A giant 18-wheel transport truck is barreling down a multi-lane Texas highway, and there is no one behind the wheel.
The futuristic idea may seem surreal, but it is being tested in this vast southern US state, which has become the epicenter of a rapidly developing self-driving vehicle industry.
Before driverless trucks are allowed onto roads and highways, however, multiple tests must still be conducted to ensure they are safe.
The energy systems that power our lives also produce wasted heat—like heat that radiates off hot water pipes in buildings and exhaust pipes on vehicles. A new flexible thermoelectric generator can wrap around pipes and other hot surfaces and convert wasted heat into electricity more efficiently than previously possible, according to scientists at Penn State and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
“A large amount of heat from the energy we consume is essentially being thrown away, often dispersed right into the atmosphere,” said Shashank Priya, associate vice president for research and professor of materials science and engineering at Penn State. “We haven’t had cost-effective ways with conformal shapes to trap and convert that heat to useable energy. This research opens that door.”
Penn State researchers have been working to improve the performance of thermoelectric generators—devices that can convert differences in temperature to electricity. When the devices are placed near a heat source, electrons moving from the hot side to the cold side produce an electric current, the scientists said.
Agreement will finance sales of Class 8 battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles to customers
PHOENIX 0, Jan. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Nikola Corporation (Nasdaq: NKLA), a global leader in zero-emissions transportation and energy infrastructure solutions, and Corcentric Fleet Funding Solutions, a leading provider of leasing and financing solutions, today announced a signed agreement to facilitate sales of Class 8 Nikola Tre battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and Nikola Tre hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). Pursuant to the agreement, Corcentric will purchase vehicles and related assets (e.g., charging assets) directly from Nikola to offer Nikola customers a bundled lease that provides Nikola trucks and related equipment, as well as fuel and maintenance, in a single agreement.
“We believe this partnership will allow Nikola to reach more customers by offering solutions to those who otherwise may not have access to financing options,” said Nikola Chief Financial Officer, Kim Brady. “The agreement will provide Corcentric a launching point to expand its offerings into the electric vehicle space. Together we expect to provide funding resources, multiple options to tailor leases to customer needs, and best-in-class customer care for fleet customers and owner/operators.”
Circa 2021 o.o
A Swedish off-road bike company have worked on how to get fuel to bush bikes and stop poaching.
German carmaker BMW has demonstrated the use of electrophoretic technology, enabling a vehicle’s surface to rapidly change colour. The futuristic concept has potential for a number of interior and exterior applications.
And they can detach while still in motion.
Three former SpaceX engineers launched a company to develop autonomous battery-electric trains that they believe can help to improve the efficiency and emissions of railroads, a press statement reveals.
The firm, Parallel Systems, recently raised $49.55 million in Series A funds to build autonomous freight trains. The funding will go, in part, towards advanced tests for its self-driving machines.
Decarbonizing cargo transportation Railroads are a great testbed for self-driving technologies as the constrained movement of trains means there is less possibility for something to go wrong. On top of that, the transportation sector in the U.S. is the country’s largest source of greenhouse emissions, though rail is only responsible for 2 percent of total transportation emissions. Estimates by the Association of American Railroads suggest that a shift to rail and away from road transportation could reduce emissions by up to 75 percent.
Luminar, a laser lidar startup led by one of the youngest U.S. billionaires, has a new partnership with Mercedes-Benz that includes supplying sensors for its luxury vehicles and gathering on-road data from them to improve automated driving. The German carmaker also bought a small stake in the tech company.
Luminar’s Iris lidar will be integrated into future Mercedes planned for its next-generation platform to improve safety and help them operate autonomously during highway driving, the companies said. Details including specific models that will use the sensor and when they’ll be available for sale to customers aren’t being disclosed. Mercedes also acquired 1.5 million Luminar shares as part of the partnership, founder and CEO Austin Russell, 26, tells Forbes.
Full Story:
The luxury automaker is buying 1.5 million shares of the laser lidar startup that’s led by one of the youngest U.S. billionaires.
Mile-long, slow-moving diesel trains loaded with cargo chugging slowly across the U.S. could be a thing of the past one day if stealth startup Parallel Systems has its way. The Los Angeles company thinks the future of freight lies in autonomous battery-powered trains that squeeze far more capacity out of existing rail lines.
Founded by a trio of former SpaceX engineers, including CEO Matt Soule, Parallel’s idea for smaller, flexible zero-emission trains pulling no more than 50 cars and operating with greater frequency than traditional behemoths that haul over 150 boxcars at a time caught the attention of tech-oriented venture firms, including Anthos Capital, Congruent Ventures, Riot Ventures and Embark Ventures. With their backing and from other investors, Parallel just raised $49.6 million to refine prototypes and software for its futuristic trains and, eventually, shift more freight hauling from trucks.
Full Story:
L.A.-based Parallel Systems, which just raised $50 million, thinks it can squeeze far more capacity out of existing rail lines.
Circa 2021
DETROIT – The EV Revolution is in full-swing right now. Tesla just passed the trillion-dollar valuation mark. Lucid Group just rolled out its first cars with 500+ miles of driving range. Rivian just had the biggest initial public offering since Facebook.
Every legacy automaker — from Ford to GM to Volkswagen — is investing tens of billions of dollars iino electrifying their fleets. The EV Revolution has arrived.
But here’s the thing: The EV Revolution won’t go mainstream until we make better batteries.
