The big picture: Hydrogen fuel cell trucks could become a great alternative to battery-powered electric semis in the future. They feature a range and load capacity closer to diesel-powered trucks, with refueling being far quicker than charging an EV. However, hydrogen production and distribution don't always use renewable sources, meaning it's not necessarily a "green" solution. Volvo's truck manufacturing division has just announced that it's testing vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells. The company claims these trucks will have an operational range of up to 1,000 km (621 miles), a refueling time of under 15 minutes, and a total weight (including freight) of over 65 tons. If those figures are accurate, it sounds like an attractive alternative to battery-powered electric semis for long hauling. For comparison, the Tesla Semi has an advertised range of up to 800 km (497 miles) and will reportedly take over 30 minutes to charge at a megawatt charging station. Each truck … [Read more...] about Upcoming hydrogen fuel cell semis from Volvo will have a 621-mile range
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Volvo’s commercial truck group is testing out hydrogen fuel cell semis
Volvo’s commercial trucking division is testing hydrogen fuel cell semi trucks in the hopes of getting ahead of the maturing technology. With fuel cells built by CellCentric, a joint venture between Volvo and Daimler Truck Automotive Group, Volvo claims its trucks are capable of 1,000 kilometers of range (about 621 miles) and can be refueled in under 15 minutes. Volvo Trucks has been “developing this technology for some years now,” said company president Roger Alm in a statement this week . Hydrogen fuel cells will be suitable for long-distance hauling and could work in countries with limited battery charging infrastructure, Alm said. The company started building battery-electric trucks in 2018, but they still aren’t widely in service in the US. Now with hydrogen fuel cell trucks, Alm says he expects growth in the supply of clean hydrogen in the next couple of years. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and battery electric vehicles (BEV) are similar in that they are both propelled by … [Read more...] about Volvo’s commercial truck group is testing out hydrogen fuel cell semis
How Far Can an Electric Car Go on One Charge?
Modern electric cars go farther than their predecessors, but people still ask: how far can one get on a charge? Electric vehicle (EV) range varies based on several factors that we’ll explore here. RELATED: How Does an Electric Vehicle Work? How Many Miles Can an EV Drive on a Full Charge? According to the UC Davis Plug In Hybrid and Electric Vehicle (PHEV) Research Center, the average figure for how far a single charge can get you is 250 miles (at the time of writing in June 2022). Some models will get less mileage, and some can get 350 miles or more. But what causes that variance in range? Why don’t all EVs get the same mileage out of a charge? The answer depends on, among other things, the size of an electric car’s battery and how new the vehicle is. Driving behavior and weather also play a big role in how much range you’ll get out of an EV once you charge it up . Data collected by the Electric Vehicle Database shows a wide margin between the lowest and … [Read more...] about How Far Can an Electric Car Go on One Charge?
Analysis: Monthly Car Payments Surpass $700, the Highest Recorded
Americans have been suffering from rising gas prices, and now, monthly car payments have grown to the highest recorded. “The average monthly car payment crossed $700 a month earlier this year, the highest on record, according to Cox Automotive/Moody’s Analytics,” NPR reported Saturday. Cars were so expensive because of a computer chip shortage, the outlet continued. “When car sales dropped dramatically during the early parts of the lockdown, auto manufacturers slashed orders for the chips,” it said. Schools and workplaces began meeting online, so consumers bought more electronics for their homes. Therefore, the chip manufacturers began supplying those companies. In addition, two out of three Americans said hikes in gas prices were causing them hardship, a recent Gallup poll found. Breitbart News reported last week: The survey, taken between June 1 and June 20, showed that 67 percent are experiencing hardship, up from 52 percent in April. The percent of Americans … [Read more...] about Analysis: Monthly Car Payments Surpass $700, the Highest Recorded
This company plans to develop car software for fuel purchases from the dashboard
Apple CarPlay Apple Inc. wants you to start buying gas directly from your car dashboard as early as this fall, when the newest version of its CarPlay software rolls out, accelerating the company's push to turn your vehicle into a store for goods and services. A new feature quietly unveiled at Apple's developer conference this month will allow CarPlay users to tap an app to navigate to a pump and buy gas straight from a screen in the car, skipping the usual process of inserting or tapping a credit card. Details of Apple's demo for developers have not previously been reported. But Dallas-based HF Sinclair, which markets its gasoline at 1,600 stations in the United States, said that it plans to use the new CarPlay technology and will announce details in coming months. "We are excited by the idea that consumers could navigate to a Sinclair station and purchase fuel from their vehicle navigation screen," said Jack Barger , the company's senior vice … [Read more...] about This company plans to develop car software for fuel purchases from the dashboard
ferrari: Ferrari to continue gas-guzzler production while moving slowly toward electric vehicles
Ferrari makes some of the fastest cars on the road, but the luxury Italian automaker is taking the slow lane to an electric future as it tries to overcome the technology's disadvantages against today's powerful fossil fuel engines. At an investor day this month, executives promised a new era, with the first fully electric Ferrari in 2025. But for now, combustion engines remain the heart of what it does. Unlike some rivals, Ferrari has not provided a roadmap for going all electric. Volkswagen 's Bentley brand and Volvo are both targeting 2030. According to a source familiar with Ferrari's business plans, a new production line focused on electric vehicles (EVs) should help lift annual production at its plant in Maranello, Italy, by more than 35 percent to over 15,000 cars by 2025 versus 11,155 in 2021-or 65 cars per day versus 46 currently-delivering higher profit margins in the process. Ferrari declined to comment. The carmaker has told investors it is … [Read more...] about ferrari: Ferrari to continue gas-guzzler production while moving slowly toward electric vehicles
Manufactured Nanoparticles Might Pose Health Threat
Buckyballs, among the most used and certainly the most celebrated of manmade nanoparticles, might represent a potent health threat. According to computer simulations the 60-carbon-atom, soccer-ball-shaped molecule can damage or even destroy DNA. Researchers have suggested that buckyballs, whose technical name is "fullerenes," might be used in chemical sensors and hydrogen fuel cells. And some researchers are testing biomedical applications in which buckyballs would encapsulate especially toxic drugs or radioactive materials. Scientists already realized buckyballs could be toxic. Studies at Duke University in 2004 showed that when buckyballs were introduced to laboratory aquariums they damaged the brains of largemouth bass and may also have prevented certain water-borne bacteria from reproducing. Until then scientists had theorized that the strong attraction that buckyballs have for each other would cause the molecules to clump together and safely sink to the … [Read more...] about Manufactured Nanoparticles Might Pose Health Threat
Apple CarPlay will let you pay for gas from your driver’s seat
During its WWDC event a few weeks ago, Apple announced iOS 16, highlighting a “next-generation” CarPlay experience that automakers might not be ready for any time soon. It also announced a new “fueling and driving tasks apps” feature that you will actually be able to use once the update is released. Fueling and driving task apps Fueling and driving task apps are available in CarPlay. Your favorite apps that help you fill your tank and provide you with road information, toll support, towing help, and more can find a home in CarPlay. This week, Reuters reports at least one gas chain has an implementation of the feature in its pipeline , enabling a new way to find gas stations and pay at the pump using just your car’s infotainment screen. Developers at the gas companies have to enable the CarPlay feature for their iPhone apps, and the customers will need to make an account for the gas chain and add a payment method. Dallas-based HF Sinclair Corp, the parent company … [Read more...] about Apple CarPlay will let you pay for gas from your driver’s seat
You Might Not Get Any Smarter in 2018, But AI Will
Last year around this time, we observed that artificial intelligence (AI), cloud architectures, and Big Data technology were converging to transform the way we work and play. That trend has only become more pronounced this year, as companies embrace data-driven strategies in the cloud and start to bake intelligence into their experiences. From conversational AI such as virtual assistants to new predictive features woven into user experiences, cloud-based technology keeps getting smarter. In 2018, we'll see new architectures emerge as cloud infrastructure, data tech, and AI techniques like machine learning evolve. We asked execs and experts from IBM, Oracle, MapR, Salesforce, and more to predict the biggest innovations and trends to emerge in the coming year. 1. Building Safer AI “Artificial intelligence is increasingly used for applications, like drug discovery or the connected car, that can have a detrimental impact to human life if the incorrect decision is made. … [Read more...] about You Might Not Get Any Smarter in 2018, But AI Will