AutoblogGreen http://green.autoblog.com AutoblogGreen http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif AutoblogGreen http://green.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Chris Shunk, Sam Abuelsamid and Dan RothThe podcast by the people who obsessively cover the auto industry.<![CDATA[US DOE ready with $9m in grants for fuel-cell advances]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/06/17/us-doe-ready-with-9m-in-grants-for-fuel-cell-advancements/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/06/17/us-doe-ready-with-9m-in-grants-for-fuel-cell-advancements/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/06/17/us-doe-ready-with-9m-in-grants-for-fuel-cell-advancements/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Hydrogen refuelling

Some might say $9 million is a drop in the zero-emission bucket when it comes to federal funding of hydrogen fuel-cell advancements, but it does beat a sharp stick in the eye.

The US Department of Energy has announced a $9-million grant that will be directed towards speeding up hydrogen fuel-cell technology, which some view as the best of all worlds because it allows gas-tank-type mileage ranges for vehicles without the harmful local emissions (fuel-cell vehicles emit water vapor).

Specifically, the grant will be earmarked for technologies that advance drivetrain technology for medium-duty trucks, cut costs for refueling components and speed up rooftop installations for hydrogen fuel-cell backup power systems.

Toyota and Hyundai are among the automakers that plan to debut production fuel cell vehicles in the US by 2015. Earlier this month, Hyundai delivered its first 15 Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell vehicles (which will be known as the Tucson Fuel Cell when it arrives in the US) to the city of Copenhagen. And earlier this year, Automotive News estimated that Toyota has brought down the per-vehicle cost for its fuel cell vehicles to between $50,000 and $100,000.

Check out the DOE's press release below.

Continue reading US DOE ready with $9m in grants for fuel-cell advances

US DOE ready with $9m in grants for fuel-cell advances originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>department of energyenergy departmentfuel cellgovernmentgranthydrogenhydrogen fuel cellMon, 17 Jun 2013 15:58:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20624744/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20624744/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2013/06/17/us-doe-ready-with-9m-in-grants-for-fuel-cell-advancements/20624744/article-detail.xml 20624744 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/06/fuelcell_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/06/fuelcell.jpg <![CDATA[Hyundai: with limited infrastructure, fuel cells will be 'one of' future green technologies]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/06/14/hyundai-on-hydrogen-fuel-cells/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/06/14/hyundai-on-hydrogen-fuel-cells/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/06/14/hyundai-on-hydrogen-fuel-cells/#commentsFiled under: , ,



For Hyundai, the fuel cell market is a global affair. Built in Korea and launching now in Europe, Hyundai's first production hydrogen vehicle is the ix35 Fuel Cell, a CUV that will be known as the Tucson Fuel Cell when it comes to the US. As hydrogen vehicles become more and more a real thing for Hyundai - and other automakers - we thought we'd ask how things look through the company's fuel cell prism. So we asked Miles Johnson, Hyundai's senior manager of midwest product public relations, to run us through the automaker's thoughts on building hydrogen cars for the US.

It's clear Hyundai firmly believes in hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), despite two big hurdles: refueling infrastructure and cost. The company's first FCEV is expensive, but Johnson said that Hyundai is working on getting the price down to an "affordable price" as it gets ready for mass production and consumer retail "beyond 2015." FCEVs are getting a bit assist in Korea, where the government offers an incentive that cuts the "upgrade cost" in half. Governments in Europe are also providing financial assistance for FCEVs and refueling stations.

Johnson admits "infrastructure development in the US has been slow, thereby limiting any potential [FCEV] demand." To figure out how many H2 Tucsons to potentially bring to the US, Hyundai is currently "investigating potential demand ... in the US market, particularly in California, where most of the H2 refueling infrastructure development has taken place."

You can read Johnson's full brief below.

Continue reading Hyundai: with limited infrastructure, fuel cells will be 'one of' future green technologies

Hyundai: with limited infrastructure, fuel cells will be 'one of' future green technologies originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fuel cellhydrogenhyundaihyundai tucsonix35Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:03:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20619497/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20619497/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2013/06/14/hyundai-on-hydrogen-fuel-cells/20619497/article-detail.xml 20619497 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/06/ix35-fuel-cell-handover-in-copenhagen-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/06/ix35-fuel-cell-handover-in-copenhagen-628.jpg <![CDATA[What on Earth is Audi doing with E-Tron?]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/06/14/what-on-earth-is-audi-doing-with-e-tron/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/06/14/what-on-earth-is-audi-doing-with-e-tron/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/06/14/what-on-earth-is-audi-doing-with-e-tron/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Getting Some Answers About This Often Confusing EV Program



The E-Tron name has been applied to at least a dozen concepts, test vehicles and rumors over the past four years.

If we take a quick look back in history, we realize that the first time Audi mentioned the name E-Tron to the public was all the way back in 2009. Back then, the name was applied to an entire concept car, called simply the E-Tron, which was an R8 converted to an electric vehicle with a big battery pack and some powerful electric motors. It was a supercar for the plug-in set, and it went over so well that Tony Stark drove one in Iron Man 3 this year. With that kind of publicity for the marquee E-Tron, it's confusing that the E-Tron name has been applied to a seemingly endless stream of concepts, test vehicles and rumors over the past four years. At least a dozen, by our count.

There was the original R8 E-Tron, an A3 Sportback E-Tron (EV and PHEV versions), the R18 E-Tron Quattro racecar, an all-electric A2 E-Tron concept, an A6 L E-Tron PHEV that was shown off in Beijing and rumors of A4 and Q7 E-Tron Quattros. Then we had the E-Tron spyder concept and the city E-Tron concept, as well as news of an A5 E-Tron Quattro plug-in hybrid. And then there's the A1 E-Tron plug-in hybrid that is being tested in Germany. Got all that?

Audi is finally getting ready to take the E-Tron name out of the movies and the auto show circuit and start putting plug-in cars in customer driveways. As it gears up for the launch of the first E-Tron - the A3 Sportback E-Tron, coming in 2014 - we flew to Berlin to find out what's taken so long, and what's coming next.

Continue reading What on Earth is Audi doing with E-Tron?

What on Earth is Audi doing with E-Tron? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a3 sportback e-trona3 sportback g-trona7 h-tronaudie-tronelectric vehicleiron man 3plug-in hybridr8 e-trontony starkFri, 14 Jun 2013 11:54:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20600444/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20600444/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2013/06/14/what-on-earth-is-audi-doing-with-e-tron/20600444/article-detail.xml 20600444 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/06/audi-r8-tron_thumbnail.png http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/06/audi-r8-tron.png <![CDATA[Hyundai delivers first hydrogen fuel cell iX35 in Copenhagen]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/06/07/hyundai-delivers-first-hydrogen-fuel-cell-ix35-in-copenhagen/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/06/07/hyundai-delivers-first-hydrogen-fuel-cell-ix35-in-copenhagen/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/06/07/hyundai-delivers-first-hydrogen-fuel-cell-ix35-in-copenhagen/#commentsFiled under: , ,



It's a European kind of debut for the hydrogen-powered Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell (which will be known as the Tuscon Fuel Cell when it arrives in the US). Hyundai showed off the first production ix35 in Geneva earlier this year and this week delivered 15 of the H2 SUVs to the City of Copehagen. The avant garde vehicles will be used in the city's municipal fleet as part of the city's "carbon-neutral" ambitions. The timing was good, since Copenhagen opened the first hydrogen refueling station in Denmark at the same time. That station, called H2Station CAR-100, was built in just 48 hours, as you can see in the video below.

Hyundai has been teasing the ix35 at various business and political events throughout Europe this year, and started developing hydrogen fuel cell technology back in 1998. The new ix35s are an important step, since they represent the early wave of the 1,000 ix35 Fuel Cells that Hyundai wants to build by 2015.

Hyundai says the ix35 Fuel Cell vehicles are the "first hydrogen-powered vehicles manufactured on a production line to be introduced in Europe," which may be true, but Honda was building series production H2 fuel cell vehicles, the FCX Clarity, five years ago.

Continue reading Hyundai delivers first hydrogen fuel cell iX35 in Copenhagen

Hyundai delivers first hydrogen fuel cell iX35 in Copenhagen originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 07 Jun 2013 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>copenhagendenmarkh2hydrogenhyundaihyundai tusconix35ix35 fuel cellFri, 07 Jun 2013 08:02:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20601613/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20601613/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2013/06/07/hyundai-delivers-first-hydrogen-fuel-cell-ix35-in-copenhagen/20601613/article-detail.xml 20601613 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/06/ix35-fuel-cell-handover-in-copenhagen-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/06/ix35-fuel-cell-handover-in-copenhagen-628.jpg <![CDATA[Honda joins H2USA to ready infrastructure for hydrogen vehicles]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/06/05/honda-joins-h2usa-to-ready-infrastructure-for-hydrogen-vehicles/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/06/05/honda-joins-h2usa-to-ready-infrastructure-for-hydrogen-vehicles/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/06/05/honda-joins-h2usa-to-ready-infrastructure-for-hydrogen-vehicles/#commentsFiled under: ,

honda fcx clarity

Honda has joined up with industry colleagues and become a member of the H2USA partnership dedicated to the development and commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The US Department of Energy program was started up last month and includes Toyota, Mercedes, Hyundai, Nissan and other manufacturers, government agencies and suppliers.

H2USA is a public-private partnership focused primarily on advancing the hydrogen fueling infrastructure to make fuel cell electric vehicles more viable for US consumers. The automakers participating in the project are looking into the best ways to encourage adoption of fuel cell electric vehicles, plus solutions to make the hydrogen highway infrastructure more cost effective.

While its sales numbers have never hit the top of the charts, Honda was the first automaker to lease a modern fuel cell electric vehicle - the FCX Clarity - to US retail customers. With a new wave of H2 vehicles scheduled to arrive in the next few years, H2USA will support development of the hydrogen refueling infrastructure and leverage other hydrogen energy sources including natural gas and renewables, Steven Center, American Honda's vice president of environmental business development, said in a company statement.

Honda is one of a group of foreign automakers to become a member, with none of the Detroit 3 yet to join the partnership. General Motors has shown interest in fuel cell electric vehicles through its Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell SUV. Through Project Driveway, participants have put in a lot of miles behind the wheel and shared their experiences with GM's research project.

Honda joins H2USA to ready infrastructure for hydrogen vehicles originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 05 Jun 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>doefuel cell electric vehicleh2usahondahonda fcx clarityhydrogenhydrogen highwayinfrastructureWed, 05 Jun 2013 08:00:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20597790/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20597790/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2013/06/05/honda-joins-h2usa-to-ready-infrastructure-for-hydrogen-vehicles/20597790/article-detail.xml 20597790 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/06/honda-fcx-clarity-1370335320_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/06/honda-fcx-clarity-1370335320.jpg <![CDATA[Japan may subsidize, deregulate 100 new hydrogen fuel stations]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/05/20/japan-may-subsidize-deregulate-100-new-hydrogen-fuel-stations/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/05/20/japan-may-subsidize-deregulate-100-new-hydrogen-fuel-stations/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/05/20/japan-may-subsidize-deregulate-100-new-hydrogen-fuel-stations/#commentsFiled under: ,

honda fcx clarity

Here's a story that certainly plays to stereotypes: a new network of hydrogen refueling stations being built in Japan are the work of, surprise, oil companies. As The Japan Times reports, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp. and 12 other companies - including automakers - are working together to establish about 100 new H2 stations, mostly in major cities.

For its part, the government is ready to "provide financial assistance and is considering deregulation," The Japan Times writes, in part because it can cost up to six times as much to build a hydrogen station as it does a gas station. JX Nippon Oil installed the first of its planned 13 stations in Ebina, Kanagawa Prefecture, last month.

Two Japanese automakers, Honda and Toyota, have long been bigger fans of hydrogen than pure electric vehicles. Honda has been leasing the FCX Clarity (pictured) for years and Toyota is working on a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle for 2015. Hyundai, BMW, Daimler, Nissan and General Motors are among the automakers also publicly active in readying H2 vehicles for the near future.

Japan may subsidize, deregulate 100 new hydrogen fuel stations originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 20 May 2013 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The US Department of Energy (DOE) has kicked off H2USA, a public-private partnership focused on advancing hydrogen infrastructure to bring more transportation energy options to US consumers, including fueling up their fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). This is important for FCEVs because, right now, there are only 55 of these fueling stations in the US.

Massive shale gas fields in the US are providing a plentiful source of hydrogen, and H2USA stakeholders say they will work together to leverage these low cost natural gas resources. A number of automakers, including Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Toyota, have joined H2USA.

While former DOE secretary Steven Chu was deeply resented by the hydrogen industry for backing electric vehicles over hydrogen, that relationship had been improving before he left office. Last year, Chu admitted he'd changed his mind about hydrogen fuel cells.

The California Fuel Cell Partnership (which is also working with H2USA, see the complete list in the press release below) has committed to bringing 70 hydrogen stations to the state by 2016. The DOE's support of H2USA should further salve the wound from the Obama administration's split with the hydrogen industry.

Continue reading H2USA is DOE's new partnership to support hydrogen fueling stations

H2USA is DOE's new partnership to support hydrogen fueling stations originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 14 May 2013 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>clean energydoefuel cell electric vehiclesh2h2usahydrogensteven chuTue, 14 May 2013 18:02:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20567277/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20567277/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/14/h2usa-doe-new-partnership-to-support-hydrogen-fuel-station/20567277/article-detail.xml 20567277 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/hydrogen-fuel-station_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/hydrogen-fuel-station.jpg <![CDATA[Carlos Ghosn: it makes sense to focus on electric vehicles, cooperate on fuel cells]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/05/10/carlos-ghosn-makes-sense-to-focus-on-electric-vehicles/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/05/10/carlos-ghosn-makes-sense-to-focus-on-electric-vehicles/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/05/10/carlos-ghosn-makes-sense-to-focus-on-electric-vehicles/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



The last time we spoke with Renault-Nissan head Carlos Ghosn, at the Geneva Motor Show, he spoke about the 70,000 all-electric vehicles his company's have sold to happy customers and how these vehicles are just the beginning of the EV era. Speaking at the New York Auto Show a little over a month ago, Ghosn went into detail about how building electric cars around the world will make them cheaper - and thus more prevalent - for just about everyone. He said:

When we started this effort on electric cars, the first challenge for us was to build credibility for the car itself. Because in the minds of many consumers, the electric car was a golf cart. Zero emission, yes, but everything else was wrong. This first challenge is over today. People driving the Leaf today know it's a real car. Acceleration, driving performance, silence - everything - it's a real car. They still complain. So, all the people who bought the Leaf are very happy. But a lot of people are testing the Leaf and not buying it. We asked them, why are you not buying the car?

There were two main answers: high price and worries about charging infrastructure. In the US, Nissan dropped the base price of the 2013 Leaf by $6,400 earlier this year and Ghosn said Nissan will "continue to reduce the price as a function of the cost." This will happen not just because of reduced shipping costs and less reliance on currency fluctuations, but because there are still efficiency gains to be had in the new production locations, Ghosn said. "It's not finished."

Continue reading Carlos Ghosn: it makes sense to focus on electric vehicles, cooperate on fuel cells

Carlos Ghosn: it makes sense to focus on electric vehicles, cooperate on fuel cells originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 10 May 2013 11:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carlos ghosnelectric vehiclenissannissan leafFri, 10 May 2013 11:52:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20525470/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20525470/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/10/carlos-ghosn-makes-sense-to-focus-on-electric-vehicles/20525470/article-detail.xml 20525470 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/carlos-ghosn-nyc-628-_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/carlos-ghosn-nyc-628-.jpg <![CDATA[DOE starts planning H-Prize, a hydrogen refueling station competition]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/05/03/doe-h-prize-hydrogen-refueling-station-competition/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/05/03/doe-h-prize-hydrogen-refueling-station-competition/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/05/03/doe-h-prize-hydrogen-refueling-station-competition/#commentsFiled under: ,

Refueling with hydrogen

For those understandably confused about whether the federal government is advancing or retreating from supporting hydrogen fuel-cell transportation technologies, it looks like the government is now in its advancing stage.

The US Department of Energy is considering sponsoring what it calls an "H-Prize" competition that would find quicker ways to develop viable home-based hydrogen refueling stations. Such stations would then be developed for single-family or multi-family dwellings, with prizes given out for what the DOE categorizes as "production, storage, distribution, utilization, and prototypes and transformational technologies." The DOE, which didn't give many details on when and how much prize money will be doled out, appears to be getting ready for the hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles that a number of the world's largest automakers are planning to debut by 2015.

The good news, of course is that there's plenty of room for improvement in the hydrogen-station deployment front. Today, there are 55 hydrogen refueling stations in the US, according to DOE figures, while Fuel Cell Today estimated last month that just 27 stations were installed globally in 2012. Read below for the basics on the H-Prize.

Continue reading DOE starts planning H-Prize, a hydrogen refueling station competition

DOE starts planning H-Prize, a hydrogen refueling station competition originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 03 May 2013 18:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>doefuel cellh-prizehydrogenhydrogen prizestationsus department of energyFri, 03 May 2013 18:09:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20557604/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20557604/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/03/doe-h-prize-hydrogen-refueling-station-competition/20557604/article-detail.xml 20557604 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/fuelcell_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/fuelcell.jpg <![CDATA[Aston Martin Rapide S becomes first hydrogen car to lap Nürburgring]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/30/aston-martin-rapide-s-first-hydrogen-car-lap-nurburgring/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/30/aston-martin-rapide-s-first-hydrogen-car-lap-nurburgring/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/30/aston-martin-rapide-s-first-hydrogen-car-lap-nurburgring/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Aston Martin hydrogen hybrid nurburgring

An Aston Martin has completed what's believed to be the first hydrogen-powered lap around the famous Nürburgring as the automaker prepares to enter its H2-powered hybrid in next month's 24-hour race at the German racetrack.

The Aston Martin Hybrid Hydrogen Rapide S made a four-hour run around the track, with Aston Martin chief executive officer Dr. Ulrich Bez at the wheel, no less. The car is powered by a 6.0-liter V12 engine that can run on gasoline, hydrogen or a combination of both. The test drive was in preparation of Aston Martin entering the car in Nürburgring's 24-hour enduro on May 19.

Aston Martin is making a big deal about its hydrogen racer being "the first zero CO2 emissions sports car to complete a race pace lap at the Nürburgring 24-hour race." That may be true, but zero-emission sports cars have tackled the Nürburgring track many times before, just not under hydrogen power. It's the 24-hour part that's admittedly tricky for electric cars.

Continue reading Aston Martin Rapide S becomes first hydrogen car to lap Nürburgring

Aston Martin Rapide S becomes first hydrogen car to lap Nürburgring originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2014 aston martin rapide s24 hours of nürburgringaston martinaston martin rapideaston martin rapide sh2hydrogen hybridnürburgringnürburgring 24 hoursulrich bezTue, 30 Apr 2013 13:29:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20552357/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20552357/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/30/aston-martin-rapide-s-first-hydrogen-car-lap-nurburgring/20552357/article-detail.xml 20552357 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/aston_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/aston.jpg <![CDATA[California might have 70 hydrogen fuel stations by 2016]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/21/california-70-hydrogen-fuel-stations-2016/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/21/california-70-hydrogen-fuel-stations-2016/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/21/california-70-hydrogen-fuel-stations-2016/#commentsFiled under:



In what some would consider an "If You Build It, They Will Come" scenario straight out of "Field of Dreams," California proponents of hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCEVs) adoption say the Golden State may expand its hydrogen refueling station count more than eightfold during the next three years, and such an expansion would finally support legitimate commercial sales of FCEVs.

The California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) says the states needs 68 stations by 2016 to support what it calls "the early commercial market" for FCEVs. Most of these stations, which would cost about $1 million a pop to build, would naturally be clustered western Los Angeles County, Orange County and the San Francisco Bay Area. The expansion would support the estimated 20,000 FCEVs that may be on California's roads by 2016, and there could be over 50,000 by 2017. The CaFCP says there were eight publicly accessible stations as of the end of last year, with 14 more under development. While those numbers don't sound extremely radical, consider that just 27 hydrogen refueling stations were added worldwide list year.

So, grab a cup of coffee and check out the CaFCP's 28-page report here in PDF.

California might have 70 hydrogen fuel stations by 2016 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 21 Apr 2013 16:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cafcpcaliforniafcevfuel cellfueling stationh2hydrogeninfrastructureSun, 21 Apr 2013 16:51:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20545781/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20545781/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/21/california-70-hydrogen-fuel-stations-2016/20545781/article-detail.xml 20545781 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/fcev-california_thumbnail.png http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/fcev-california.png <![CDATA[Emperor Bob Lutz doesn't disappoint in SAE World Congress keynote]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/18/emperor-bob-lutz-sae-world-congress-keynote-ev-gas-tax/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/18/emperor-bob-lutz-sae-world-congress-keynote-ev-gas-tax/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/18/emperor-bob-lutz-sae-world-congress-keynote-ev-gas-tax/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Sometimes, a little suggestion goes a long, long way. Speaking at the SAE World Congress in Detroit today, Bob Lutz took a proposal from the conference organizers to frame his speech around the idea that he was king of the auto industry for a week and ran with it. He said he'd need to rule over the entire US to get his ideas enacted, oh, and be an all-encompassing emperor instead of a mere king. In other words, Maximum Bob remains as big as ever, attacking the "religion" of climate change, pointing out why diesel doesn't make sense in the US and explaining why raising the national gas tax just makes sense.

"Reducing fuel consumption by forcing automakers to sell smaller vehicles is like fighting obesity by forcing clothing manufacturer to sell only small sizes."

Let's start with climate change, where Emperor Bob said, "I would insist on giving equal time to the growing scientific body that is not convinced that climate change is man-made and I would say, just leave room for honest debate. That's what this emperor would decree."

Once the "honest debate" starts, "This emperor would ask that the laws of common sense be applied. And in this case, the laws of common sense simply dictate - always has - that if you want someone to use less of a given commodity, you raise the price of that commodity. How hard is that for anyone to grasp? With all this complicated CAFE and CO2 legislation, we're attacking the problem from the wrong end of the pump when we dictate that automakers make vehicles that go farther and farther on a gallon is wrong. What happens in the real world, as will always be the case, is people don't buy smaller, more efficient vehicles and pocket the extra cash. People will continue to buy larger vehicles and spend the same amount of money on fuel because, mentally, they've got a sort of finite fuel budget and they think it's a good deal."

After all, he said, "Reducing fuel consumption by forcing automakers to sell smaller and more frugal vehicles is like fighting the nation's obesity epidemic by forcing clothing manufacturer to sell only small sizes. If you want less obesity, then what you would do is you would raise the price of fatty foods."

Continue reading Emperor Bob Lutz doesn't disappoint in SAE World Congress keynote

Emperor Bob Lutz doesn't disappoint in SAE World Congress keynote originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bob lutzchevy voltelectric vehiclehydrogenplug-in hybridsaesae world congresstoyota priusThu, 18 Apr 2013 14:55:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20544859/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20544859/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/18/emperor-bob-lutz-sae-world-congress-keynote-ev-gas-tax/20544859/article-detail.xml 20544859 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/bob-lutz-sae-world-congress_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/bob-lutz-sae-world-congress.jpg <![CDATA[Shell Eco-marathon]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/12/shell-eco-marathon/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/12/shell-eco-marathon/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/12/shell-eco-marathon/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

An Oil Company Spends Big To Teach Students To Use Less

shell eco-marathon mater dei

The Shell Eco-marathon Americas 2013 is over, the winners declared. Thousands of excited students came to Houston last weekend with 140 cars and the winning team managed to get upwards of 3,580 miles per gallon. Now that the cars have been packed up and shipped back to schools throughout the hemisphere, from Alaska to Brazil, we can look back and discuss some of the bigger issues that the three frenzied, fuel-efficient competition days - and the months of hard work leading up to the event - raise.

Before leaving Houston, we got to sit down with representatives from Shell, which spends an undisclosed amount of money to put on these Eco-marathons around the world. It's a huge undertaking, and one that has lots of positive angles and some particularly thorny ones. But first, a short history.

The story goes that the first Eco-marathon started as a bet between two Shell engineers. The year was 1939 and the winner managed to hit 49.39 mpg.

The story goes that the first Eco-marathon was started as a bet between two Shell engineers to see who could go further on a gallon of fuel. The year was 1939 and the winner managed to hit 49.39 miles per gallon in a 1933 Plymouth. They had so much fun they did it again and, by 1949, the winner was getting 150.53 mpg. The numbers kept going up from there. 1968: 244.62 mpg. 1973: 392.02 mpg. And so on. The event was known as the Shell Mileage Marathon, but in 1985, a name change signified the start of the event in its current form. That year, students from 20 European countries in 25 teams competed in the first Eco-marathon in France, and the winners managed to get 1599.45 mpg. The 1997 event was canceled because of heavy rain and in 2006 the first solar cars ran the race. In 2007, the event was held in the US for the first time, in Fontana, CA, and Asia joined the party in 2010. Today, across the three events, over 400 teams participate each year. Next year, a fourth location will draw teams from the Middle East and Africa. The current record is 8,914 mpg, set by a French team in 2003.

Continue reading Shell Eco-marathon

Shell Eco-marathon originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>collegeelectric vehiclegasolinehigh schoolhoustonhydrogenhypermilingmater deimpgshellshell eco marathontexasFri, 12 Apr 2013 14:54:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20534478/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20534478/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/12/shell-eco-marathon/20534478/article-detail.xml 20534478 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/shell-eco-marathon-mater-dei-628-1365471129_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/shell-eco-marathon-mater-dei-628-1365471129.jpg <![CDATA[Just 27 hydrogen refueling stations were installed in 2012, globally]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/10/just-27-hydrogen-refueling-stations-were-installed-in-2012-glob/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/10/just-27-hydrogen-refueling-stations-were-installed-in-2012-glob/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/10/just-27-hydrogen-refueling-stations-were-installed-in-2012-glob/#commentsFiled under:

Hydrogen refueling station

The Hydrogen Superhighway isn't much more than a dirt path right now, with just 27 hydrogen refueling stations installed in the entire world last year, Green Car Reports says, citing Fuel Cell Today. North America was home to eight new hydrogen stations, and five stations were added in Germany. The 27 stations mark a 15-percent increase from 2011 totals.

While automakers such as Toyota, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai have said they will start selling fuel-cell cars by 2015, the apparent benefits of hydrogen - gasoline-vehicle-like driving range and zero emissions (water vapor, technically) - have been outweighed by the high costs of developing both hydrogen fuel-cell cars and the required refueling stations. Last month, Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn discounted the possibility of developing fuel-cell vehicles and infrastructure at a sustainable cost.

Still, while the Obama Administration originally cut hydrogen fuel cell funding compared to federal investment during the George W. Bush administration, H2 funding may rise again thanks to a project called H2USA, Automotive News reported last month. The government's H2-push is joined by Daimler, Ford and Nissan, which said in January that they'd work together to accelerate the development of fuel-cell powertrain technology.

As of March 25, the US Department of Energy counted 58 hydrogen stations nationwide, including 24 in California.

Just 27 hydrogen refueling stations were installed in 2012, globally originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fcevfuel cellhydrogenrefuelingstationWed, 10 Apr 2013 11:58:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20534406/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20534406/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/10/just-27-hydrogen-refueling-stations-were-installed-in-2012-glob/20534406/article-detail.xml 20534406 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/fuelcell_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/fuelcell.jpg <![CDATA[Shell Eco-marathon 2013: Notes from Day 1, will 2,545 mpg be beat?]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/05/shell-eco-marathon-2013-day-1/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/05/shell-eco-marathon-2013-day-1/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/05/shell-eco-marathon-2013-day-1/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Shell Eco-marathon 2013 Americas: Day 1

The Shell Eco-marathon Americas 2013 kicked off in Houston, TX this morning with a twist on the usual: Ladies and gentlemen, start your fuel-efficient engines. The area around Discovery Green was buzzing with high school and college students, all here with one mission: go as far as possible on as little fuel as possible. Last year, the winning team in the internal combustion category got 2,564.8 miles per gallon. That's quite an increase since the first Eco-marathon back in 1939, when the winner of a bet between two Shell engineers managed to get 49.72 mpg.

But today wasn't for competition. Not yet. Instead, it was a day for getting ready, with teams passing safety inspections, taking test runs around the urban track (the event takes place downtown) and making lots of last-minute modifications. We saw hacksaws, drills and hammers all being used with abandon around the paddock. Seeing a group of high school students cheer when their car's brakes worked, for instance, is something we just don't see everyday. Tomorrow, the competition really gets started, but we could feel the tension building today.

There are over 120 teams fielding 140 different vehicles in this year's Eco-marathon. Most of them are powered by gasoline or batteries (62 and 43, respectively). The rest of the powertrains use diesel (11), hydrogen (11), 100-percent ethanol (8) of 100-percent Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (5). The 140 vehicles are divided into two categories, "prototype" and "urban concept." You can investigate all the teams at the Eco-marathon site here and stay tuned for more coverage throughout the weekend. If there's any team you'd like us to check out, let us know in the comments below. Oh, and there also some Shell promotional videos below.

Now, we'll be delving into the PR stunt vs. real-world value of the Shell Eco-marathon debate in future posts, but for now we cannot let this post go to press without a mention of the area's recent oil spill. It wasn't big, as far as oil spills go, but 50 barrels (2,100 gallons) of crude spilled from a Shell pipeline into the Vince Bayou, which connects to the Houston Ship Channel and the Gulf of Mexico this week. In Eco-marathon terms, that's a lot - enough fuel to move a vehicle like a bazillion miles.

Continue reading Shell Eco-marathon 2013: Notes from Day 1, will 2,545 mpg be beat?

Shell Eco-marathon 2013: Notes from Day 1, will 2,545 mpg be beat? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 05 Apr 2013 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As the ancient idiom says, "Waste not, want not." Researchers at Lund University in Sweden are making it happen by turning ash from burned garbage into hydrogen.

"The ash can be used as a resource through recovery of hydrogen gas instead of being allowed to be released into the air as at present. Our ash deposits are like a goldmine," Aamir Ilyas, Doctor of Water Resources Engineering at Lund University and the developer of the technology, told Domestic Fuel.

Lund University researchers have developed a process that could produce 20 billion liters (about 5.3 billion gallons) of hydrogen gas per year from the ash.

Burned garbage could be an enormous power source in Europe, where refuse incineration is a widespread practice. It would also keep a lot of that ash out of landfills. The Lund University researchers have developed a process they say could produce 20 billion liters (about 5.3 billion gallons) of hydrogen gas per year from the ash, enough to power 11,000 homes.

The researchers have developed a technique where they place the ash in an oxygen-free environment. The ash is dampened with water to form hydrogen gas, and the process uses a safety procedure to make sure stored hydrogen doesn't explode.

Hydrogen gas has multiple sources and applications. The Swedish university project is thinking about converting it into electricity to power homes. Fuel cell vehicles convert hydrogen and oxygen from air into electricity inside the vehicle's fuel cell stack.

In Fountain Valley, CA, the Orange County Sanitation District and Air Products have created a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle fueling station where hydrogen comes from waste water. Methane gas is extracted from the waste water and stored inside holding tanks. In addition to hydrogen for powering vehicles, this project creates electricity and heat from the waste water.

Swedish researchers burn garbage into hydrogen originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 05 Apr 2013 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alternative energyalternative fuelashfuel cell vehiclesgarbageh2hydrogenwaste waterFri, 05 Apr 2013 11:56:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20520189/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20520189/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/05/swedish-researchers-burn-garbage-into-hydrogen/20520189/article-detail.xml 20520189 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/hydrogen-fueling-station_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/hydrogen-fueling-station.jpg <![CDATA[Toyota signs up for London Hydrogen Partnership, keeping 2015 H2 target in sight]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/03/25/toyota-london-hydrogen-partnership-2015-h2/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/03/25/toyota-london-hydrogen-partnership-2015-h2/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/03/25/toyota-london-hydrogen-partnership-2015-h2/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Toyota FCV-R Concept

Whether working with BMW or the US Department of Energy, Toyota is involved in hydrogen vehicle technology around the world. The newest corner is London, where a deal with the London Hydrogen Partnership (LHP) was just announced. Toyota is the only major automaker on the LHP's list of members, but AutoblogGreen readers will likely be familiar with some of the other participants, including Riversimple and Transport for London.

THe LHP has an action plan (PDF) that states, "London will be one of the early commercial launch markets for hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles from 2015. This will lead to London becoming a competitive global centre for hydrogen fuel cell transport and refuelling infrastructure." The LHP was started in 2002.

Outside of the LHP, Toyota's stated goal is to release an H2 vehicle that costs around $50,000 in 2015.

Toyota signs up for London Hydrogen Partnership, keeping 2015 H2 target in sight originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fcv-rh2hydrogenhydrogen fuel celllhplondonlondon hydrogen partnershiptoyotaMon, 25 Mar 2013 16:27:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20517255/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20517255/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2013/03/25/toyota-london-hydrogen-partnership-2015-h2/20517255/article-detail.xml 20517255 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/toyotafcr-vconcept_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/toyotafcr-vconcept.jpg <![CDATA[Honda leads pack with four HOV qualifying vehicles in California]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/03/20/honda-four-hov-qualifying-vehicles-california/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/03/20/honda-four-hov-qualifying-vehicles-california/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/03/20/honda-four-hov-qualifying-vehicles-california/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

honda fit

Honda is tooting its fuel-efficient horn, boasting that it has more vehicles than any other manufacturer - four - that qualify for access to California's coveted HOV lanes.

That number represents an impressive mix of cutting edge eco-friendly technologies - electric, plug-in hybrid, natural gas and hydrogen fuel cell. The HOV qualifiers are the Honda Fit EV, which is rated at 118 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe); the Honda Accord Plug-in, rated at 115 MPGe; the Honda Civic Natural Gas, rated at 31 MPG; and the Honda FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, rated at 60 MPEe.

Honda may have the most HOV-eligible vehicles, but it's certainly not alone. The current Chevrolet Volt qualifies and, most recently, the Ford Focus Electric, C-Max Energi and Fusion Energi gained access to the HOV lanes. Anybody who has ever been stuck on California's 405 or 10 around Los Angeles knows how much time, fuel and frustration that can alleviate. Despite the appeal, California has more stickers than takers, for now.

Continue reading Honda leads pack with four HOV qualifying vehicles in California

Honda leads pack with four HOV qualifying vehicles in California originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>high-occupancy lanehondahovhov lanesplug-in hybridWed, 20 Mar 2013 16:12:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20512012/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20512012/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2013/03/20/honda-four-hov-qualifying-vehicles-california/20512012/article-detail.xml 20512012 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/2013-honda-fit-red628p_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/2013-honda-fit-red628p.jpg <![CDATA[Volkswagen chief says fuel-cell vehicles not possible at a "reasonable cost"]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/03/16/volkswagen-chief-fuel-cell-vehicles-not-possible/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/03/16/volkswagen-chief-fuel-cell-vehicles-not-possible/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/03/16/volkswagen-chief-fuel-cell-vehicles-not-possible/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Hydrogen refueling

The head of Europe's biggest carmaker says the prospects for hydrogen vehicles are vanishing into thin air. Yes, when recently asked about fuel-cell technology, Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn said it's nearly impossible to build those vehicles at a "reasonable cost."

As Automotive News reports, VW will keep on conducting research into fuel cells, but the company's focus recently has been on ramping up a broadened line of hybrid and battery-electric vehicles. Earlier this month, VW unveiled the XL1 diesel plug-in car at the Geneva Motor Show. Volkswagen says that model will get a whopping 261 miles per gallon.

Automakers like Toyota, Honda and Hyundai are preparing to debut their first production hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles (albeit in small numbers) in 2015, and they're not the only ones. In late January, Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler, Ford and Nissan announced a partnership to develop a "common" fuel cell drivetrain for vehicles that will be introduced as soon as 2017. Daimler has long pushed fuel-cell technology and announced last June that it was working with the German Federal Ministry of Transportation and Linde at more than tripling Germany's hydrogen fueling stations to at least 50 in 2015, an increase from the 15 that were installed as of last year.

Volkswagen chief says fuel-cell vehicles not possible at a "reasonable cost" originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 16 Mar 2013 15:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fuel cellh2hydrogenvolkswagenvwwinterkornSat, 16 Mar 2013 15:52:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20504990/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20504990/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2013/03/16/volkswagen-chief-fuel-cell-vehicles-not-possible/20504990/article-detail.xml 20504990 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/hydrogen_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/hydrogen.jpg <![CDATA[BMW increases fuel cell use, production at Spartanburg, SC plant]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/03/16/bmw-increases-fuel-cell-use-production-at-spartanburg-sc/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/03/16/bmw-increases-fuel-cell-use-production-at-spartanburg-sc/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/03/16/bmw-increases-fuel-cell-use-production-at-spartanburg-sc/#commentsFiled under: ,

BMW Spartanburg Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles

BMW is increasing the use of hydrogen in assembly line equipment powered by fuel cells, including fork lifts and motorized parts delivery carts. The fuel cells also will help power the company's vehicle test fleet, which has doubled in the past few years to more than 200. The additional fuel cell material - hydrogen - is being manufactured at BMW's four million square foot factory in Spartanburg, SC.

BMW has added two new high-capacity compressors, new storage tubes and distribution piping, and eight new hydrogen dispensers to existing equipment, installed in 2010. The expanded system will deliver at least 400kg of hydrogen daily, part of BMW's commitment to what it calls "sustainable mobility," which includes fuel cell vehicles, electrics such as the i8 supercar and i3 city car, and its active hybrids. The Munich-based company also is committed to finding new, energy-efficient and cost-efficient ways to produce energy.

Part of that mission includes a pilot project with the South Carolina Research Authority to convert methane gas, which is produced "naturally" in landfills, into hydrogen. To do this, BMW has installed a system to remove sulphur and trace contaminants from landfill gas and, ultimately, produce hydrogen via a steam methane reformer (SMR). The US Department of Energy is providing technical and funding support for this project.

Late this year, BMW will conduct side-by-side trials of equipment fueled by hydrogen produced from landfill gas versus commercially sourced hydrogen. The hope is the test will show that rotting garbage can be turned into usable fuel to power vehicles of the future. BMW's US plant currently produces 38 percent of its electricy needs on-site, mostly from this landfill gas-to-energy program.

Continue reading BMW increases fuel cell use, production at Spartanburg, SC plant

BMW increases fuel cell use, production at Spartanburg, SC plant originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 16 Mar 2013 08:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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