Support the Arctic Sea Ice Forum and Blog

Author Topic: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....  (Read 1471388 times)

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #550 on: September 21, 2015, 11:34:28 PM »
Pedal to the metal: Apple reportedly accelerates electric car project timeline to 2019, triples development team size
http://electrek.co/2015/09/21/apple-project-titan-triples-team-2019-launch/
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Jim Hunt

  • First-year ice
  • Posts: 6268
  • Don't Vote NatC or PopCon, Save Lives!
    • View Profile
    • The Arctic sea ice Great White Con
  • Liked: 893
  • Likes Given: 87
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #551 on: September 22, 2015, 12:51:58 PM »
There is of course lots more where this comes from, but for now......

http://www.transportenvironment.org/publications/vw%E2%80%99s-cheating-just-tip-iceberg

Quote
Over the past three years, Transport & Environment (T&E), with the support of the International Council on Clean Transportation (that alerted US authorities to its concerns over VW), has exposed countless ways carmakers manipulate emissions tests for both air pollution and CO2 emissions (fuel economy).

Through trickery, the gap between official fuel economy figures and those achieved by an average driver have grown to 40%. For new diesel cars nitrogen oxide emissions are typically five times higher on the road than the allowed limit and just one in 10 cars meets the required level on the road. But for some models the gap is so large T&E suspects that the car is able to detect when it is tested using a “defeat device” and artificially lowers emissions during the test.
"The most revolutionary thing one can do always is to proclaim loudly what is happening" - Rosa Luxemburg

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #552 on: September 22, 2015, 01:49:51 PM »
Estimate of affected vehicles now up to 11 million.

Volkswagen: 11 Million Vehicles Could Have Suspect Software in Emissions Scandal
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/volkswagen-11-million-vehicles-could-have-suspect-software-emissions-scandal-n431456
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #553 on: September 22, 2015, 04:50:39 PM »
VW scandal: $7.3B profit warning but damage could hit Germany
Quote
There are concerns that, much like the Libor scandal was initially publicized by Barclays but then found to include other top investment banks, the emissions tampering will not have been confined to Volkswagen. Other manufacturers with diesel as a large part of their business include BMW, with 35 percent of its fleet; Daimler, 45 percent; PSA Peugeot Citroën, 40 percent; and Renault Nissan, 25 percent, according to JP Morgan estimates. The European industry will be disproportionately hit if this is found to have been a problem across the diesel automakers.
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/09/22/vw-scandal-germanys-reputation-on-the-line.html
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #554 on: September 22, 2015, 04:57:43 PM »
What Is India's Prime Minister Doing At A Tesla Factory? 
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/indias-prime-minister-doing-tesla-205005044.html
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #555 on: September 22, 2015, 07:25:49 PM »
VW Scandal Will Speed Up Diesel's Demise
Quote
The Volkswagen emissions scandal has broader implications than the potential damage it can do to Europe's biggest carmaker. It's the result of Europe backing the wrong emissions-reducing technology on a regulatory level. There is now an opportunity to reverse that error and force the continent's сar manufacturers to concentrate on hybrid and electric vehicles. They've got the technology and resources to reshape the market.

The scandal is about VW's bad business decision to cheat testing equipment so it could rush new engine models to market in the U.S. It is also about a failure of regulatory oversight and testing technology. Most of all, however, it's about diesel engines: They were the ones performing so badly on the tests that VW engineers had to look for a workaround so marketers could trumpet the advent of "clean" diesel.
...
It's possible that the incentives were  the result of oil industry lobbying -- as the sales of fuel oil fell, refiners needed to sell more diesel fuel, which is a similar type of product. But they probably stemmed from a misunderstanding of the environmental consequences. "Green" regulation in European countries has centered on CO2 emissions, and diesel exhaust contains relatively little of that gas. Smog-creating NOx and soot particles were overlooked until the ultra-strict Euro 6 standard came into effect this month.

The French authorities have now realized this. It would have been hard not to: Paris now has a smog problem, which it didn't have in the 1990s. "In France, the diesel engine has long been privileged," Prime Minister Manuel Valls told an environmental conference in November, 2014. "That was a mistake." The government now wants to move toward a diesel ban, which will force Renault and Peugeot to make a difficult transition since about two-thirds of the cars they now sell in Europe are equipped with diesel engines.
...
European automakers have the technology to compete in the electric vehicle market: Their models outsell Japanese and American ones in EU countries where electric powertrains are popular. In business terms, however, the move away from diesel -- which should accelerate now -- will be extremely costly, much more expensive than the regulatory fines the industry will probably face in the aftermath of the VW scandal.

There's light at the end of the tunnel, though. Once the transition is completed, the Europeans, with their engineering strength, will make the hybrid and electric market much more competitive. In the U.S., too, Volkswagen will be back: After all, its e-Golf outsells the Tesla Model S in Norway today.
http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-09-22/vw-s-scandal-will-lead-to-the-demise-of-diesel
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #556 on: September 23, 2015, 05:38:49 PM »
Pomp and Fiat: Pope Rolls Up to White House in Tiny Car
http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/pope-francis-visits-america/pomp-fiat-pope-rolls-white-house-tiny-car-n432276

Edit - another article:
The pope shuns the big limousine for more modest wheels to tour the U.S.
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-09-22/here-s-one-papal-fiat-that-can-give-francis-some-mileage
« Last Edit: September 24, 2015, 12:08:02 AM by Sigmetnow »
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #557 on: September 23, 2015, 09:59:25 PM »
VW Emission Cheating Could Kill Diesel Passenger Cars In U.S., Even Globally
Quote
Thus far, U.S. media have posed the fate of diesel vehicles as an open question. But much commentary in Europe seems more decisive than that in U.S. media outlets.

Many German, British, and other European news stories and opinions suggest that the scandal will put an end to the use of diesel engines in light-duty passenger cars and SUVs.

British newspaper The Telegraph, for example, published an article openly suggesting that the "Volkswagen scandal could kill off diesel cars." And many more echoed the theme.
...
Former Wired editor and noted prognosticator Chris Anderson tweeted yesterday, "Someday history will record the VW diesel scandal as the global tipping point for electric cars."
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1100168_vw-emission-cheating-could-kill-diesel-passenger-cars-in-u-s-even-globally
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #558 on: September 24, 2015, 03:10:39 AM »
EPA Expands VW Diesel Probe To Audi, Porsche V-6s; All Diesels To Be Tested
Quote
D.C. insiders say that the agency is expected to retest every single diesel passenger vehicle now on the market.

They would be subjected to extensive on-road use to see if they emit more in real-world driving than they did in their lab tests.

That list totals 39 vehicles this year, according to the Diesel Technology Forum.

They include 2015 and 2016 cars and SUVs from Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Jaguar, Jeep, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Ram.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1100167_epa-expands-vw-diesel-probe-to-audi-porsche-v-6s-all-diesels-to-be-tested
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Csnavywx

  • Grease ice
  • Posts: 572
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 82
  • Likes Given: 2
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #559 on: September 24, 2015, 04:29:06 AM »
Ugh, that's not necessarily a good thing. Diesel engines are considerably more efficient than petrol (and last considerably longer). True, I'd like to see them all replaced by electric, but the infrastructure and price just aren't quite there yet.

icefest

  • Frazil ice
  • Posts: 258
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #560 on: September 24, 2015, 05:16:26 AM »
Ugh, that's not necessarily a good thing. Diesel engines are considerably more efficient than petrol (and last considerably longer). True, I'd like to see them all replaced by electric, but the infrastructure and price just aren't quite there yet.

And if you read the original test BMW achieved lower emissions even without cheating.
Open other end.

SATire

  • Grease ice
  • Posts: 514
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 34
  • Likes Given: 8
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #561 on: September 24, 2015, 10:20:28 AM »
Ugh, that's not necessarily a good thing. Diesel engines are considerably more efficient than petrol (and last considerably longer). True, I'd like to see them all replaced by electric, but the infrastructure and price just aren't quite there yet.

And if you read the original test BMW achieved lower emissions even without cheating.
And if you read further in the study ordered by the German ICCT last year (http://www.theicct.org/real-world-exhaust-emissions-modern-diesel-cars ) and also the sources from VW (Volkswagen) then you see, that VW safed 200 € per car (for the additional catalysator) using that cheating software instead to get the permission from EPA.

So: It is not the diesel technology to blame but the _very_ stupid decisions and the marketing of VW USA. They safed 200 $ and payed 22 billion share loss, surely a significant fine, expensive repair of a lot of cars and a broken image...

This desaster may well be a turning point of the car industry. Expect news from other companies in the next week since they will measure real world emissions in other diesel and petrol cars soon. Winterkorn (head of VW, the world largest car manufacturer in 1st half of 2015) left allready and other things will change, too.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #562 on: September 24, 2015, 01:34:00 PM »
I happened upon a discussion of the VW story on the financial channel CNBC yesterday.  After they noted all major automobile stocks were taking a hit, they turned to what stocks could benefit, and two analysts surprised each other by saying, "Tesla" (a company which is habitually denigrated by most stock traders).
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

SATire

  • Grease ice
  • Posts: 514
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 34
  • Likes Given: 8
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #563 on: September 24, 2015, 01:40:47 PM »
I happened upon a discussion of the VW story on the financial channel CNBC yesterday.  After they noted all major automobile stocks were taking a hit, they turned to what stocks could benefit, and two analysts surprised each other by saying, "Tesla" (a company which is habitually denigrated by most stock traders).
Analysts should mention some Chinese car manufacturers. The future electric vehicle will be made in China - but perhaps the marketing/branding will come from Apple or other "pure image companies". It is safe to ignore Tesla, I think. Maybe Tesla can overtake Porsche one day but maybe even not that.

edit: In future maybe the software for automatic driving will still come from Germany. Todays "assistance systems" and control software are very sophisticated and able to cheat also a lot of other things short of emissions...
« Last Edit: September 24, 2015, 01:47:27 PM by SATire »

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #564 on: September 24, 2015, 01:54:34 PM »
It is safe to ignore Tesla, I think.

LOL.  ;)
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #565 on: September 24, 2015, 04:07:20 PM »
And in other news....  :)

Tesla is in talks with “some auto manufacturers” to share the Supercharger Network
Quote
The Tesla Superchargers are the fastest DC charging stations in world with a charging rate of 135 kW for the most recent stations. The battery packs of most electric vehicles in production today cannot receive that much power, which is a requirement for Tesla to allow other manufacturers to use the network. Electric vehicles using the stations must be able to charge at high rates in order for charge times to be quick and keep the charging stalls open.

An average Tesla Supercharging station can add 170 miles of range to a Model S in about half an hour, making it ideal for long distance driving. While Tesla offers battery pack options from 70 to 90 kWh, most electric vehicles today have smaller battery packs ranging from 15 to 35 kWh. Trying to charge a small battery pack with a Tesla Supercharger would be like trying to fill a shooter glass with a water pressure washer, which is not a good idea.

Considering the requirement, it’s not clear which manufacturers would have vehicles able to use the network or when, but Musk confirmed that Tesla is in talks with several automakers:

"We are actually in talks with some manufacturers doing just that and it will be exciting to share that news."
http://electrek.co/2015/09/24/tesla-is-in-talks-with-other-auto-manufacturers-to-share-the-supercharger-network/
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #566 on: September 25, 2015, 07:33:42 PM »
Elon Musk: What Volkswagen is really showing is that we reached the limit of what is possible with diesel and gasoline.
http://electrek.co/2015/09/25/elon-musk-what-vw-is-really-showing-is-that-we-reached-the-limit-of-what-is-possible-with-diesel-and-gasoline/
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #567 on: September 25, 2015, 08:50:05 PM »
Machinery giant Caterpillar shedding 10,000 jobs as mining, oil, and gas orders plummet.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-25/analyst-downgrades-caterpillar-amid-machinery-meltdown-
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #568 on: September 25, 2015, 09:15:29 PM »
When Tesla And Apple Compete To Out-Do Each Other On Electric Cars, The Planet Wins
Quote
The future of cars is finally upon us — and it is electrifying. The Wall Street Journal reports Apple is speeding up its efforts to build and ship an electric vehicle by 2019.

By that time, there should be at least three or four affordable EVs with a 200+ mile range on the market — along with thousands and thousands more charging stations, many of which can do most of their charging in 20 minutes or so. And thanks to Obama’s Clean Power Plan, the grid will be steadily reducing its carbon intensity, making EVs greener and greener with every passing year.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/09/24/3704604/tesla-apple/
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #569 on: September 25, 2015, 09:38:22 PM »
VW Isn’t Even The Worst Polluter
Quote
Emissions regulators shouldn’t be surprised that gaps between test and real-world results are a widespread problem: after all, it lets the auto industry test itself. The agency only comes in after the fact to validate the results of just 10-15 percent of all models. Moreover, the test cycle itself is performed on a dynamometer (or “rolling road”) in a lab environment, offering ample opportunity to tweak results. VW has admitted to a relatively simple yet extreme exploitation of this system: when the vehicle’s engine control unit senses that it is putting power down but not all the wheels are turning, the car switches to a “test mode.”

In VW diesels that “test mode” was compliant with U.S. standards, but once the car switched to normal operation it would emit as much as 40 times more NOx than the allowed. Without real-world testing or forensic software engineers on staff capable of combing through huge amounts of code to look for such exploits, the only way the EPA was able to discover this trick was by forcing VW to admit that it had truly cheated.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/25/vw-isn-t-even-the-worst-polluter-tests-are-made-to-be-fooled.html
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

johnm33

  • Guest
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #570 on: September 25, 2015, 09:51:02 PM »
Instead of digital fiddling maybe this idea could be revived, as a retro fit for all those deisels, probably out of patent too. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/inventors-clean-air-exhaust-rejected-1500439.html

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #571 on: September 26, 2015, 09:27:08 PM »
Musk:  EV range will increase 5 to 10% a year....

Quote
Earlier this week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk was interviewed by the Danish news site Borsen and hinted that the range of the Model S could dramatically increase very soon.

“The record right now for the Model S is 800 kilometers, that is the furthest that anyone has driven a Model S… we are pretty close,” Musk said. “My guess is probably we could break a 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) within a year or two. I’d say 2017 for sure.”

While the record for hypermiling a Tesla is 497 miles (800 km), the Model S range according to the EPA is 265 miles (426 km) on a single charge. A range of 621 miles (1,000 km) would mean that Tesla more than doubles how far the car can drive per charge.

Musk added that by 2020, Tesla will likely be able to make its cars go 745 miles on a single charge (1,200 km). The company aims to increase its cars range by five to 10 per cent a year, he said.
http://www.businessinsider.com.au/elon-musk-says-tesla-car-range-will-increase-2015-9

Other details in the article's embedded video.
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #572 on: September 26, 2015, 10:02:54 PM »
The pope's car says much about him.

Pope Francis and His Little Fiat
http://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/pope-francis-and-his-little-fiat
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Neven

  • Administrator
  • First-year ice
  • Posts: 9470
    • View Profile
    • Arctic Sea Ice Blog
  • Liked: 1333
  • Likes Given: 617
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #573 on: September 26, 2015, 10:11:48 PM »
Saw a Tesla Model S for the first time today here in Austria (I live in a rural area).
The enemy is within
Don't confuse me with him

E. Smith

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #574 on: September 27, 2015, 04:38:04 AM »
Saw a Tesla Model S for the first time today here in Austria (I live in a rural area).

Jealous!  (I live in the boonies, too.)  Perhaps they're sprouting up because Elon Musk is in Europe this week.  ;)

The one time I saw a Nissan LEAF, in town, I nearly drove off the road trying to get a look at it....   ;D
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Jim Hunt

  • First-year ice
  • Posts: 6268
  • Don't Vote NatC or PopCon, Save Lives!
    • View Profile
    • The Arctic sea ice Great White Con
  • Liked: 893
  • Likes Given: 87
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #575 on: September 27, 2015, 03:52:47 PM »
My own recent musings on the topic of "VWGate":

http://www.V2G.co.uk/2015/09/has-the-door-opened-to-a-very-different-car-industry

Quote
Suggestions of collusion between governments and the motoring industry have been bolstered by an allegation from a former transport minister that David Cameron agreed to delay imposing a new emissions limit after a personal request by Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, to protect her country’s motor industry.

If things pan out the way The Economist are suggesting perhap the landscape of the European motor industry will look very different in a few years time? However in the short term we here at V2G UK cannot wait to discover what the likes of David Cameron, Angela Merkel, DEFRA and the DfT have to say about the matter tomorrow morning!
"The most revolutionary thing one can do always is to proclaim loudly what is happening" - Rosa Luxemburg

Jim Hunt

  • First-year ice
  • Posts: 6268
  • Don't Vote NatC or PopCon, Save Lives!
    • View Profile
    • The Arctic sea ice Great White Con
  • Liked: 893
  • Likes Given: 87
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #576 on: September 27, 2015, 04:01:49 PM »
Jealous!  (I live in the boonies, too.)  Perhaps they're sprouting up because Elon Musk is in Europe this week.  ;)

I live in the boonies too, but I recently went to the big city with Zoe. Jealous?
"The most revolutionary thing one can do always is to proclaim loudly what is happening" - Rosa Luxemburg

Espen

  • Young ice
  • Posts: 3705
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 420
  • Likes Given: 4
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #577 on: September 27, 2015, 06:57:10 PM »
Switzerland already forbid the sale of VW diesels, and Germany will ban the sale and use of diesel VWs if a very good answer is not received by October 7 2015:

http://e24.no/bil/volkswagen/tyskland-legger-press-paa-volkswagen/23532257

People like the top management of VW is really hurting the capitalist ideology in a big way, Karl Marx must be spinning in his grave!!!!
Have a ice day!

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #578 on: September 27, 2015, 07:41:55 PM »
Jealous!  (I live in the boonies, too.)  Perhaps they're sprouting up because Elon Musk is in Europe this week.  ;)

I live in the boonies too, but I recently went to the big city with Zoe. Jealous?

Definitely! 

Country living and EV/solar were made for each other.  ;D
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #579 on: September 27, 2015, 08:34:30 PM »
Electrifying heavy-duty trucks, shuttles and buses
Quote
That operating system is at the heart of Motiv’s All-Electric Powertrain, which combines commercially available battery packs and motors with Motiv’s software and controllers to make all-electric trucks and buses with the same chassis and bodies as the fossil-fueled versions. These all-electric trucks and buses are ideal for fleet vehicles such as box trucks, flat-bed trucks, refrigerated trucks, service trucks, shuttle buses, school buses, delivery vehicles and garbage trucks.
https://chargedevs.com/features/silicon-valleys-motiv-helps-electrify-heavy-duty-trucks-shuttles-and-buses/
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

SATire

  • Grease ice
  • Posts: 514
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 34
  • Likes Given: 8
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #580 on: September 27, 2015, 08:48:49 PM »
Switzerland already forbid the sale of VW diesels, and Germany will ban the sale and use of diesel VWs if a very good answer is not received by October 7 2015:

http://e24.no/bil/volkswagen/tyskland-legger-press-paa-volkswagen/23532257

People like the top management of VW is really hurting the capitalist ideology in a big way, Karl Marx must be spinning in his grave!!!!
It is looking like we will get that answer in time next week: http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/volkswagen-konzern-plant-rueckrufaktion-fuer-diesel-a-1054964.html

A recall campaign is in preparation to fix the emission-issue free of monetary cost. But probably power will be reduced and fuel consumption will be increased. Using the same engine improvement in emissions must result in worsening of the other two goals...

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #581 on: September 28, 2015, 05:50:50 AM »
France encouraged diesel use for years -- and now it's hard to switch.
Quote
France woke up to its diesel problem after Paris was choked with rough pollution spells over the past two years, prompting the city government to briefly restrict car use. At one point, Paris registered higher levels of nitrogen oxides than smoggy Beijing. Paris and its suburbs have few factories left — meaning the main source of that pollution was its cars, according to the Airparif monitoring agency.
...
Mayor Anne Hidalgo wants to "eradicate diesel" by 2020, and is already taking steps in that direction. Next year all big trucks and buses made before 2001 and all cars made before 1997 will be banned from the city.

But she's saddled with nearly 300 diesel buses ordered by her predecessor that are just entering service — and will be driving on Paris roads until 2030.

And fellow Socialists in the national government do not share her antipathy toward diesel, in part because of concerns that phasing it out would hit the poor hardest.

"When we encouraged diesel for years, when you have millions of families driving on diesel, millions of workers who go to work in their diesel cars, it's not from one day to the next that you can punish them because they made these choices, and they don't have money to replace their cars," Environment Minister Royal said recently.
http://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/city-blight-amid-vw-scandal-polluted-paris-asks-if-time-n434516
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #582 on: September 28, 2015, 10:22:06 PM »
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #583 on: September 28, 2015, 10:45:03 PM »
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #584 on: September 28, 2015, 10:54:55 PM »
Why Did Volkswagen Cheat On Diesel Emissions In Its TDI Cars?
Quote
Why would a huge global automaker like Volkswagen circumvent U.S. emission rules rather than comply with them?

The answer comes down to a combination of cost, fuel efficiency, and drivingperformance.
...
And in Europe, since the 1990s, diesel cars have made up roughly half of all passenger car sales. The numbers vary by country, but in the European Union, it's been at one of two for 10 years.

As Europe's best-selling automaker by far, Volkswagen has devoted an inordinate amount of its powertrain development effort to diesel engines.

The problem is that U.S. and European emission standards for diesel diverged sharply in 2008. The U.S. adopted much stricter rules (known as "Tier 2, Bin 5") on emissions of virtually every component of diesel exhaust.

Europe, on the other hand, stayed with the so-called Euro 5 standards. Its emission limits only moved up to roughly the U.S. level this year.

But while other makers--including Toyota, Honda, General Motors, and Ford--began to introduce gasoline hybrid-electric vehicles to boost their fuel efficiency, VW chose to stick with diesels.

The depth of the company's commitment to diesel engines, even in a U.S. market that showed little natural appetite for them, can be illustrated by one anecdote.

"If U.S. car buyers were smarter and better informed," said a highly-placed Volkswagen powertrain executive to this reporter, "they'd buy our clean diesels instead of all this hybrid nonsense."

He went on to explain that diesels were naturally more cost-efficient than hybrids, because the latter required fitting two separate powertrains (gasoline and electric) and a very pricey battery pack into a car.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1100225_why-did-volkswagen-cheat-on-diesel-emissions-in-its-tdi-cars
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #585 on: September 29, 2015, 01:53:11 PM »
Per their website, Tesla Model X launch will be streamed live at http://www.teslamotors.com/modelx tonight at 8pm Pacific Time (11pm Eastern, 3am UTC). 
Yes, earlier announcements said 7pm Pacific .  But you know Tesla schedules....  ;)
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #586 on: September 29, 2015, 02:22:01 PM »
Google teaching its self-driving cars to behave more like people, be more predictable, less annoying
http://electrek.co/2015/09/29/google-self-driving-cars-humans/
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #587 on: September 29, 2015, 04:57:51 PM »
Yet another study: EVs emit less carbon than legacy vehicles, including electricity generation
  This one was produced by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
https://chargedevs.com/newswire/yet-another-study-evs-emit-less-carbon-than-legacy-vehicles-including-electricity-generation/
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

ghoti

  • Grease ice
  • Posts: 767
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 12
  • Likes Given: 15
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #588 on: September 29, 2015, 06:53:51 PM »
More evidence that even car and trucks that supposedly meet the new Euro 6 emission limits and producing much more NOx and CO2 in real world conditions.

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/09/20150929-toi.html

So much for the claims that EVs emit more CO2 than diesels.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #589 on: September 29, 2015, 08:35:21 PM »
One of these days, I hope there will be enough news about electric airplanes to give them their own thread.  In the meantime:

Blame an FAA Blunder for the Lack of Electric Airplanes
http://www.wired.com/2015/09/blame-faa-blunder-lack-electric-airplanes/
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #590 on: September 30, 2015, 03:18:24 AM »
Musk: Trickery “The Only Option” For Engineers In VW Scandal?
Quote
Although internal combustion engines are for the most part getting a little more efficient with every new model year, there’s no avoiding a cold fact: that whether they’re gasoline or diesel—or even a groundbreaking design under the hood of the 2016 Prius—they’re highly inefficient next to battery-electric vehicles.

That’s part of why Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk argues that electric cars are the future, while any improvements to internal-combustion engines will be smaller. “There must have been lots of VW engineers under pressure—they’ve run into a physical wall of what might be possible so trickery was the only option,” speculated Musk, in an interview with the UK publication Auto Express.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1100252_musk-trickery-the-only-option-for-engineers-in-vw-scandal
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #591 on: September 30, 2015, 04:26:12 AM »
VW's Promised Fix for Diesels Doesn't Apply to U.S. Vehicles: Source
Quote
Volkswagen's promise to deliver a fix for its rigged diesel engine "in the next few days" refers to vehicles sold in Europe and other foreign markets, not the U.S., according to a company source.
...
The source said the retrofit in the U.S. is likely to require separate solutions for three different versions of the WA 189 diesel engine sold over the seven years since it was introduced, and may also require hardware changes in addition to altering the software.

As a result of that complexity, company officials are still working with the EPA, and announcement of a solution for U.S. VW owners remains some time off, the source said.

The automaker did not release any details on the retrofit, which will deactivate a "defeat device" -- software that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found was secretly added to the vehicles to detect when they were undergoing emissions testing. The software would activate all emissions control systems during the testing, then switch many of them off when it was concluded, allowing the vehicles to produce up to 40 times the legal limit of dangerous smog-causing nitrogen oxides.

Experts said the retrofit will almost certainly involve replacing the software code that enabled the cheating.

But they said that VW also may have to modify most of the 4-cylinder diesel engines in the 482,000 cars sold in the U.S. to add a urea injection system. That is a more-advanced approach to reducing nitrogen oxides than the emissions-control system that was originally used on the vehicles, a choice driven by Volkswagen's interest in holding down costs.
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/vws-promised-fix-diesels-doesnt-apply-u-s-vehicles-source-n435746
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Neven

  • Administrator
  • First-year ice
  • Posts: 9470
    • View Profile
    • Arctic Sea Ice Blog
  • Liked: 1333
  • Likes Given: 617
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #592 on: September 30, 2015, 08:48:32 AM »
It all reminds me a bit about this decade-old discussion:

The enemy is within
Don't confuse me with him

E. Smith

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #593 on: September 30, 2015, 02:50:39 PM »
More aviation news:

Heathrow Chief Calls for Carbon Cuts, Clean Fuel Research
Quote
Heathrow Airport Ltd. Chief Executive Officer John Holland-Kaye called for world leaders to accelerate greenhouse gas reductions and push for a mandatory carbon-offset program for the aviation industry to fight climate change.

The head of London’s biggest airport signed an open letter also seeking more research into cleaner fuels and better efficiency technology, according to a statement on Wednesday by Heathrow. The letter, released at the Global Sustainable Aviation meeting in Geneva, calls for the International Civil Aviation Organization, the industry regulator, to agree on a new carbon offset market by 2020.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-29/heathrow-chief-calls-for-carbon-cuts-alternative-fuel-research
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

crandles

  • Young ice
  • Posts: 3379
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 239
  • Likes Given: 81
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #594 on: September 30, 2015, 03:28:25 PM »
Quote
Tesla has launched its long-awaited Model X, which has a "bio-weapon defence" system and double-hinged doors that open upwards.

The Model X is priced as high as $144,000

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-34399746

= irrelevant to most people ?
Therefore highly sort after status symbol?

Wonderful logic which might just work and if it brings profits to allow expansion in to cheaper car market ....

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #595 on: September 30, 2015, 04:02:36 PM »
Quote
Tesla has launched its long-awaited Model X, which has a "bio-weapon defence" system and double-hinged doors that open upwards.

The Model X is priced as high as $144,000

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-34399746

= irrelevant to most people ?
Therefore highly sort after status symbol?

Wonderful logic which might just work and if it brings profits to allow expansion in to cheaper car market ....
Exactly.  Elon Musk has said that buyers of the Model S and X are helping to finance the $35,000 Model 3 "car for the masses."
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #596 on: September 30, 2015, 04:04:13 PM »
It all reminds me a bit about this decade-old discussion:



Which makes this article all too timely:

Feds: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles failed to disclose death, injury reports
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/chrysler/2015/09/29/fca-injury-reports-feds/73035796/
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #597 on: September 30, 2015, 04:19:21 PM »
So here are some articles on the Tesla Model X, which launched last night.  Besides the safety features (first SUV with 5-star rating in all categories; "biohazard defense” air circulation setting), I think the biggest optic was pulling an Airstream travel trailer on stage (towing capacity is 5,000 pounds), carrying three adults, four kids, and lots of luggage.  This ain't your father's golf cart!  EV's are a serious competitor to ICE cars, and more car companies will soon be offering more affordable choices.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-30/elon-musk-delivers-tesla-s-first-model-x-suvs-in-california

http://www.wired.com/2015/09/tesla-model-x-suv-reveal-specs-price

http://truckyeah.jalopnik.com/tesla-model-x-this-is-it-1733682873

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2015-09-30/tesla-launches-new-model-x-suv
(Video, with clips from last night’s launch.)
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

ghoti

  • Grease ice
  • Posts: 767
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 12
  • Likes Given: 15
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #598 on: September 30, 2015, 07:51:37 PM »
Instead of me ranting some more about diesels here's Bobby Llewellyn of the Fully Charged responding to "#dieselgate"




TerryM

  • First-year ice
  • Posts: 6002
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 893
  • Likes Given: 5
Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #599 on: September 30, 2015, 09:18:07 PM »
Milton not only refuses to bite the hand that feeds him, he insists on slavishly licking it in public.


I happen to think that N0X is much less harmful than C02 & would opt for the high mileage vehicle under most circumstances. therefor diesel over gasoline.


What little I have learned of electrical vehicles leads me to believe that this is the technology that most will support going forward, and that this is probably a good thing. Diesel may still retain the high end truck and ship market & I have difficulty imagining plug in tanks or troop carriers.


Where does this leave bio-diesel, or has this technology past the best use before date.


Terry