The wholly-owned US manufacturing subsidiary of LG Chem, Ltd. filed a pair of lawsuits against South Korean-owned SK Innovation., Ltd. for misappropriation of Li-ion battery trade secrets, tortious interference with prospective economic advantage and other claims. Brought jointly by LGCMI, the US-subsidiary, and its parent corporation, the suits were filed... Read more →

The European car market registered its seventh consecutive month of decline in March 2019, according to figures from JATO Dynamics. Ongoing political and economic uncertainty, including lack of clarity around Brexit, alongside consumer preoccupation with diesel bans in cities, meant that overall demand continued to decline. Last month, 19 of... Read more →

The combined total of light-duty all-electric vehicles (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) sold in China in 2018 was more than 1 million, or 8.1% of the light-duty vehicle market there, according to the US Department of Energy (DOE). This compared to 386,000 plug-in vehicles sold in Europe and... Read more →

NuScale Power LLC and Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction Co., Ltd. (DHIC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for strategic cooperation to support deployment of the NuScale Power Module (NPM) small modular reactor (SMR) worldwide. The relationship includes DHIC, a member of the Doosan Group, and potential Korean financial investors,... Read more →

Bosch has formed an alliance with Powercell Sweden AB, the Swedish manufacturer of fuel-cell stacks. Under the agreement, the two partners will work jointly to make the polymer-electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell ready for production. Bosch will then manufacture this technology under license for the global automotive market. The stack... Read more →

Researchers at the University of Science and Technology Beijing, with colleagues at Beijing Institute of Technology, have demonstrated the potential of rechargeable tellurium (Te) nanowire positive electrodes to construct ultrahigh-capacity rechargeable tellurium-aluminum batteries (TABs). In an open-access paper in the RSC journal Energy & Environmental Science, they report that the... Read more →

New research presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity in Glasgow, Scotland (28 April - 1 May) shows that individuals with obesity who commute by car have a 32% higher risk of death, from any cause, compared with those individuals with a normal weight and commute via cycling and... Read more →

As states take the lead in confronting climate change, a flagship policy is often Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS). RPS programs, which require that a certain percentage of the state’s electricity come from renewable sources, currently cover 64 percent of the electricity sold in the United States. A new study analyzing... Read more →

The BMW Group’s worldwide spare parts logistics center in Dingolfing has recently started piloting autonomous transport platforms. The electrically powered AutoBox helps to move incoming spare parts efficiently from the freight dock to the warehouse. With a deck space of almost 20 square meters, the AutoBox can transport 20 lattice... Read more →

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have developed a free-standing reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) aerogel for use as a supporting electrode for the electrochemical redox reaction of sulfur in a catholyte-based lithium-sulfur battery. A mesoporous matrix is formed by a layers of r-GO, providing sites for electrochemical reactions and... Read more →

Among the new power architectures that hold a great deal of promise are hybrid energy storage modules that integrate energy dense batteries with power dense ultracapacitors (UCs) into a single power supply that augments traditional generation technologies. Within such an architecture, the UC is the element that may be utilized... Read more →

Ballard Unmanned Systems, Inc.—a subsidiary of Ballard Power Systems, Inc. —has launched the FCair fuel cell product line, a complete long-duration fuel-cell power solution for commercial Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), at the AUVSI Xponential Annual Conference and Expo 2019 being held in Chicago. FCair includes the hydrogen fuel cell power... Read more →

Batteries with metallic lithium anodes offer enhanced efficiency compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries because of their higher capacity. However, safety concerns and a short lifespan are barriers to commercialization. To analyze better the causes of malfunctions and premature failure of such batteries, researchers have developed a technique using a fluorescent... Read more →

Semcon has taken part in developing the cloud solution for Flypulse’s autonomous drone system, which is used in many different projects. The autonomous drone can fly out of sight and covers around 10 miles with a load of 1 kg. All drone films and photographs are streamed directly to an... Read more →

BP, Nouryon (formerly AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals), and the Port of Rotterdam will collaborate to explore the opportunity of making green hydrogen via water electrolysis for BP’s refinery in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, which has the potential for significant reductions in CO2 emissions. BP’s Rotterdam refinery. The refinery currently uses hydrogen made... Read more →

Plug Power Inc. and Charlatte America, a member of the Fayat Group, the leading manufacturer of battery powered electric airport ground support equipment (GSE) throughout Europe and the United States, have delivered fuel cell-powered electric cargo tuggers for use by FedEx at the Albany International Airport. The ground support vehicles... Read more →

Korea Gas Corp. (KOGAS), the state-run natural gas supplier and a major global importer of LNG, plans to spend 4.7 trillion won (US$4.01 billion) to build hydrogen-producing facilities by 2030. Under the plan, KOGAS will construct 25 hydrogen-producing facilities and pipelines totaling 700 kilometers to transport the gas. By 2030,... Read more →

Operation of three new Mercedes‑Benz eCitaro buses (earlier post) run by Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr GmbH (rnv) has begun, marking the launch of two electric bus routes in Mannheim. Routes 66 and 67 incorporate the new district of Franklin and the new trading estate Taylor Village in the local public transport network. Around... Read more →

Researchers at Henan Polytechnic University in China have hydrotreated the oil derived from hydrothermal liquefaction of scrap tires (STO) with waste engine oil (WEO) using five different activated carbon-supported noble metal catalysts—Pd/C, Pt/C, Ru/C, Ir/C, and Rh/C—for the production of liquid fuels. In a paper in the journal Fuel, they... Read more →

KNUD E. HANSEN has signed a contract with Nanjing Jinling Shipyard, China, for developing the Basic Design of three large RoRo vessels, based on the Finnlines / Grimaldi / KNUD E. HANSEN design. The vessels are based on the same hull as the Grimaldi Green 5th Generation vessels and are... Read more →

The West Plains Airport Area Public Development Authority (PDA) (Spokane, WA) and Mullen Technologies (Brea, CA), signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the construction of 1.3 million square feet of assembly, manufacturing, and research & development facilities in the West Plains. Mullen Technologies is working with the PDA to... Read more →

A partnership of Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV); Collins Aerospace, a unit of United Technologies Corp; and the University of Nottingham (UoN) has won grant funding in excess of £1 million (US$1.29 million) from the UK Aerospace Research and Technology Program to develop electric propulsion technologies using Airlander 10 as the... Read more →

Researchers at Michigan Technological University (MTU) have developed a data-driven optimization modeling framework to reconstruct the location-duration-path choices for the missing observations from incomplete data from connected vehicles. A paper on the work is published in Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies. As the development of mobile sensing technologies, daily... Read more →

A team of researchers in Italy has transformed chars—the least valuable by-product of waste-tire pyrolysis—into highly efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) catalysts for use in alkaline fuel cells and metal air batteries. A paper on their work is published in the Journal of Power Sources. The dramatic growth in the... Read more →

Nissan’s Decherd assembly line is using a mirror bore process in the all-new 2019 Nissan Altima 2.5-liter engine. (At WCX SAE World Congress Experience this year in Detroit, Nissan presented a paper on the development of and technologies applied in the new 2.5L engine for the Altima, including the mirror... Read more →

Tires for electric buses need to support a high overall vehicle weight due to the heavy electric battery and withstand instant torque delivery. To master these challenges, they need to combine grip, robustness, and above-average load carrying capacity. Continental is addressing this new need with its new Conti Urban HA3... Read more →

New Flyer of America announced that a test demonstration with a New Flyer 40', heavy-duty fuel-cell-electric Xcelsior CHARGE H2 bus for the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) achieved 350-miles (563 km) of zero-emission range. These results exceeded the 300-mile range performance target by 17% without refueling. The forty-foot Xcelsior CHARGE... Read more →

On the heels of the successful launch of its SR/F model, electric motorcycle company Zero Motorcycles closed a $25-million funding round, bringing its aggregate equity capital raised to over $250 million. With 13 years of experience, Zero Motorcycles has developed the most power- and energy-dense EV technology in powersports and... Read more →

Dana Incorporated launched its newest direct-drive electric powertrain, the TM4 SUMO LD. The motor-inverter combination is designed for Class 2 through Class 6 vehicles. The new offering extends the comprehensive TM4 SUMO lineup, which is powering more than 12,000 electrified vehicles today. Designed primarily for today’s direct-drive architectures, the TM4... Read more →

Velodyne Lidar announced an agreement with Nikon Corporation, under which Sendai Nikon Corporation, a Nikon subsidiary, will manufacture lidar sensors for Velodyne with plans to start mass production in the second half of 2019. The partnership cements Velodyne’s manufacturing plan and expands its lead in the global lidar sensor market.... Read more →

Air Liquide and Chengdu Huaqi Houpu Holding co., Ltd finalized the creation of a joint venture—Air Liquide Houpu Hydrogen Equipment co., Ltd—for the development, production and distribution of hydrogen refilling stations for fuel cell electric vehicles. This joint venture will enable the companies to develop projects together with a view... Read more →

Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development, Inc. (TRI-AD), Toyota’s automated driving software development company; Maxar Technologies Inc., a global technology innovator powering the new space economy; and NTT DATA Corporation, a leading IT services provider, will collaborate on a proof-of-concept building automated high-definition (HD) maps for autonomous vehicles using high-resolution satellite imagery.... Read more →

Motiv Power Systems announced a five-vehicle purchase order from Bimbo Bakeries USA, the US business of Mexico City-based Grupo Bimbo. The vehicles will feature Motiv’s all-electric EPIC 6 chassis (based on the popular Ford F-59 platform) with step van bodies built by Utilimaster Corporation. Bimbo Bakeries USA will be deploying... Read more →

For the same vehicle models with different powertrains, the carbon footprint of the battery-powered E variants is already better than those of the corresponding vehicles with internal combustion engines, according to a certified life cycle assessment (LCA) of the Volkswagen Golf, which compares the CO2 emissions of the different vehicle... Read more →

Wuhan Grove Hydrogen Automobile Co., Ltd. signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Shanghai with Hofer Powertrain GmbH, a German powertrain R&D supplier. Under the agreement, both parties will endeavor to come up with electronic drive solutions for Grove to seize opportunities in China’s hydrogen vehicle market and enhance global competitiveness.... Read more →

Electrify America announced collaborations with nine additional companies to host more than 30 ultra-fast electric vehicle charging stations across the US. The companies, ranging from popular grocery store chains to retail shopping centers, will help expand the availability of electric vehicle DC fast charging for customers who drive or are... Read more →

Penske Truck Leasing will open commercial heavy-duty electric vehicle charging stations with 14 high-speed chargers at four of its existing facilities in Southern California. These will be among the first DC fast charging stations in the US designed specifically for heavy-duty commercial electric vehicles. The company’s near term plan includes... Read more →

Dana Incorporated and Motiv Power Systems are collaborating to integrate Dana’s Spicer Electrified eS9000r e-Axle on the Ford F-550 chassis for use in commercial fleet applications. By replacing the traditional mechanical driveline with an electric motor integrated directly into the vehicle’s differential housing, the e-Axle provides greater design flexibility for... Read more →

At the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo, Trillium announced PowerUP by Trillium, a program designed to serve electric vehicle (EV) fleets with safe, reliable, predictable and cost-effective electricity pricing for EV charging. PowerUP by Trillium uses a mix of power supply technology ranging from solar panels and on-site generation using... Read more →

Allison Transmission introduced the new ABE Series, the first e-axle advanced ultra-low floor electric bus powertrain system in the market, at the Advanced Clean Technology Expo in Long Beach, CA. The ABE Series e-axles are one of the world’s most powerful and compact fully integrated electric axles for the transit... Read more →

Capital Metro in Austin, Texas will purchase four Proterra 40-foot Catalyst E2 buses and four 60 kW Proterra charging systems. Capital Metro joins a growing list of agencies implementing battery-electric bus fleets and is the fifth city in Texas to purchase Proterra electric buses including VIA Metropolitan Transit in San... Read more →

Allison Transmission, a global leader in medium- and heavy-duty propulsion solutions for commercial vehicles, introduced the new AXE Series e-axle systems for medium- and heavy-duty trucks at the Advanced Clean Technology (ACT) Expo in Long Beach, CA. A fully integrated electric powertrain system designed to fit inside a standard frame... Read more →

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) launched a public-private initiative to advance climate smart agriculture and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on agricultural lands. This partnership will create a mechanism for leading businesses in the food and fiber supply chain to directly... Read more →

Shell Offshore Inc., a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc, announced a significant discovery at the Blacktip prospect in the deep water US Gulf of Mexico. Evaluation is ongoing and appraisal planning is underway to further delineate the discovery and define development options. Blacktip is Shell’s second material discovery in... Read more →

Ford Motor Company has made a $500-million minority equity investment in electric vehicle maker Rivian (earlier post). In addition to the investment, the companies have agreed to work together to develop an all-new, next-generation battery electric vehicle for Ford’s growing EV portfolio using Rivian’s skateboard platform. Rivian Skateboard Platform The... Read more →

The Volkswagen Group and blockchain specialist Minespider are collaborating to optimize raw material supply chains, eliminate sources of error, and guarantee social and ecological standards. The two will set up a pilot project to achieve transparency in the the global supply chain for lead. Starting in April, Volkswagen will work... Read more →

Orange EV and Dot Transportation, Inc., a subsidiary of Dot Foods, Inc., the largest food industry redistributor in North America, announced the deployment of an Orange EV T-Series battery-electric terminal truck at Dot’s operation in Modesto, CA. The Modesto facility is one of eleven distribution centers operated by Dot Foods... Read more →

Cornell researchers have shown that using two inexpensive cameras on either side of a vehicle’s windshield can detect objects with nearly LiDAR’s accuracy and at a fraction of the cost. The LiDAR sensors currently used to detect 3D objects in the paths of autonomous cars are bulky, ugly, expensive, energy-inefficient—and... Read more →

Ford Motor Company and Autonomic have signed a multi-year, global agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS), which will expand the availability of cloud connectivity services and connected car application development services for the transportation industry. Through this collaboration, Autonomic’s Transportation Mobility Cloud (TMC) will be powered by AWS to become... Read more →

In an effort to make electric vehicle (EV) charging more accessible to drivers and manageable for site owners, EV Connect launched its EV Charge Station (EVCS) Certification Program for EV charging station manufacturers. A provider of EV charging solutions, EV Connect developed the certification program to allow manufacturers remotely to... Read more →