Corporate venture capital plays a key role in the startup world, including the cleantech sector. In his Today in Green IT post, the curator of our research service, Adam Lesser, highlighted the role of corporate venture capital and pointed to an article in the Detroit Free Press […] Read more »
Smartphones are increasingly becoming the remote controls of our lives. Car owners can use theirs to check on the battery level and driving range and adjust the climate control system. An MIT project explores new ways to use smartphones to help drivers cut fuel costs. Read more »
We’ve heard of bullish forecasts for electric cars, but we also have seen reports about the coming of an oversupply of lithium-ion batteries. Managing the supply and demand can be tough for any industry, but it might be extra difficult for the new, electric car market. Read more »
The team approach is becoming popular in the electric car development space. General Motors and LG Group announced Thursday a plan to co-develop electric vehicles in order to speed up their deployment. Read more »
GM just announced the next car in its extended range electric car lineup: the Cadillac ELR. Like GM’s Volt, the Cadillac ELR will have a t-shaped lithium ion battery to enable driving on electric power, but then also features an engine as a backup. Read more »
Amidst the stock slump that lithium ion battery maker A123 System’s is facing, the company touts a new production contract with GM. Read more »
We stopped by one of the first Chevy dealers in the country, American Chevrolet of Modesto, Calif., that has installed a solar canopy and Volt charging stations. Check out the photos and what we’ve learned about the project. Read more »
After investing in batteries, wireless tech, and electric car innovation, the venture arm of GM is now turning to solar car ports. On Thursday GM Ventures announced that it has invested $7.5 million into Sunlogics, a company that makes canopies covered in solar panels. Read more »
Earlier this week figures from the latest MoneyTree report found that VC funding for web startups has reached a 10-year high. Contrast that with the funding figures from Dow Jones, which found that venture investment in the energy sector dropped by more than half. Read more »
The car, and in particular the electric car, is the latest device to get plugged in to the cloud. Coulomb Technologies, which makes networked electric-vehicle charging stations, plans to start selling cloud-based services for managing electric-vehicle charging. Read more »
Utilities know by now that they need to adopt steps manage electricity supply and demand if electric cars become popular. The trick is to figure out what to do. The Electric Power Research Institute released a report on Tuesday that addresses the utility concerns. Read more »
GPS can provide an important function for the emerging electric car industry: battling so-called range anxiety. On Monday, electric car charging company Coulomb Technologies announced that it has partnered with navigation company TomTom to offer charging locator, reservation and information services for plug-in car drivers. Read more »
Recent developments in the vehicle industry suggest that 2011 could be the year of the car as a major platform for apps. From BMW’s support for Apple’s iPod Out feature to the emergence of Nokia’s Terminal Mode, a system that integrates mobile applications and the car, automakers and app developers are jumping on board the in-vehicle app movement. This report examines that landscape, its major players and their offerings, and how the market is shifting from device to car and, eventually, to the cloud. Increased broadband speeds, electronic vehicles and social apps such as those powered by Twitter will play major roles on this journey. Additional companies mentioned in this report include Ford, BMW, Geely, Nissan and Google. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Calisolar has become the fourth solar manufacturer to receive a federal loan guarantee offer. The company, which turns lower-grade silicon into purer version for making solar cells, is set to use the $275 million loan guarantee to help build a factory in Ohio, the U.S. Department of Energy said Thursday. Read more »
Wireless charging is an appealing concept for many of us who loathe the sight of messy power cords or the need to find outlets in public. Carmakers like it, too. Toyota announced a deal Wednesday with WiTricity to bring wireless charging to cars. Read more »
Is the greentech industry headed for a breakout year or is it retrenching for hard times to come? The first three months of 2011 provided evidence that could support both assertions, with a big rise in venture capital investment and a big drop-off in global energy financing. Solar power remained the largest green technology sector in terms of venture capital investment, while in the world of electric vehicles, GM’s Chevy Volt hybrid and Nissan’s all-electric Leaf — the first two mainstream plug-in vehicles — hit the showroom floors in significant numbers. Meanwhile the smart grid sector’s relative dearth of VC investment was more than made up for by the massive round of acquisitions. Companies mentioned in this report include NRG Energy, Microsoft, Silver Spring Networks, Tesla and BrightSource Energy. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
At Green:Net next week, we’ll be exploring how adding IT technologies to anything from the power grid, to data centers, to buildings, to lighting can lead to energy efficiency and a more sustainable consumption of increasingly-constrained resources. Read more »
Freescale Semiconductor and Fuji Electric Systems are forming a new partnership focused on hybrid and electric vehicle tech. The two companies announced plans to collaborate on a type of power semiconductor for electronic powertrains, as well as other products for green cars down the road. Read more »
With my daily commute, Nissan’s all-electric LEAF car isn’t a good fit for me, but GM’s extended range electric car the Volt isn’t exactly an inexpensive car. Here’s how the economics work out and why a plug-in hybrid car could be a real game changer. Read more »
AT&T committed two years ago to make one of the largest purchases of compressed natural gas vehicles in the U.S. to date. On Friday, the telco released more details on how it will reach that goal: buying 101 Chevrolet Express Cargo 2500 natural-gas-powered vans. Read more »
The latest wave of electric cars rolling into the market will be cars connected to the power grid and increasingly, to cellular networks. Along with smart meters and the smart grid, electric vehicles and EV charging stations will be areas to watch. Read more »
GM isn’t the only auto maker with plans to act like a VC. This week, BMW launched BMW i Ventures, which will invest $100 million into mobile and eco-auto technologies, and has made its first investment in a mobile app called MyCityWay. Read more »
In case you missed the Super Bowl game last night, GM debuted another Chevy Volt ad focused on historical innovations. Instead of the “more car than electric” tagline, GM went with a simpler approach, highlighting how important the Volt technology will be for transportation. Read more »
Corporate investors will play an increasingly important role in the energy technology world and perhaps even outshine the traditional VC firms. The latest evidence: NRG Energy, Conoco Phillips and GE have created a $300 million greentech fund. Read more »
For next-generation biofuels to make any type of dent in the fossil fuel industry, oil companies will have to get on board, and here comes one to the rescue for the struggling cellulosic ethanol sector. Oil giant Valero is backing cellulosic ethanol startup Mascoma. Read more »
It’s that time again, when automakers haul their wares out to Detroit for the North American International Auto Show. The event, which kicks off on Monday, will include an array of concepts for more efficient and less polluting cars, including hybrids, plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles. Read more »
GM and LG Chem are licensing a broad suite of patents from Argonne National Laboratory to develop lithium-ion battery cells and packs for next-generation electric cars. LG Chem will use the IP to make cells in Michigan starting next year. Read more »
The Volt plus wireless charging is an early adopter power match made in heaven. At CES, GM said it will offer wireless charging in some cars — including the Volt — via startup Powermat. GM has also backed Powermat with $5 million. Read more »
After 6 months and close to 30 shows on green vehicles, we’re ready to ring in 2011 with a brand new year of eco-vehicle content for the Green Overdrive. Here’s my personal favorite 10 (+1) episodes from the Green Overdrive Show in 2010: Read more »
With a fresh blanket of snow covering the East Coast, the electric cars that have just been delivered to consumers in the U.S. will have their first chance for a winter driving test. Will GM’s Volt and Nissan’s LEAF maintain their battery range? Read more »
According to filings via the Lobbying Disclosure Act Database, GM outspent Nissan North America when it came to climate and energy-related lobbying in 2010. Will that give either company an edge in the U.S. market with their inaugural EVs? Read more »
Yep, it’s that time of year again; get ready for the flurry of end-of-the-year market prediction posts. Here’s 9 predictions from Jeff St. John (plus 1 from me) laying out what the greentech sector will look like in 2011. Read more »
Would you save money on your commute if you bought an electric car? Here’s a handy dandy Facebook app that will help you figure it all out: Read more »
A variety of auto makers are vying for the second car market for electric vehicles, so instead of competing head-to-head with traditional car makers for an internal combustion engine replacement, they’re offering EVs as second and even third cars. Read more »
After months of waiting, the first dozen buyers of GM’s inaugural electric car the Volt are finally getting their cars this week. While we test drove the Volt earlier this year, we revisit the car, which some are calling revolutionary, again at the LA Auto Show. Read more »
Much about Honda’s plans for an electric version of its compact Fit car remain shrouded in secrecy. But one thing is set: Honda will work with Google, among other partners, to evolve that concept into a vehicle that’s ready for production. Read more »
The first dozen customers of GM’s electric car the Volt, are expecting their cars shortly after Thanksgiving. The green car that GM hopes will help revive its brand has finally made it to market. Read more »
On the heels of management changes at Coda Automotive, the electric car startup has decided to push back the sales date of its inaugural all-electric sedan to the third quarter of 2011 from December 2010, interim CEO Steven “Mac” Heller told me in an interview. Read more »
If you’ve been following the buzz about Big Brother and electric vehicles, here’s my take: EVs along with traditional cars are all becoming connected cars and we need to start getting used to the idea. Read more »
Tesla and Panasonic cozied up this week, with the Japanese electronics giant investing $30 million in the upstart electric vehicle maker and agreeing to jointly develop battery modules. The move deepens one of a growing number of alliances being formed among car companies and battery makers. Read more »
