Green Fleet Roundup: Ford, Renault-Nissan, Bosch, Amyris

Airbus A321

by | Jun 24, 2013

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Airbus A321Amyris and Total announced a successful demonstration flight at the Paris Air Show using a technology that converts plant sugars into renewable jet fuel. The Airbus A321 (pictured) flew from Toulouse to Paris with a blend of renewable jet fuel produced by the two companies. The demonstration flight was in support of the French Initiative for Future Aviation Fuels, which seeks to produce and commercialize alternative, renewable and sustainable aviation fuels in France. This was the second public demonstration flight, following a June 2012 demonstration when an Embraer E195 jet flew with sugarcane-based renewable jet fuel in Brazil.

Ford announced that the regenerative-brake system in its hybrid and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles has recaptured enough kinetic energy to save owners an estimated 100 million gallons of gasoline over the past 15 years, Wards Auto reports. Ford introduced an early version of the system in the 1990s in its Ranger and Ecostar electric vehicles and the full series system debuted in 2004 on the Escape crossover utility HEV.

Rio de Janeiro State Government signed a memorandum of understanding with leaders from Brazil’s public and private sectors like Renault-Nissan Alliance, Petrobras Distribuidora, Light, Ampla and Rio Negocios, to accelerate zero-emission transportation in Rio de Janeiro.  The MoU will pave the way for electric vehicles in the state and the partners will explore the infrastructure needed to run EVs and also consider manufacturing them in the state.

Bosch Group has developed the iBooster, an electromechanical brake booster that provides situation-dependent support when the driver initiates braking. Bosch says the intelligent controls boost braking power, achieve optimal mileage by recuperating almost all the braking energy in hybrid and electric vehicles, shortens braking distance in autonomous emergency braking by building up pressure three times faster and allows tailoring of brake pedal feel because it has freely programmable characteristic curves.

Silex Power in Malta says it’s developing a HyperCharging technology that will give electric vehicles the same convenience and comfort that conventional vehicles enjoy. Silex and its strategic partners are developing a fast charging solution that it says can charge a 200KWh battery pack in less than 10 minutes. HyperChargers are fast DC-to-DC Chargers that can deliver up to 1.5MW power to the battery packs and are intended for highway/motorway charging stations.

Luxfer Gas Cylinders will introduce its G-Stor Pro line of lightweight composite alternative fuel cylinders at the Alternative Clean Transport Expo next week. Luxfer says the cylinders are the lightest-weight products available to contain clean-burning, environmentally friendly compressed natural gas, are 66 percent lighter than Type 1 all-metal steel cylinders and offer fleet operators improved fuel economy, increased range and significantly reduced vehicle maintenance costs due to lessened wear on brakes, tires and suspension systems.

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