Things are looking pretty bleak for the automobile industry, especially for domestic manufacturers in the United States. But not all the news is bad, and there are a few bright spots in the news this week. China to Impose Stricter Gas Mileage Rules Than U.S.
The president of China's Innovation Center for Energy and Transportation has said that Chinese officials are drafting new mileage standards that would require an 18 percent improvement in fuel economy by 2015. New cars in China already average about 35.8 mpg and under the new rules, would be required to get 42.2 mpg by 2015. The new U.S. standards require an average mgp of 35.5 by 2016. Amsterdam Chooses Coulomb Technologies for its Charging Network
Last month, the City of Amsterdam announced its intentions to have only electric vehicles in the city by 2040. The plan included having 200 charging stations installed within two years to facilitate the turnover and it seems the city has chosen its provider, California-based Coulumb Technologies. The initial deployment of 45 of Coulumb's ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations will be the first in Europe. For two years, the stations will be part of a pilot project to help drivers switch to electric vehicles and the normally fee-based subscription service will be free of charge during that time. Ethanol Carbon Footprint With Diesel Efficiency?
Ricardo, an international automotive engineering design firm, has designed a technology that allows engines powered by ethanol to approach levels of efficiency hitherto only afforded to diesel engines, wiping the floor with poor gasoline engine efficiency. It's called by it's acronym "EBDI" or ethanol boosted direct injection. The thing about ethanol is that it has subtly different properties to gasoline, which manufacturers have been slow to exploit. For example, it is a higher octane fuel, and has a higher heat of vapourisation. GM's Spark-less Engine Boosts Fuel Economy By 15%
As much as we support the Volt, GM will need to bring more cutting edge technology to the table if it wants to remain a viable company, so it's good to hear that they're making gains in other development projects. The company announced this week that its homogenous charge compression ignition engine (HCCI) is able to improve fuel economy by 15 percent when combined with other advanced technologies. Daimler Buys 10% Stake in Tesla
Daimler has bought a nearly 10 percent stake in Tesla Motors for a "double-digit million sum." The two companies had already made a deal for Tesla to provide battery packs for Daimler's all-electric Smart EV, set for release in 2012, but this new partnership will expand that relationship, seeing both companies bringing expertise to the other. Don't forget to check out the news on the other EcoGeek Network blogs, too:
EnviroWonk - http://www.envirowonk.com/
Envirovore - http://www.envirovore.com/
Carectomy - http://www.carectomy.com/
And be sure to check in for more information about all the latest green technologies at EcoGeek.org |
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