Algae and cellulosic biofuel supported in U.S. federal tax act
The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) is expressing gratitude to the U.S. Congress for including extensions and modifications of the Second Generation Biofuel Producer Credit and the Special Allowance for Second Generation Biofuel Plant Property in final passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. The Act will incentivize investment in both cellulosic and algae biofuel production by renewing a $1.01 per gallon tax credit for producers and accelerated depreciation for newly constructed facilities during 2013, and modifying these credits to include algae. Said Brent Erickson, Executive Vice President of BIO’s Industrial and Environmental Section, in a Jan. 2 statement: “We thank Congress for extending the producer tax credit and bonus depreciation and enabling algae producers to qualify. Stability in such policies is crucial to maintaining private investment. We hope to work with Congress in the coming year to extend and maintain additional policies that support this innovation, such as a strong energy title in any upcoming Farm Bill, and the Renewable Fuel Standard.”
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Petri dishes of Solazyme's tailored algae strains.
Ford to invest $733 million in southeastern Michigan plants
Ford's recently announced plan to invest $733 million in southeastern Michigan plants is part of a larger plan to invest $6.2 billion in U.S. plants by 2015. The single largest investment for southeastern Michigan will be $305 million for facility modernization, new press lines, a scrap conveyor system, and other machinery and equipment at the Dearborn Stamping Plant. Other area facilities slated for upgrades include Michigan Assembly Plant ($54.9 million), Flat Rock Assembly Plant ($161 million), Sterling Axle Plant ($86 million), Van Dyke Transmission Plant ($87.7 million), and Livonia Transmission Plant ($74.7 million). The planned investments in southeastern Michigan were announced by Ford Dec. 27.
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Ford will invest $87.7 million in its Van Dyke Transmission Plant for machinery and equipment to meet capacity expansions for its 6F35 and 6F50 transmissions.
GM's Lieblein promoted to VP of Global Purchasing
She began her career as a co-op student at General Motors Assembly Division in Los Angeles more than 30 years ago, and now Grace Lieblein is GM Vice President of Global Purchasing and Supply Chain. Previously, she was President and Managing Director of GM Brazil, overseeing the launch of nine new products in 15 months. Prior to that, she was President and Managing Director of GM Mexico—the first woman to serve in this role. Manager of GM’s Desert Proving Ground in Arizona and Director of Engineering Design for GM’s North America Car Group are among the other positions Lieblein has held. She earned a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from General Motors Institute (now Kettering University) in 1983 and a master's degree in management–materials/logistics from Michigan State University in 1987.
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In addition to her GM responsibilities, Grace Lieblein serves on the Honeywell International Board of Directors.
SAE Online Poll: Lightweight materials to most benefit heavy vehicles for upcoming regs
Lightweight materials will make the greatest impact in helping medium- and heavy-duty trucks achieve upcoming greenhouse gas/fuel efficiency regulations, according to respondents to an online poll posted on SAE Off-Highway Engineering Online and Automotive Engineering International Online for two weeks in late November and early December. Lightweight materials were chosen by about 42% of the 64 respondents, hailing from 15 nations.
Automatic engine shutdown (idle reduction) came in second with nearly 22% of the vote, followed by design optimization (17%), aerodynamics (11%), and intelligent electronics (e.g., predictive cruise control) at almost 8%. Low rolling resistance tires did not receive a vote.
Half (32) of the respondents were from the U.S., who likewise selected lightweight materials as the most beneficial technology area at 37.5%. Design optimization and automatic engine shutdown swapped places compared to the overall vote, with 22% and 19%, respectively. Aerodynamics received nearly 16% of the U.S. vote, and intelligent electronics received just over 6%.
India had the second most respondents with 8, and Canada was third with 5. Countries posting a single vote included Pakistan (for design optimization), Singapore (lightweight materials), Malaysia (intelligent electronics), and Sri Lanka (automatic engine shutdown).
Check out our magazine websites often to respond to new poll questions posted by the editors, and feel free to suggest possible poll topics at sohe@sae.org or aei@sae.org.
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Voting results for the poll question: “Which technology area will make the greatest impact in achieving upcoming greenhouse gas/fuel efficiency regulations for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles?”
Continental is first supplier to receive Nevada license for autonomous-vehicle testing
Continental on Dec. 19 became the first automotive supplier to be granted a license from the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to test autonomous vehicles on the state’s public roads. Continental’s testing license is for the company’s highly automated vehicle equipped with an integrated vehicle-control and safety system consisting of four short-range radar sensors, one long-range radar, a stereo camera, and a Motion Domain Controller interfacing with the vehicle’s engine, brakes, and steering. The testing license followed approval of Continental's safety plans, employee training, system functions, and accident reporting protocols by the Nevada DMV’s Autonomous Review Committee. The actual vehicle license plate is red and includes an “infinity” symbol so it can be easily recognized by law enforcement and the public. Continental officials noted in a release that public-roads testing will enable the company to launch series production of partially automated driving systems by 2016, with the goal of fully automated systems ready for production by 2020-25.
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The modified VW Passat used by Continental for highly automated vehicle development has racked up more than 15,000 mi (24,140 km) of testing thus far. It is shown here at the Nevada DMV without its official red license plate.
U.S. Army tabs AVL and Achates Power for new-generation engine
The U.S. Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) has awarded a $4.9 million contract to AVL Engineering and Achates Power Inc. to design and build a demonstrator engine as part of the military's Next-Generation Engine program intended for a wide range of combat and tactical vehicles. In its contract proposal, AVL said the engine would be based on Achates’ opposed-piston two-stroke technology. It will be multi-fuel-capable, per TARDEC's requirements. In developing its base engine technology, Achates has accumulated more than 3600 h of dynamometer testing, achieving 47.5% brake thermal efficiency, the company claims. The advantages demonstrated thus far are published in SAE International technical paper 2011-01-2216 and include leaner, faster, and earlier combustion and greater package efficiency, compared with current-generation diesels. AVL and Achates expect the engine's final design phase to be underway "over the next few years."
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Achates Power claims its current base engine technology achieves less than 0.1% fuel-specific oil consumption, with low heat rejection and packaging benefits compared with current-generation diesels.
Toyota Technical Center promotes two engineers
Toyota Technical Center (TTC) on Dec. 19 announced the promotion of engineers Andrew Lund and Kristen Tabar. Lund moves from Executive Program Manager to Chief Engineer for the Toyota Sienna. He came to TTC in 1992 and joined the Sienna team in 2000 as Program Manager before being promoted to Executive Program Manager for the model. Tabar steps up from General Manager, Electrical Systems-2 to Vice President, Electrical Systems Engineering. She was promoted to her current position in 2010 and in that position was responsible for the design and development of multimedia and telematics, including component, systems, and vehicle applications for Lexus and Toyota models. Both earned engineering bachelor's degrees from the University of Michigan and are members of SAE International. The promotions are effective Jan. 7. 2013.
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Andrew Lund and Kristen Tabar.
IAV Automotive Engineering looks to hire engineers in 2013
IAV Automotive Engineering expects to continue experiencing strong growth in U.S. next year and will hire an additional 40 engineers to do so. The company recently announced that sales have increased by more than 50% every year since 2009, when it opened its new headquarters in Northville, MI. For 2013, it expects revenues to have quadrupled since 2010. Part of the global IAV Group, IAV Automotive Engineering is an engineering consultancy serving the automotive industry. It received an AEI Tech Award (click here to see article) earlier this year for its work in hybrid powertrain research.
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Schematic of a parallel hybrid architecture with two electrical axles.
Nissan charges up its new EV battery plant in Tennesee
Nissan recently began operations of its new advanced-battery plant in Tennessee that will supply the energy-storage devices for the Nissan Leafs to be produced at an adjoining vehicle-assembly plant. Regular North American production of the Leaf is to start at the automaker's Smyrna plant early in 2013. To date, the Leaf and its lithium-ion battery pack currently are made in Japan only. The first batteries produced in Smyrna for the 2013 Leaf have completed the required aging process and are ready to receive their first charge, the company said in a recent announcement. The plant is fully integrated, with raw battery cell materials coming in one end and finished battery packs going out the other (see accompanying image). Nissan has not yet released specifications for the 2013 Leaf and its battery pack. The Leaf will be assembled alongside the Nissan Altima and Maxima.
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The production process at Nissan's new U.S. battery plant begins with formation of electrode sheets.
Detailed FEV study shows the way to major vehicle mass savings
Significant vehicle mass reduction—up to 20%—is achievable if weight reduction is pursued as part of a "full-vehicle approach," according to a study by FEV Inc. released Dec. 13. The company used a 2010 Toyota Venza for its research because that model was used in an earlier, related study. The comprehensive phase-two study by FEV was conducted for the U.S. EPA. The previous study, by Lotus Engineering (go to www.sae.org/mags/aei/8512 to read more), was conducted for the International Council on Clean Transportation. That study did not address mass savings from the powertrain to the extent the new one does, nor did it use advanced CAE tools to judge the impact of mass-savings measures on safety, according to FEV. In both cases, the mass savings were to be achieved with no degradation in safety or other parameters. The new study shows that the body-in-white and closures offered the most mass reduction at 68.32 kg (150.62 lb), followed closely by suspension. Total mass savings of 18.3% (312 kg/688 lb) was achieved, and at a cost savings of $148 from manufacturing efficiencies.
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Advanced CAE tools were used as part of the comprehensive study that resulted in a report of 890 pages.
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