UK’s Faraday Institution awarding $58M to four battery research consortia to accelerate EV adoption

The UK’s Faraday Institution recently announced up to £42 million (US$58 million) in new government funding to four UK-based consortia to conduct application-inspired research aimed at overcoming battery challenges to accelerate the electric vehicle (EV) revolution.

The Faraday Institution is the UK’s independent national battery research institute, and was established as part of the government’s £246-million (US$341-million) investment in battery technology through the Industrial Strategy. Its formation was announced in October 2017 by the Business Secretary Greg Clark.

The Faraday Institution’s goal is to make the UK the go-to place and world leader for battery technology research and it has a clear mission to ensure the UK is well-placed to take advantage of the future economic opportunities from this emerging technology.

With 200,000 electric vehicles set to be on UK roads by the end of 2018 and worldwide sales growing by 45% in 2016, investment in car batteries is a massive opportunity for Britain and one that is estimated to be worth £5 billion by 2025.

Through our flagship Industrial Strategy and its Future of Mobility and Clean Growth Grand Challenges, we are committed to making Britain the ‘go-to’ destination for the development and deployment of this game-changing technology. Government investment, through the Faraday Institution, in the projects announced today will deliver valuable research that will help us seize the economic opportunities presented by battery technology and our transition to a low-carbon economy.

—Business Minister Richard Harrington

The topics for the four projects were chosen in consultation with industry, who will partner closely with each of them. This unique collaboration will help to ensure that the research is producing findings and solutions that meet the needs of business. In addition, industrial partners will contribute a total of £4.6 million (US$6.4 million) in in-kind support to the following four projects:

• Extending battery life – Led by the University of Cambridge with nine other university and 10 industry partners, this project will examine how environmental and internal battery stresses (such as high temperatures, charging and discharging rates) damage electric vehicle (EV) batteries over time. Results will include the optimization of battery materials and cells to extend battery life (and hence EV range), reduce battery costs, and enhance battery safety. With Cambridge, university partners include University of Glasgow, University College London, Newcastle University, Imperial College London, University of Strathclyde, University of Manchester, University of Southampton, University of Liverpool and University of Warwick.
• Battery system modeling – Imperial College London (ICL) will lead a consortium of six other university and 17 industry partners to equip industry and academia with new software tools to understand and predict battery performance, by connecting understanding of battery materials at the atomic level all the way up to an assembled battery pack. The goal is to create accurate models for use by the automotive industry to extend lifetime and performance, especially at low temperatures. With ICL, university partners include University of Southampton, University of Warwick, University of Oxford, Lancaster University, University of Bath, and University College London.
• Recycling and reuse – A project led by the University of Birmingham, including seven other academic institutions and 14 industrial partners, will determine the ways in which spent lithium batteries can be recycled. With the aim to recycle 100% of the battery, the project will look how to reuse the batteries and their materials, to make better use of global resources, and ultimately increase the impact of batteries in improving air quality and decarbonization. With Birmingham, university partners include the University of Leicester, Newcastle University, Cardiff University, University of Liverpool, Oxford Brookes University, University of Edinburgh, and the Science and Facilities Technology Council.
• Next generation solid state batteries – The University of Oxford will lead an effort with six other university partners and nine industrial partners to break down the barriers that are preventing the progression to market of solid-state batteries, that should be lighter and safer, meaning cost savings and less reliance on cooling systems. The ambition of this project is to demonstrate the feasibility of a solid state battery with performance superior to Li-ion in EV applications. With Oxford, university partners will include the University of Liverpool, University of Glasgow, University of Strathclyde, University of Cambridge, University College London, and the University of St. Andrews.

The Faraday Institution is the UK’s independent, national institute for electrochemical energy storage science and technology, supporting research, training, and analysis. The first phase of the Faraday Institution is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) through the government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF). Headquartered at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, the Faraday Institution is registered charity with an independent board of trustees.

The Faraday Battery Challenge—£246 million over four years—is to develop and manufacture batteries for the electrification of vehicles to help UK businesses seize the opportunities presented by the move to a low carbon economy. The challenge will be split into three elements: research, innovation, and scale-up. It is among the first of six investment areas announced by the government to be funded through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.

GM, Honda fuel cell manufacturing JV unveils logo

Fuel Cell System Manufacturing LLC (FCSM), the joint venture company established by General Motors and Honda for the production of advanced hydrogen fuel cell systems, revealed its company logo at an event recognizing local elected officials for helping bring the operation to metro Detroit.

Announced on 30 Jan 2017, FCSM is the auto industry’s first joint venture formed to mass-produce hydrogen fuel cell systems. Production is expected to begin around 2020 with the output shared by Honda and GM, which will then use the systems separately in their respective products. The plant, located in the same facility as GM’s battery pack manufacturing operation, is expected to create about 100 new jobs by the time it is in full operation.

The co-developed new generation stack builds on the compact size and high-performance of Honda’s current generation stack in the Clarity by achieving significant cost reductions.

First Five Toyota Mirais Arrive In Europe

Toyota Mirais Arrive In Europe

Toyota Mirais Arrive In Europe

The future of the automobile Mirai has arrived in Europe.

On August 8 in Bristol, UK and August 10 in Zeebrugge, Belgium,Toyota unloaded first batch of Mirai, the world’s first “mass produced” hydrogen fuel cell sedan.

First 5 cars (3 in UK) is roughly 10% of the total planned deliveries for Europe this year. In 2016, Toyota intends to double the pace by delivering 100 Mirai in Europe.

If the world some day turns to hydrogen fuel cell cars, then this first delivery date could be more important than the date of first deliveries of the hybrid Toyota Prius in Europe 15 years ago. But will the world ever turn to hydrogen?

“Prius means “to go before” – a precursor to a new era of electrified mobility. Today, the first production Toyota Mirai – meaning “the future” in Japanese – destined for the European market has arrived, and, like its elder, it is here to pioneer the next step in clean mobility, using hydrogen as fuel and emitting nothing but water vapour.”

Other markets where Mirai will be available from September in Europe are Germany and Denmark. Price is €66,000 + VAT (Germany). At 19% VAT in Germany, we get a final price of €78,540 ($87,000). For that kind of money, you can get entry levelTesla Model S 70 or even 70D.

Mr Karl Schlicht, Executive Vice-President Toyota Motor Europe said:

“This marks the debut of a new age for clean mobility — a turning point in the history of automobiles. With Mirai, Toyota is working on bringing clean, safe and enjoyable mobility for the next 100 years, thanks to fuel cell technology. We are looking forward to the start of delivery of the first Mirai to customers from September and to see the future taking shape on European roads. As with Prius 15 years ago, we are proud to bring yet another groundbreaking innovation to Europe with Mirai”.

Alt-Fuel Powered Wisconsin Smart Fleet Centered On Oshkosh

The Wisconsin Smart Fleet was formed to ID state government and private business vehicle fleets that could benefit from alt-fueled vehicles. Already the project has found 29 participants in different regions of the state, with over 10% of partners located in the city of Oshkosh.

Oshkosh, Wisconsin is home to around 66,000 people, and it can already be considered an early adopter of alternative fueled vehicles. The city already uses compressed natural gas to fuel city garbage and recycling trucks, plus Winnebago County has eight police squad cars that are fueled by propane. Given that the squad cars are propane powered, propane filling stations have been installed on major highways in the area.

The cost benefit of switching to alternatives fuels is already paying off.  In 2011 diesel and gasoline cost Oshkosh approximately $900,120. In 2013, the city spent $878,300 on gasoline, diesel, and natural gas.  The 2013 projection is expected to fall to $850,000 in 2014. These are substantial savings for a city of this size, and showcase how alt-fuels can really benefit municipalities.

The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh has been a strong supporter of the Wisconsin Smart Fleet, and is already home to a growing number of alternative and flex fueled vehicles on their campus. For the University the focus is on spending less money on fuel and lowering the Universities carbon footprint. Lowing the carbon footprint makes the University stand out to environmentally minded students and applicants, and the savings on fuel overtime can be passed on to students and tax payers. It’s also a neat bragging point to bring up at alumni events.

The Wisconsin Smart Fleet project will analyze, provide guidance, and rate vehicle fleets – the less conventional fuel used the better the ranking. By 2015 program is expected be open to all business and towns/cities with fleets larger than three vehicles. The Wisconsin Smart Fleet project has the potential to be a useful template that other states and municipalities can follow as a way to save money on the ever-increasing price of fuel.

Source: Post Crescent

Pennsylvania Steps Up With $7.9M Investment in 21 alt-fuel Projects

These are the announcements that warm the hearts of all alternate vehicle aficionados. We wish every State in the Union had such plans.

Pennsylvania recently announced the investment of $7.9 million in 21 alternative fuel projects in the state. The projects include those addressing biofuels, natural gas, and technology for hybrid and electric plug-in vehicles. Awards include (ranked by amount):

1. PHL Taxi Management LLC—$900,000 – to purchase and deploy 50 new CNG taxis in Philadelphia that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and to build a publicly accessible CNG fueling station in the city.
2. 451 Tyburn LLC—$837,400—to build a publicly accessible CNG station in Fairless Hills and deploy heavy-duty CNG shuttle buses for public transit service in region.
3. Endless Mountains Transit Authority—$750,000—to convert five public transit buses to CNG that will be fueled at a public fueling station built by Dandy Mini Marts in either Towanda or Sayre.
4. Giant Eagle Inc.—$750,000—to purchase 29 compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric/plug-in vehicles, and to install 10 public electric vehicle charging stations—the first of their kind in Pennsylvania.
5. Waste Management of Pennsylvania Inc.—$700,000—to build a CNG fueling station at its hauling facility in Washington, PA, which will also be available to other fleet operators. The company intends to use natural gas in its fleet of trash and recycle trucks.
6. Energy Cooperative Association of Pennsylvania—$631,787 – to help 12 school districts purchase and use 1.8 million gallons of blended biodiesel and 280,000 gallons of B100.
7. Momentum Dynamics—nearly $587,000—to develop a technology that will recharge EV and plug-in hybrid vehicles wirelessly.
8. Western Pennsylvania Operating Engineers Joint Apprenticeship and Training Program—$486,066—to convert heavy equipment construction fleets to accept locally produced biofuels and to demonstrate the performance, cost-effectiveness, maintenance, training and research necessary to prove the concept’s viability.
9. Energy Cooperative Association of Pennsylvania—$425,860—to help five municipalities and school districts in southeastern Pennsylvania continue fueling 500 vehicles with biodiesel.
10. Venango Leasing Co.—$362,500—to develop a CNG fueling station with convenient public access alongside an existing fuel station in Barkeyville and to purchase equipment that will enable its existing fleet to run on a mix of CNG and diesel.
11. Dean Cerimeli/U-HAUL—$346,000 – to purchase and convert the engines of 20 vans to run on liquefied petroleum gas that will be deployed throughout the state.
12. YRC, Inc.—$250,000—to install a biodiesel blending system at its Carlisle Truck Freight Terminal.
13. International Battery Inc.—$235,000—to demonstrate the long-term performance and manufacturing viability of an advanced lithium battery pack suitable for hybrid electric and electric buses and commercial trucks.
14. Philadelphia City Treasurer, Office of Fleet Management—$205,416 – to offset the cost of purchasing more than 1 million gallons of B5 biodiesel for use in the city’s fleet.
15. The city of Philadelphia’s Mayor’s Office of Sustainability—$140,000 for its $500,000 project—to add 10 charging stations and 18 electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids to existing, successful local car sharing operations.
16. Lower Merion School District—$121,641 – to purchase and use nine CNG school buses.
17. Bryn Mawr College—$88,682—to increase its existing CNG storage capacity, and purchase one CNG transport bus and two Ford Transit Connect CNG vans.
18. Self Heating & Cooling Inc.—$48,710—to develop a public propane AutoGas station in Horsham Township and add two propane-powered vehicles to the company’s fleet.
19. Cumberland County Commissioners—$15,360—to purchase 96,000 gallons of blended biodiesel.
20. East Stroudsburg Area School District—$10,540—to convert two existing, 20,000-gallon tanks for biofuel storage and purchase B5 biodiesel.
21. West Chester University of Pennsylvania—$6,000—to cover the incremental cost of purchasing B20 biodiesel to power vehicles on campus.

Alternative Fuel Systems Working on CNG 3-Wheeler with Bajaj

These are the encouraging stories that we like to report, where companies endeavor to give the public some transportation with alternate fuel technology. CNG is a great stop-gap as we move from oil fired vehicles to electric ones. If there is an infrastructure to develop, we feel it should be compressed natural gas. Afterward, the massive electric charging stations could be added.

Canada-based Alternative Fuel Systems Inc., together with Indian partner Advantek Fuel Systems Pvt. Ltd., is working with Bajaj Auto Limited on a development project involving the compressed natural gas fuelled version of a three-wheeled commercial delivery vehicle. Bajaj Auto is ranked as the fourth largest two- and three-wheeler manufacturer.

Bajaj has sent a prototype vehicle to AFS in Calgary for testing. This vehicle is designed for use within major cities in India, where air pollution is a very serious problem. By running on CNG using latest generation AFS technology, these goods carriers are expected to produce significantly less harmful emissions while offering better performance and fuel efficiency. Meeting performance, emissions and cost requirements is going to take a significant increase in the sophistication of the engine control equipment used on the smaller and more numerous vehicles.

—AFS President and CEO Jim Perry

AFS supplies electronic engine management controllers, natural gas handling components and associated software to manufacturers of new vehicles and stationary engines, as well as to aftermarket fleet conversion specialists.

Source: Green Car Congress