Reintroducing commercial supersonic transport (SST) aircraft into the global aviation fleet could have significant noise and climate impacts by 2035, according to a new study by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). The paper analyzes the landing and takeoff (LTO) noise, sonic boom, and CO2 implications of introducing 2,000... Read more →

An international team of researchers led by a group from the University of Manchester in the UK has used a biological technique which won the 2017 Nobel Chemistry Prize to reveal 3D atomic-scale chemistry in metal nanoparticles used as catalysts. It is the first time this technique has been for... Read more →

In a nationwide study, counties with higher concentration of PM2.5 in the air had higher rates of stroke deaths and shorter life expectancies, according to preliminary research to be presented in Honolulu at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2019, a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated... Read more →

The North Dakota state senate has passed SB 2061, a bill that would implement a a road use fee for electric and hybrid vehicles. If passed, the bill would establish a $110 annual road fee for EVs, and a $50 fee for electrics. The money collected would flow into the... Read more →

Greenlots, a US-based provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging and energy management software and solutions, signed an agreement to become a wholly owned subsidiary of Shell New Energies US LLC, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc. With this deal, Greenlots’ technology and team become the foundation for Shell’s continued... Read more →

As part of a strategy to continue providing low-emissions solutions for harsh offshore operating environments, Siemens has opened a fully robotized and digitalized plant in Norway that will develop and manufacture energy storage technologies for both marine and offshore oil and gas applications. Eventually, the plant will assemble 55 battery... Read more →

Groupe PSA has obtained a licence to start autonomous driving tests on open roads in China (Chongqing). Groupe PSA’s autonomous car experience in Europe helps it to adapt to the local environment to meet Chinese market needs. The challenge is to integrate Groupe PSA’s technology into the Chinese ecosystem with... Read more →

Celeroton is expanding its portfolio of fuel cell converters. With the launch of the improved power electronics converter, CC-550-7500, operating compressors up to 7.5 kW of drive power (at 300 VDC converter input) is now possible for fuel cell stacks of up to 75 kW. Besides the increased power rating,... Read more →

At the International Geneva Motor Show in March, Volkswagen will reveal the first fully electric version of a new dune buggy. Taking its cues from popular American dune buggies, the concept vehicle is based on the modular electric drive matrix (MEB), demonstrating how multifaceted the new platform is. A buggy... Read more →

Chevron U.S.A. Inc. (CUSA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, has signed a Share Purchase Agreement with Petrobras America Inc. (Petrobras) to acquire all the outstanding shares and equity interests of Pasadena Refining System, Inc., which includes the refinery in Texas, and PRSI Trading, LLC for $350 million, excluding... Read more →

Customers of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand in Germany are once again placing more orders for diesel vehicles. In 2018, the share of incoming orders for vehicles equipped with the latest diesel technology as a proportion of the overall vehicle portfolio was 43% compared to 39% in 2017. Demand for... Read more →

Blockchain is establishing its presence in the automotive sector; the technology shows revenue potential of $120 billion in 2030, according to a recent study by global strategy and marketing consultancy Simon-Kucher & Partners. Car owners and other road users are already interested in the many ways in which this technology... Read more →

ExxonMobil has reached a final investment decision and started construction on a new unit at its Beaumont, Texas refinery that will boost crude refining capacity by more than 65%—by some 250,000 barrels per day. Current capacity is 366,000 barrels per day. The BLADE (Beaumont Light Atmospheric Distillation Expansion) project will... Read more →

The Volkswagen Group’s new subsidiary, Elli Group GmbH (earlier post), is offering an eco-power tariff that is available throughout Germany with immediate effect. The first product from Elli is called “Volkswagen Naturstrom” (nature power), comes from 100% renewable sources and is intended for private households and small businesses. The new... Read more →

Norwegian Electric Systems (NES) has selected Corvus Energy to supply lithium-ion battery-based energy storage systems (ESS) for five new all-electric ferries being built by Havyard for Norwegian ferry operator Fjord1. To date, Corvus Energy has supplied ESSs on eight Fjord1 electric ferries operating on four Norwegian coastal routes. Corvus Energy... Read more →

Audi is actively involved in the EEBUS initiative to promote networking across manufacturer and industry boundaries. The Audi e-tron’s charging system is the first on-board EV system to use the new communication standard. At the “Plugfest E-Mobility” at the Audi plant in Brussels, developers are testing cross-industry compatibility before the... Read more →

Local Motors by LM Industries Group Inc., known for 3D-printed mobility solutions, is opening an Australian fleet challenge for its autonomous shuttle known as Olli. (Earlier post.) The challenge invites Australian municipalities, campuses, designated districts and transit or transportation operators to propose short-term, best-use scenarios for the self-driving shuttle, which... Read more →

Epsilor’s lithium-ion 6T NATO-standard battery is currently being evaluated and field tested by industrial clients and armed forces in five NATO countries. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) recently completed a year-long testing process during which the Epsilor 6T was evaluated in different climate and field conditions (desert, mountains, rocky areas,... Read more →

With the enactment of SB 1014 (earlier post)—the Clean Miles Standard and Incentive Program—the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is to develop and to implement new requirements for transportation network companies (TNCs)—i.e., ridesharing companies—for innovative ways to curb GHG emissions as new mobility... Read more →

KS HUAYU AluTech GmbH is extending its Neckarsulm production capacities with a new 5,000 square meter production shop for structural parts in aluminum. The move is mainly in response to current orders in the new-product and driveline segments. In founding the company in 2014, international first-tier auto-industry supplier Rheinmetall Automotive... Read more →

by Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com. It’s been a decade of lows for commodities after posting 7 declines in 11 years, but we’ve seriously underestimated lithium. It’s back with a vengeance in 2019. The commodities market endured yet another annus horribilis, with just four commodities—natural gas, uranium, cocoa and wheat—recording any... Read more →

Electrify America is restoring full capacity to its entire network after its high-powered charging cables cleared extensive testing from the cable manufacturer, HUBER+SUHNER. At HUBER+SUHNER’s recommendation, Electrify America shut down many of the high-powered CCS chargers (150kW – 350kW) in its network on Friday while the company and HUBER+SUHNER investigated... Read more →

Swedish car makers NEVS AB and Koenigsegg AB are forming a strategic partnership, enabling the development of parallel vehicle models in slightly higher volumes with emphasis on electrification, as well as strengthening growth opportunities in the hypercar segment. NEVS is investing €150 million, thereby taking a 20% minority stake in... Read more →

A KAIST research team has developed ultra-stable, high-rate lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) by using hierarchically porous titanium nitride (h-TiN) as a sulfur host. In a paper in the journal Advanced Materials, the researchers report that h-TiN/S shows a reversible capacity of 557 mAh g−1 even after 1000 cycles at 5 C... Read more →

Didi Chuxing, the world’s leading one-stop transportation platform, announced a new joint venture with Beijing Electric Vehicle Co., an affiliate of BAIC. BAIC-Xiaoju New Energy Auto Technology Co. Ltd (JingJu) aims to combine the two companies’ strengths in new energy fleet operation and AI transportation solutions to develop next-generation connected-car... Read more →

US-based Energy Impact Partners (EIP), a utility-backed energy investment and innovation firm, has invested $5.7 million (€5 million) in ViriCiti, a Europe-based EV fleet efficiency technology company (earlier post), in a Series A round. The investment is EIP’s first in a Europe-based firm. ViriCiti has developed and deployed a telematics... Read more →

Global anthropogenic fossil CO2 emissions increased by 1.2% in 2017 compared to the previous year, reaching 37.1 gigatonnes (Gt) CO2, according to the latest report by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). The report provides the CO2 emissions trends for all countries across the globe from 1970 through 2017.... Read more →

Engineers at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering have developed a way to weld the super-strong but lightweight aluminum alloy known as AA 7075. Developed in the 1940s, AA 7075 long held promise for use in automobile manufacturing, except for one key obstacle. Although it’s nearly as strong as steel... Read more →

Lotus and Williams Advanced Engineering have entered a strategic technical partnership in which the companies will share research and development into advanced propulsion technologies. Lotus Engineering has extensive and proven expertise in the integration and application of new technologies—for Lotus Cars and many global engineering clients—and is an acknowledged leader... Read more →

Rice University researchers have won a $3.3-million Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) OPEEN+ grant to develop a method to convert natural gas into carbon nanotubes for materials that can replace metals in large-scale applications. The goal is to save energy and stem carbon dioxide emissions from metal manufacturing... Read more →

Car-sharing network Zipcar and Honda are expanding their strategic mobility partnership. The agreement will add hundreds of new Honda vehicles to Zipcar’s diverse fleet, while focusing on supporting Zipcar’s university program in California and the expansion of Zipcar’s successful service in Columbus, Ohio. In Columbus, an exclusive Honda car-sharing fleet... Read more →

Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) has entered an agreement with Electrify America, LLC to provide the first all-electric Porsche, the Taycan, with three years of charging at Electrify America public stations across the country. This charging benefit will be included in the price of the Taycan. In addition, Porsche US... Read more →

Mobile World Capital Barcelona, SEAT, Telefónica, Ficosa, ETRA and i2CAT have signed a collaboration agreement to perform a pilot project for connected cars. The project lies within the scope of the 5G Barcelona consortium, which is an initiative intended to consolidate the city of Barcelona as Europe’s benchmark 5G hub.... Read more →

Hyundai is pricing the new Kona Electric CUV in the US starting at $36,450. Kona Electric rides on an all-new CUV platform and is Hyundai’s first compact electric crossover for the US market. Kona Electric’s estimated range is 258 miles; the EV offers standard fast-charging capability. Kon Electric comes in... Read more →

Transportstyrelsen, the Swedish Transport Agency, has approved that Zenuity, the joint venture between Veoneer and Volvo Cars, to do tests with self-driving cars on Swedish highways. The tests will be done by trained drivers, with their hands off the steering wheel at a maximum speed of 80 km/hour. The routes... Read more →

Natron Energy, a developer of new battery cell technology based on Prussian Blue analogue electrodes and a sodium-ion electrolyte, has closed a strategic investment by Chevron Technology Ventures (CTV) to support the development of stationary energy storage systems for demand charge management at electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. Natron Energy... Read more →

Fewer soot particles in the exhaust stream of aircraft reduces the formation of ice crystals and therefore the climate impact of the resulting contrail cirrus. Halving the ice particles that form in the contrail decreases the climate-warming effect of the contrail cirrus by 20%; the effect is halved if there... Read more →

In a new white paper, the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has quantified the gap in charging infrastructure across the 100 most populous US metropolitan areas in the US to power more than 3 million expected electric vehicles by 2025. Broadly, the team found that of the 100 areas,... Read more →

Multinational automotive electronics supplier Desay SV Automotive plans to establish new R&D teams to develop frontier technologies in Level 4 and Level 5 vehicle autonomy and automotive cybersecurity exclusively in Singapore. Supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), the R&D presence will augment Desay SV’s Automotive Vehicle Technologies (AVT)... Read more →

EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook 2019 projects continued robust growth in US energy production, emergence of the United States as an energy exporter, and a cleaner S electric power generation mix. For the Transportation sector, EIA projects that energy consumption will decline between 2019 and 2037 (in the Reference case) because... Read more →

Teijin Limited has been awarded a contract to supply its Tenax carbon fiber material to Bombardier Aerostructures and Engineering Services for another seven years until 2025. Teijin focuses on aircraft business as one of the growth strategies in its medium-term management plan for 2017-2019 and is intensively accelerating its development... Read more →

BMW i Ventures; InMotion Ventures, Jaguar Land Rover’s venture capital fund; and Porsche Ventures have invested in US-based Urgent.ly—a global digital roadside assistance platform—as part of a $21-million Series B round. The funding round, which also saw participation from current investors, was oversubscribed. Urgent.ly’s solution combines location-based services, real-time data,... Read more →

Saudi Aramco and Air Products signed an agreement to jointly-build the first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle fueling station in Saudi Arabia. The collaboration between the two companies will combine Air Products’ technological know-how and experience in the field of hydrogen with Saudi Aramco’s industrial experience, facilities and R&D capabilities. The... Read more →

If ship hulls were coated with special bo-inspired high-tech air trapping materials, up to 1% of global CO2 emissions could be avoided according to a new study by researchers from the University of Bonn together with colleagues from St. Augustin and Rostock. According to the study, ships could save up... Read more →

The Electric Circuit, Hydro-Québec’s public charging network, announced that fast-charge stations will now be deployed more quickly with the rollout of approximately one hundred new fast-charge stations. Over the next 10 years, 1,600 new fast-charge stations will be deployed in Québec. In June 2018, the National Assembly unanimously adopted An... Read more →

At the recommendation of its supplier, HUBER+SUHNER, a leading supplier of high-powered charging cable technology in the industry, Electrify America is shutting down the majority of its high-powered chargers (150 kW – 350kW) in its network to investigate a potential safety issue with its liquid-cooled cables. The recommendation was issued... Read more →

Volkswagen Group Components—the new brand within the Volkswagen Group that supplies components including engines, gearboxes, electric drive systems, steering systems and seats towards e-mobility—will begin series production of the flexible fast charging station (earlier post) from 2020 onwards. This station, based on the principle of a powerbank, can charge up... Read more →

Boeing has successfully completed the first test flight of its autonomous passenger air vehicle (PAV) prototype in Manassas, Virginia. Boeing NeXt, which leads the company’s urban air mobility efforts, utilized Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences to design and develop the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and will continue... Read more →

The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has launched the Battery Cell Research Production Center, a new R&D and large-scale industrial manufacturing plant for lithium-ion cells; the center will receive an investment of €500 million. The location of the new facility is to be selected by mid-2019, after... Read more →

Because of their high theoretical energy density, lithium oxygen batteries (LOB) are the focus of much research for future generations of energy storage, particularly for pervasive electric vehicles. However, problems such as low round-trip efficiency, poor reversibility and inferior electrolyte stability have hindered practical applications. A typical non-aqueous Li-oxygen battery... Read more →