Emerging Markets

GE’s Immelt sees future for EVs: ‘We don’t invest in novelties’ Key among the 10 ideas for business and country competitiveness that General Electric’s Chairman and CEO shared to open the SAE 2012 World Congress was that the U.S. must take a leadership role in the energy sector. And Jeffrey Immelt believes that is not just a pipe dream. Read full story

Engineer salaries up overall, SAE survey shows New SAE International salary study reveals that while employment conditions for mobility engineers have improved around the world during the past two years, changes in salary are mixed depending on where one works. Read full story

Pinnacle, FEV developing opposed-piston engine for emerging markets The ultra-efficient engine design is based on a four-stroke, spark-ignited (SI), opposed-piston, sleeve-valve architecture using conventional engine manufacturing technology. The architecture, developed in-house in conjunction with FEV, incorporates two old efficiency ideas into one package, improving both in the process. Read full story

Engineering firm all about functional excellence With the aim of becoming a center of excellence in electric vehicle development, Applus IDIADA is bringing its technical capability in that arena to the SAE 2012 World Congress in Detroit April 24-26. Read full story

The race is on for magnet-less electric machines for EVs In the race to improve EV traction motors, engineers are looking beyond the two popular incumbent technologies: interior-permanent magnet and induction machines. Read full story

Will rare-earth demand and China’s control force new e-motor designs? The global auto industry uses more than 80% of the world’s dysprosium, the total annual production of which is about 1000 t (1100 ton)—“and it’s all mined in Szechuan, China,” said SAE International E-Motors Symposium speaker Jack Lifton, Founding Principal of Technology Metals Research. Read full story

Rare-earth metals, motor efficiency dominate China E-motors meeting “We expect increases in raw material prices—there will be no relaxation in the future,” warned Dr. Wolfgang Bernhart, a partner with strategy consultants Roland Berger. Read full story

Laptop vs. EV by the (key) numbers The laptop world has nothing on the automotive industry when it comes to meeting rigorous battery specs. Read full story

Quotes from the experts at the 2011 SAE Vehicle Batteries Summit So for the sake of expediency, I thought it might be useful to pull what I believe are significant and frank quotes and comments out of my Reporter’s Notebook and offer them here. Read full story