Clean Cities News Digest
 
Bringing you the latest round-up of
clean transportation news and trends.
Time, October 21, 2014 

Among the trickle-down effects of cheaper gas prices are lower sales totals for alternative-fuel cars, which in turn have forced automakers to slash prices on these vehicles. What's especially noteworthy is that the combination of lower gas prices and increasingly fuel-efficient internal-combustion engine cars appears to be putting the squeeze in particular on hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius.  

 

Hybrid Cars, October 22, 2014 

Chevrolet will commercialize a bi-fuel version of its 2015 Impala sedan that can be powered by gasoline or compressed natural gas. The vehicle can also run on biogas, which is produced from organic waste such as leftovers, table scraps, and even grains from brewing beer. 
 

Fuels Fix - Latest Edition

Fall 2014  

The most recent edition of Fuels Fix includes articles on the first DC Fast Charger at Mount Hood, Asheville's Carolina Blue Skies Initiative, and the U.S. Department of Energy's 2014 credit allocations under their Alternative Fuel Transportation Program which addresses, among other issues, the acquisition of electric drive vehicles. 

 

Carmakers Prepare To Shift To Hydrogen Fuel Cells

L.A. Times, October 26, 2014 

"Today, Toyota actually favors fuel cells over other zero-emission vehicles, like pure battery electric vehicles," said Craig Scott, the company's national manager of advanced technologies. "We would like to be still selling cars when there's no more gas. And no one is coming to our door asking us to build a new electric car." 

CA To Require New Buildings To Be Wired For EV Charging

Green Car Reports, October 22, 2014 

With extensive electrical infrastructure already in place in built-up areas, plug-in electric cars are never too far from a potential recharging source. But retrofitting existing structures with the necessary wiring to install Level 2 charging stations can be complicated. Now, California has ensured that new buildings at least will have electric-car charging in mind from the start. 

 

Boeing To Turn "Gutter Oil" Into Biofuel In China

Puget Sound Business Journal, October 22, 2014 

Boeing Co. said it plans to turn cooking oil, or "gutter oil" as it's called in China, into aviation biofuel. Boeing will work with its Chinese partner, Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China, and the companies together have already opened a demonstration facility. About 500 million gallons of fuel per year can be made using the system, Boeing said. 

 

Seattle 2030 District, October 13, 2014 

Large-scale vehicle electrification can help tremendously with Seattle's transportation emission and water quality problems, while also making energy conservation in the building sector that much more valuable and necessary. This video expresses the vision of Seattle 2030 District's new Electrify Seattle program, designed to recapture that spirit of making Seattle the most electrified large city from the 1962 World's Fair, around 21st century challenges.

 

Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrids Coming Next Year

Green Car Reports, October 21, 2014 

Hyundai's vice-chairman for research and development, said earlier this month that plug-in hybrid versions of not only the current Sonata but a next-generation Kia Optima as well would be released next year. The cars will use Korean-made battery packs, electric motors, inverters, and other electronic components - making them very price-competitive in the market. 
 

Green Industry Pros, October 1, 2014 

Landscape professionals can now earn double the incentive dollars available through the Propane Education & Research Council's Propane Mower Incentive Program. Through the end of this year, program participants can earn $2,000 toward the purchase of a new propane-powered mower and $1,000 toward a qualified conversion. 


October 28, 2014
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