LeviCar / PROACCTIVE / Lulue Newsletter # 207 (Mon. 2021/09/20 16:15 EDT)
Welcome to issue # 207 of the LeviCar / PROACCTIVE / Lulue Newsletter.
If you are primarily interested in the "IN THE NEWS" part, click here.
This issue covers updates and changes for three of my websites, since September 13
(09/14 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:
The “Create the Future” 2021 Contest is open for voting only Click
here. For my own entries for 2019-20, click at: http://www.LeviCar.com/#CreateFuture.
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)
Dept. of Defense Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) —
Added announcement
http://www.PROACCTIVE.info/#DoD-SBIR
New Event on the websites:
None
Revised Events on the websites:
TechConnect Europe Innovation Conference & Expo M‑W, November 15‑17 —
Deadline corrected
http://www.PROACCTIVE.info/#TechConnect-Eu
http://www.LeviCar.com/LULUE.php#TechConnect-Eu
TechConnect Europe Innovation Conference & Expo M‑W, November 15‑17
— Deadlines extended"
http://www.PROACCTIVE.info/#TechConnect-Eu
http://www.LeviCar.com/LULUE.php#TechConnect-Eu
Events with due dates within the next ten days (until Thu., September 30):
DoD SBIR/STTR Programs —
ARMY SBIR 21.4 -041 will close on Wed, Sep. 22, 12 noon EDT.
TechConnect Europe Innovation Conference & Expo
• Call for Presentation: Abstracts (300 words max.) due Thu, Sep. 30
(re‑extended)
• Innovation Showcase: Innovations due Thu, Sep. 30
(extended)
IN THE NEWS (Notice that the criteria for this are much broader than for PROACCTIVE.info):
What I would like you all to do is to check my list of blogs and bulletins, currently at
http://www.LeviCar.com/#Group-B and look at any
of those that you think are interesting, and subscribe them if you wish – most of the subscriptions are free.
This way, you can keep up-to-date. I shall continue to post links to exceptional articles in the newsletter, as well
as articles from sources not on the list. Later, I plan to separate out this list into a standalone webpage.
Batteries:
Deliveristas Face Yet Another Deadly Threat – Exploding Cheap E‑Bike Batteries
LeydenJar raises €22 million for development of super‑battery
There is no Li-ion battery recycling standard, but that may be about to change
Li-Cycle to build battery recycling facility in Alabama
Heritage Battery Recycling and 6K to commercialize cathode-grade battery recycling network
Tesla buyers offered a choice between LFP or NCA battery packs
(Also pertains to “Electric Cars”.)
Sugar-doped lithium sulfur battery promises up to 5 times the capacity
(♩“A little bit of
sugar makes the electrons go down”♬)
Fearing battery fires after recalls, people are selling their Chevy Bolt EVs back to GM
(Also pertains to “Business” and “Electric Carss …”.)
GM, LG Evaluate Its Battery Fire Dilemma and Future
Redwood Materials Targets 500 GWh/Year of Cathode and Anodes by 2030
EV Charging:
HEVO to commercialize ORNL’s dynamic wireless charging technology
Bosch’s new flexible charging cable does away with the “charging brick”
Electrify America to provide charging infrastructure, including on‑site
generation and storage, for NFI drayage trucks at California ports
GridPoint launches new building-centric charging solution
Easelink demonstrates autonomous conductive charging system
California projects 100 retail hydrogen stations by the end of 2023
Wallbox unveils new Hypernova public charger with up to 350 kW of power
Electric Cars:
Toyota actively lobbies against support for EVs
(Also pertains to “Business” and “Electric Buses …”.)
Compare:
Toyota to slash EV costs by half, target just 10 percent range degradation in 10 years
Mercedes EQB electric SUV: Specs and features confirmed for 2022 US arrival
Ford Versus Tesla and Chinese EV makers
[Includes video (36:22) that I did not review.]
Tesla Model S Plaid claims production EV record at the Nürburgring
Elio Motors pivots to 150‑mile Elio‑E EV, gasoline version still not canceled
CEO of a major autos retailer on the reasons behind electric vehicle hesitancy
Xpeng P5 electric sedan starts around $25,000, leads in driver-assistance tech, aims for Europe
Electric Trucks:
Navistar’s new International eMV Series electric truck is in production and ready to order
Rivian is making R1T electric trucks for customers, hasn’t detailed first deliveries yet
Hydrogen-Fuel-Cell Vehicles:
How does this car seem to run on almost nothing? It’s really quite something
Clean Generation of Hydrogen:
★
California “green hydrogen” facility claims to displace more CO2 than electrolysis from renewable energy
Electric Motors and their controllers:
New EV motor epoxy encapsulation materials for 800 V designs
Self-Driving Cars, Trucks, and Delivery Robots:
Mercedes-Benz Is Experimenting With Mind Control in Vehicles
All-In on FSD: $25K Tesla Might not Have a Steering Wheel or Pedals
Watch Tesla’s Self-Driving Tech Navigate a Ridiculous San Francisco Street
[Includes two videos (2:59 nighttime) and (10:56 daytime) that I did not review.]
Autonomous Trucking May Break Supply Chain Shackles
Tesla FSD 10 Testers Agree a Large Improvement Has Been Delivered
[Includes three videos that I did not review (20:09), (26:01), and (14:28).]
Long-Haul Trucking with Fewer Drivers
Autonomous Boats:
US Navy Fifth Fleet Task Force Will Test Unmanned Ships and Systems
(Includes infographics.)
Autonomous Fleet concepts set course for Royal Navy’s next 50 years
Sensors / AI Training / Microchips /Software for Self-Driving Vehicles:
Vanderbilt, TDOT partner to test automated vehicles and improve traffic flow on I‑24, soon the smartest roadway in the world
GM invests in Oculii, radar software maker for self-driving cars
A framework for safety in testing automated driving systems
Young Drivers <25 Benefit the Most from ADAS Crash Avoidance
Business:
Chip Shortage Weakens Tesla Competition
Apple tilted towards solo initiative in EV project, may tap Korean companies for supply
(Also pertains to “Electric Cars”.)
Electric Bicycles, Motorcycles, and Scooters:
★
BMW’s e-bike concepts are motorcycles outside the city, bicycles within
(… speed enforcement using geofencing.)
Cake and Polestar team up on all‑electric 2- and 4‑wheel commuter combo
Bosch’s connected smart system boosts ebike performance over the air
[Includes video (1:46).]
Electric Aircraft:
BAE Systems Looks to Tackle Power Management Solutions for Air Taxis
(Also pertains to “Batteries”.)
Lilium releases 5th-gen eVTOL flight test footage with sound
[Includes video (1:03).]
Paragon looks to hydrogen engines for its ultra-long-range Soar eVTOL
[Actually is Hydrogen-combustion-Electric Hybrid. Includes silent video (1:07).]
Uncrewed electric heavy lift concept from BAE
Volocopter teams with Urban Movement Labs to explore Los Angeles market
Autonomous Aircraft:
Kitty Hawk Founder Will Take First Flight in Its Air Taxi
Electric Buses and other mass-transit (but not rail):
GreenPower’s BEAST electric Type D school bus features an integrated body and chassis design
Report: ‘Wrong Way’ AirTrain Would Be the Most Costly, Least Necessary Transit Project Ever
(Also see the comments.)
Alexa Transit brings bus and train routes to voice assistant navigation. Here’s how to use it
Wrightspeed partners with Matthews Specialty Vehicles to convert buses and trucks to electrified drive
OPINION:
Elon Musk’s Tesla Bot Raises Serious Concerns
Self Driving Cars Will Save and Improve Lives
(Also pertains to “Self-Driving Cars,… ”.)
Governmental Affairs:
Three of the five US states with the most EVs didn’t have a mandate for them
USPS’s environmental impact statement seems designed to justify its timid electrification strategy
House T&I Committee Advances $10 Billion for HSR
Parsing the latest proposal to revamp the federal EV tax credit
Revamped EV tax credit: Tesla, Toyota, Honda pushing back vs. union-made bonus
MagLev:
The Fastest train ever built | The complete physics of it
[Youtube (11:33).]
Miscellaneous:
Hyperloop prototype to be built, tested in Colorado
Breathing New Life into Fuel Cells
(This is not just for automotive fuel cells.)
BMW i‑Vision Circular concept rethinks the compact EV under a circular economy
(Also pertains to “Electric Cars”.)
Transportation tech from the future: What we could be driving one day
Michelin’s airless passenger car tires get their first public outing
[Includes short video (0:26).]
Solar power tech could help produce next generation synthetic fuels
Tested: 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime is better off-road with EV Mode
Technical Articles and Papers:
Click to download:
Challenges in testing electric aircraft motors and inverters
FUN NEWS:
Funny Fails: Want the Blooper Reel? Boston Dynamics Shows Off its Stumbles
[Includes short video (0:34).]
OLD NEWS:
Dear Ed
Edward H. Mertz, doyen of the Tri-Shield.
UNSUNG HEROES #44 - The Dymaxion Car
[Youtube (10:22).]
Reaching for the Stars
Is it a bird, a plane?  Nope, it’s a Firebird.
Special notes:
Anyone can ask to subscribe to this newsletter by e-mail. The form, with further information,
is at this link.
Rest assured that I am not giving or selling your e-mail addresses to anyone.
The websites are updated as needed. New and recently-revised items are indicated by small ovals on the upper-left
corners of the link-blocks. See http://www.LeviCar.com/Guide.HTML#Oval.
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.
Please forward this newsletter to anyone you might think would be interested in it, and
mention subscribing to this: Click here to subscribe, (or unsubscribe, or request back issues).
Thank you for your attention.
— Josh Levin (Dr. Zev)