia have signed a partnership agreement concerning the development of intelligent transport systems (ITS). The objective of Project CAVLANE is to develop new services, products and standards for border crossings in particular. CAVLANE is linked to an initiative of the Russian... Read more →

Federal-Mogul Powertrain will debut new materials for valve seats and guides with improved thermal conductivity at the 2017 IAA Show in Frankfurt, Germany next month. Suitable for series production, the new High Thermal Conductivity (HTC) materials and Thermal Interface Material (TIM) coating can reduce valve head temperatures by up to... Read more →

Australian startup Energy Renaissance, backed by engineering group UGL, says that it has secured support from the Northern Territory Government to build a 1GWh Li-ion battery factory in Darwin. Energy Renaissance says it has an exclusive partnership with 24M, a developer of semi-solid lithium-ion batteries. (Earlier post.) 24M is leveraging... Read more →

The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) recently contracted with the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) of India to conduct laboratory and on-road testing of three in-use passenger vehicles—two diesel and one gasoline—to investigate the real world emission performance of passenger vehicles in Indian roads. The results highlight the... Read more →

Researchers at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, Texas A&M Transportation Institute and Columbia University surveyed more than 1,200 people in Austin, Texas, to examine how their habits changed after Uber and Lyft pulled drivers out of the city due to a local law change. In May 2016, Austin... Read more →

Jabil Inc. and eyeSight Technologies are partnering to develop next-generation in-car sensing technology that delivers the advanced levels of driver monitoring and gesture control. The partnership combines Jabil’s automotive-grade optics capabilities with eyeSight’s computer vision and deep learning software. Together, Jabil and eyeSight are developing a system that assesses the... Read more →

Michigan State University researchers are experimenting with harvesting seed oil to make biofuels. In a recent study published in the journal The Plant Cell, the researchers show that the chloroplast, where plant photosynthesis occurs, also participates in new ways to provide seed oil precursors. Seed oil is made out of... Read more →

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Advanced Power Technology Office, along with Engineered Propulsion Systems and the Arnold Engineering and Development Center, recently concluded ground-based testing of an advanced diesel engine that promises to increase the utility and ease the logistics burden of military aircraft missions. The high-efficiency aviation diesel... Read more →

The California Energy Commission is issuing a solicitation (GFO-17-901) to provide up to $3 million in funding for innovative, pre-commercial low-carbon fuel production processes that result in the development of bio-oil as an intermediate fuel with wide-scale adoption potential used for renewable jet fuel production. For the purpose of the... Read more →

Navistar will cease all engine production at its plant in Melrose Park, Ill., by the second quarter of fiscal 2018. The majority of engines produced at Melrose Park are medium-duty 9/10 liter engines used in International Class 6 and 7 vehicles, for which alternative engine options are currently offered in... Read more →

Following its announcement of a proposed $1.50-billion senior notes offering on 7 August 2017 (earlier post), Tesla announced that it has agreed to issue and sell $1.80 billion in aggregate principal amount of senior notes due in 2025, representing a 20% upsize. The Notes will have an annual interest rate... Read more →

Acura unveiled a redesigned 2018 Acura RLX reflecting the brand’s new design direction. The 2018 Acura RLX will make its public debut during Monterey Automotive Week next week on the Monterey peninsula. The 2018 Acura RLX features Sport Hybrid Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (Sport Hybrid SH-AWD) technology, shared with the NSX... Read more →

Volkswagen is now offering the latest member of its gasoline engine family—the 1.5 TSI delivering 96 kW/130 PS—for the Golf and Golf Variant. (Earlier post.) Volkswagen previewed the introduction of this variant of the 1.5 TSI—which supports a coasting function for the first time in a Golf—back in March, along... Read more →

Siemens has been commissioned by the German state of Hesse to build an overhead contact line for electrified freight transport on a ten-kilometer stretch of autobahn. The line will supply electricity for the electric drive of a hybrid truck. Siemens originally presented its innovative “eHighway” concept in 2012. (Earlier post.)... Read more →

Continental has developed a new wheel and braking concept for electric vehicles. The “New Wheel Concept” wheel rim consists of two aluminum (Al) parts: an inner Al carrier star with an Al brake disk and an outer Al rim well with the tire. In contrast to conventional wheel brakes, the... Read more →

Traffic is a major source of harmful pollutants; daily peak exposures tend to occur near roadways or while traveling—or being stuck—on them. For example, a team at the University of Surrey found that particulate pollution levels inside cars are up to 40% higher when the vehicle is stuck in a... Read more →

GM’s Maven Gig (earlier post) launched in San Francisco in November 2016 to provide vehicles for rideshare drivers; it since expanded the offering for package, grocery and food delivery drivers. Maven Gig is expanding geographically, and provides vehicles for freelance drivers in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. Future... Read more →