Hyundai Creates Fuel Cell Farm Powered by Hydrogen-Fuelled iX35

Hyundai is pulling out all the stops to attract attention towards its hydrogen fuel-cell development effort, which it is showcasing with its iX35 crossover, the world’s first passenger vehicle to go into series production and use such tech.

As we previously revealed, they were working on a fuel-cell-supplied greenhouse where plants could grow, and now they have unveiled the contraption outside of London’s Design Museum.

The outdoor exhibit was only kept assembled for one day (Monday, October 21), and visitors had a chance to see how it works.

Based a bit on one of the Top Gear producers’ daring ideas, Jeremy Clarkon’s towing of a greenhouse on wheels behind a heavily-polluting Range Rover, the Fuel Cell Farm, as it’s known, is very straightforward yet innovative in its operation.

It adopts a new kind of farming solution, called aquaponics, “a combination of hydroponics (growing plants in water) and aquaculture (raising fish in tanks). The Fuel Cell Farm operates by taking the water emitted by the hydrogen-powered Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell and filtering this water into the fish tank. The aquaponics technology then harnesses minerals from the fish waste to grow the plants on the farm.”

The green crossover only has one role in all of it: “It powers and facilitates the functionality of the aquaponics farm, using clean emissions (only water) to fuel sustainable agriculture.” Moreover, choosing London as the venue to display the Fuel Cell Farm was not accidental; the English capital already uses hydrogen fuel-cell buses on commuter lines, and has two hydrogen fueling stations currently active (only one is accessible to the public, though).

By Andrei Nedelea

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Germany Gets its Way, EU Ministers Agree to Block Car Emissions Law

Germany has been fighting back against a new EU law that would limit carmakers’ average CO2 output to 95 g/km by 2020, as it claims to do so in an interest to protect its premium automakers, and keeping its automotive sector strong. The bill was welcomed by the continent’s green activists, but not so much by the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, who already voiced her disapproval for the adoption of the law, back in June.

Now we have reports that the Germans have succeeded in convincing the environment ministers from the 28 union member states bringing forth the disappointment of EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard.

Hedegaard said that "it is not a terrific thing that we could not conclude on cars," adding that it would have been preferable for the plan to go ahead as is, and not be pushed back the four years requested by the continent’s leading industrial power.

Apparently, the general consensus is that Germany is holding back the entire continent, and according to Euractiv, “many member states have voiced unease at the manner in which Berlin blocked the deal.”

One of those countries is Sweden, which through its Environmental Minister, Lena Ek, made its stance clear, by commenting that Germany will have a “very heavy responsibility” to bear for their chosen course of actions.

We will follow this story up when more information appears.

By Andrei Nedelea

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EPA Says 1 in 4 New Vehicles Meets 2016 Emission Standards Today; 2025 is Another Issue

Apparently, meeting future emission standards shouldn’t prove too hard for auto manufacturers as one would expect. That’s because according to an Environmental Protection Agency official, one-quarter of all new vehicles today already meet federal emission standards that won’t come into effect until 2016.
Jeff Alson, senior policy advisor at the EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, said during an event at the agency’s Ann Arbor test facility that nearly 90 new models sold today either meet 2016 emission targets or can meet them simply with air condition improvements and no powertrain changes.

Renault Creates World's Largest Photovoltaic Network in the Auto Industry to Park its Cars Under

Renault is killing two birds with one stone with the creation of what it calls, "the world's largest photovoltaic system in the auto industry", as it will not only serve to produce electricity, but will also protect new vehicles from the elements of nature before they leave plants.
The carmaker is introducing some 40 hectares or 400,000 square meters (equal to 60 football fields) of photovoltaic panels simultaneously at six of its French production sites in Douai, Maubeuge, Flins, Batilly, Sandouville and Cléon, at delivery and shipping centers as well as employee parking areas.

Hyundai ix35 is the First Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle to Enter Series Production

At the Paris Auto Show, Hyundai announced that it will begin production of the ix35 Fuel Cell crossover (also know as the Tucson) at its Ulsan plant in South Korea. The initial projection is 1,000 units by 2015 and a limited mass production of 10,000 units after that.
The ix35 Fuel Cell features a fuel cell stack that converts hydrogen into electricity, which charges the lithium polymer battery that powers the electric motor. It is a zero-emissions vehicle since the only thing that it emits is water vapor.

Non-U.S. Automakers Displeased After President Obama Snubs Them at Washington Auto Show

On Tuesday, January 31, U.S. President Barack Obama’s schedule included a visit to the 2012 Washington Auto Show. The White House informed automakers on a two days’ notice to bring their most fuel-efficient models to the show.
Naturally, they obliged. For example, Honda flew in the FCX Clarity from California, Kia brought the Optima hybrid and Mercedes-Benz a fuel-cell car. Carmakers also brought along their top brass to discuss green technologies with the President.
As Bloomberg reports, the problem is that Obama, who had half an hour in his disposal, ignored foreign manufacturers.
Instead, he spent most of his time with domestic brands, posing for the press with the Dodge Dart, the Chevrolet Malibu, the Ford C-MAX Energi, the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and the Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 (not pretty fuel efficient those two, by the way…).

California wants 1.4 Million Zero-Emission Vehicles by 2025; Manufacturers Agree, Dealers Object

The state of California has been at the forefront of the nation’s regulations when it comes to reducing emissions since the 1970s. And now it has taken another step in this direction by approving the Advanced Clean Car program.
It is a set of regulations that aims to reduce emissions and, among other things, requires 15.4 percent of all new vehicles that will be sold by 2025 to be all-electric, plug-in hybrids or powered by fuel cells.
By implementing this program, California regulators wish to reduce passenger vehicles emissions by 34 percent between 2014 and 2015, and overall smog-forming emissions by 75 percent. It’s a goal similar to the federal standards proposed by President Obama.

New Skoda Fabia Estate Greenline with 83.1mpg and 89g/km of CO2 Priced at £13,740 in the UK

The most environmentally friendly Skoda model to date, the new Fabia Estate Greenline II, goes on sale in the UK in the beginning of July with pricing set at £13,740.

The second generation Greenline models is powered by the VW Group's new three-cylinder turbocharged 1.2-liter common rail turbo diesel engine with 75-horsepower. To help improve fuel economy and reduce CO2 emissions, the Greenline model also gets start & stop technology, a kinetic energy system for battery recharging, gear recommendation system, lowered and aerodynamically-covered chassis and low-rolling resistance tires.