LeviCar / PROACCTIVE / Lulue Newsletter # 168 (Sun. 2021/01/24 22:56)
Welcome to issue # 168 of the LeviCar / PROACCTIVE / Lulue Newsletter.
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This issue covers updates and changes for three of my websites, since January 20
(01/21 onward).
Website for the General Public, with a lot about my LeviCar project: http://www.LeviCar.com.
Website for Innovative Transportation Professionals: http://www.PROACCTIVE.info.
Website as a substitute for the former blog on EVWorld: http://www.LeviCar.com/LULUE.php. It has the same content as the previous blog,
except for some explanatory notes. The “catch phrases” are in small type,
and highlighted in yellow.
All three websites, above, are “gluten-free” (no cookies) and “caffeine-free” (no java[script],
or any other script).
All of LULUE’s events are either in LeviCar.com or PROACCTIVE.info, or both.
LULUE has only upcoming events and a list of various organizations’ event calendars.
Many of the links to EV World are still on LeviCar.com, and I was able to recover them from
“The Wayback Machine”.
Research Paper: Click here
to download or view my 25‑page Research Paper, The Future of MagLev: How the
Magnetic‑Levitation SuperTurnpike will Revolutionize Ground Transportation (.doc format).
Contest notice: I had entered the “Create the Future” Contest for this year, and actually made
Two entries, but did not win. Details are at: http://www.LeviCar.com/#CreateFuture.
The first one is “High-Throughput End-Loaded MagLev Passenger Vehicles”
(http://contest.techbriefs.com/2020/entries/automotive-transportation/10635).
The second one is “Soft-Sided Transportation Tubes (SSTTs) – an Alternative to Hyperloop”
(http://contest.techbriefs.com/2020/entries/automotive-transportation/10730).
Other Contest:
NASA Langley Launches $20,000 UAV ‘Safeguard’ Competition
(postponed due to COVID-19).
Newly-Added Item: (other than events)
None
Newly-Revised Item: (other than events)
None
New Event on the websites:
Free Webinar: Trends in Hybrid and Electric Mobility in Commercial Transportation
W, February 24, 9 to 10 am EST
http://www.PROACCTIVE.info/#Trends-Comm-Transp
http://www.LeviCar.com/LULUE.php#Trends-Comm-Transp
Revised Event on the websites:
None
Events with due dates within the next ten days (until Wed., February 3):
IEEE VTS Motor Vehicles Challenge 2021
Registration due Sun, Jan. 31
(extended)
Green Transportation Summit and Expo
Call for Session and Speaker Proposals due Sun, Jan. 31
(extended yet again)
32nd IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium
– IV2021 Call for Papers: Complete Papers due Mon, Feb. 1
IN THE NEWS (Notice that the criteria for this are much broader than for PROACCTIVE.info):
Survey Article:
Automotive tech takes the digital stage at CES 2021
(Company‑by‑company coverage.)
Batteries:
The Leaders in the Race to Build a Better EV Battery
(Paywalled)
New class of cobalt-free cathodes could enhance energy density of Li-ion batteries
(See also —
Oak Ridge Research Next Generation Cathode Cobalt-Free Lithium Ion Batteries
from Newsletter # 164.)
Sunstone Engineering’s new battery welding system paves way for copper and nickel tab welding
[Includes video (1:07).]
New Electric Car Battery Charges in Just Five Minutes
Hong Kong researchers propose novel cathode design for Li-S batteries
Electric Vehicle Battery Charges Rapidly, Reduces Range Anxiety
(This is a self-heating battery.)
$3,500 EV battery prototype promises 200-mile range on a 10-minute charge
BP partner StoreDot produces cells with 5-minute fast-charging tech
Project aims to develop a swappable containerized battery system for marine applications
An Anode-free Zinc Battery that Could Store Renewable Energy Someday
World-first home hydrogen battery stores 3x the energy of a Powerwall 2
EV Charging:
Condo questions: Is the association required to install vehicle chargers?
Electrify America collaborates with EVNoire to promote EV access in California African-American communities
These Companies Want to Charge Your Electric Vehicle as You Drive
Volkswagen plans to install 300 kW DC charging stations at German sites
Electric Cars and Charging Station Group
(I don’t know if you need an invitation to join this group.)
KAUST team assesses deployment of dynamic wireless charging in cities
LA reaches 10,000 public chargers, two years earlier than planned
(Also pertains to “Governmental Affairs”.)
Electric Cars:
Mercedes-Benz EQA adds a compact, entry level electric SUV to the range
[Includes fairly long advertising video (11:34) that I did not view.]
Volkswagen brand triples deliveries of pure EVs in 2020
(See also, from Newsletter # 166 —
In 2020, Volkswagen Brand Sold More Than 212,000 Plug-In Electric Cars
)
Porsche puts sub-$100K Taycan EV model in its lineup
2021 Porsche Taycan: Base $81,250 RWD version arrives soon
EV cost vs. CO2 benefit: Updated tool helps navigate the numbers for 2021
[Includes instructional video (2:15).]
Triggo tilting electric quadricycle pulls its wheels in for parking
[Includes video (1:09).]
Ares Design turns up the air with Tesla Model S convertible
Review update: 2021 Hyundai Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid wants to be in charge
Electric Trucks:
Nissan electric camper van concept is a backcountry ski hut on wheels
Nissan concept van supports digital nomads with open-air office pod
[Includes video (3:38).]
The vanlife electric: Nissan e-NV200 Winter Camper concept
Clean Generation of Hydrogen:
What is Green Hydrogen and Is It a Game-Changer?
88-megawatt Canadian hydro-to-hydrogen plant to open in 2023
Electric Motors and their controllers:
AAM and Inovance to collaborate on integrated EV drivetrains
Self-Driving Cars, Trucks, and Delivery Robots:
GM Teams with Microsoft on Driverless Cars
(Also pertains to “Business”.)
Microsoft joins $2B investment in Cruise to speed commercialization of self-driving vehicles
(Also pertains to “Business”.)
GM, Cruise partner with Microsoft to speed up self-driving EV technology
Aurora partners with Paccar to develop driverless trucks
Self-“Driving” Boats:
72-ft autonomous Saildrone sets out on seafloor-mapping mission
[Includes video (2:30).]
Underwater robot resonates with Aurelia aurita jellyfish
Sensors / AI Training for Self-Driving Vehicles:
Startups look beyond LIDAR for autonomous vehicle perception
[Includes looping video.]
Business: (SPAC = Special-Purpose Acquisition Company.)
Rivian shuns SPACs, closes another $2.65B investment ahead of electric trucks’ arrival
(Also pertains to “Electric Trucks”.)
Kia teases designs for 7 EVs due by 2027
Next Honda HR-V will be different for America, but likely all-hybrid
(Also pertains to “Electric Cars”.)
Investors pump $125 million into EV charging startup Volta
(Also pertains to “EV Charging”.)
Volta Charging raises $125 million in Series D financing
(Also pertains to “EV Charging”.)
Report: 71% jump in electric vehicle purchases projected for 2021
(Also pertains to “Electric Cars”.)
From Jeep to Maserati, Stellantis to Rollout 10 New EV Models in 2021
Exclusive: Air taxi start-up Joby explores deal to go public — sources
(See older article from Newsletter # 155 —
BETA Technologies and Joby Aviation to hold groundbreaking ceremony for advanced urban air mobility technology
.)
Electric Bicycles, Motorcycles, and Scooters:
Bianchi covers all bases with city, touring and mountain ebike family
EZRaider stands at the intersection of scooter and quad bike
[Includes video (2:30).]
Carbon fiber bike light powers up with a magnetic mount
[Includes video (2:20).]
Blue Duck bolsters micromobility approach
Dutch EV is more than an ebike, less than a car
[Includes somewhat‑boring video (3:56).]
Electric bicycles projected to outsell cars in Europe, and it’s sooner than you’d think
Segway-Ninebot launches new self-balancing electric scooter with steering wheel
[Includes looping video.]
Electric Aircraft:
MIT’s hybrid electric plane concept captures its own harmful pollutants
Los Angeles will launch air taxi network
Volocopter Moves To Enter U.S. eVTOL Air Taxi Market
Keeping Drones Flying When a Motor Fails
Hydrogen-electric flying car looks to take F1 racing airborne
[Includes video (0:59).]
Autonomous Aircraft:
FAA approves first fully-automated commercial drone flights
This Jet Will Turn AI Into a Real-World Top Gun
CAELUS project to test drone deliveries in Scotland
Drones rise to the COVID challenge
(Also pertains to “Sensors … for Self-Driving Vehicles”.)
Navy asks industry to develop sensors and communications to enable unmanned aircraft to land on carriers
Adding LIDAR to Drones for Improved Surveying
Governmental Affairs:
How the Biden presidency will accelerate change to electric cars: 10 talking points
Buttigieg Aims for Infrastructure Overhaul
How will California get to all-electric by 2035? It starts by breaking down barriers
[Includes animated PSA video (2:35).]
VW CEO teases Trinity project to rival Tesla, revamp Wolfsburg plant for EVs
MagLev:
Baltimore-Washington SCMaglev project DEIS published
Project site
Gateway to Environmental Study
Miscellaneous:
DOE releases Energy Storage Grand Challenge Roadmap
Report: Emissions gains from EVs in 2020 were canceled out by added emissions from SUVs
New in-vehicle technology shows we’re using cars ‘as much for living as traveling’
Who Owns your Favorite Car Brand and Why?
(Includes nifty chart showing what auto companies own what makes.)
RethinkX Solar, Wind, Battery Plan for the USA
When a train blocks a crossing, could you be alerted via your phone? Suffolk leaders hope so
(From Suffolk, VA.)
Technical Articles and Papers:
Link to preview the start of, and sign up to receive the rest of, a techical article:
What impact will IoT have on the transport industry?
OLD NEWS:
Born Survivor (Part One)
Special notes:
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The websites are updated as needed. New and recently-revised items are indicated by small ovals on the upper-left
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Please rely more on the websites for the most current information. This newsletter may contain more detail
about why things were updated or changed, or removed. You do not need to have the newsletter to get the
full benefit of the websites.
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Thank you for your attention.
— Josh Levin (Dr. Zev)