MOTORING

Less Air Pollution In City Harbours With First Battery-Powered Cruise Ship

Reducing Air Pollution in Norway's City Harbours With First Battery-Powered Cruise Ship MS Roald Amundsen From Cruise Company Hurtigruten

15 July 2019 From Paul Münzner Filed Under: 2019, Featured, MOTORING

Norway’s bond with the sea and maritime innovation have not slackened in 10 centuries. Starting with the then revolutionary longships powered by wind and oar that carried the Vikings to North America in the west and Asia in the east, it’s now produced the world’s first battery-powered cruise ship.

The new hybrid-powered cruise ship, MS Roald Amundsen, left Kleven yard after it’s delivery to veteran expedition cruise company, Hurtigruten, at the end of June 2019, relying solely on her emission-free huge battery packs to power the start her maiden journey along the west coast of Norway. And, according to Hurtigruten, when used in support of the low emission engines during long expeditions, she will still cut the level of emissions of CO2 by 20% in comparison with other similar-sized ships.

Not Just The Batteries Are Green

Other “green” steps taken in her construction have landed another world first for the cruise ship. It has also been designed to be completely free of single-use plastic. And a fully-equipped high-tech Science Centre has been included to enable research to be carried out during expeditions.

The 140meter long, 13.6 m wide ship with a 5.3m draft and gross tonnage of 20,889 tonnes, has a cruising speed of about 15 knots. It also has 265 cabins (more than half with their own balconies) which are capable of housing 530 passengers on the expedition cruises planned for the ship.

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MS Roald Amundsen - Hurtigruten Norway, Back Battery-Powered Cruise Ship, air pollution — MS Roald Amundsen (Hurtigruten)

Norway’s history has not been forgotten when it comes to this very modern ship. It’s named MS Roald Amundsen in recognition of the Norwegian explorer who first navigated the Northwest Passage, was the first to actually reach the North Pole, and who lead the first expedition to the South Pole. Her sister ship, MS Fridtjof Nansen, named for the Nobel Peace Prize winner, scientist and explorer, is due for launch next year, and a third similar vessel is scheduled for 2021.

Going Where The Explorers Went

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The names not only recognize great Norwegian explorers of the past, but also reflect the sort of expeditions planned for this technologically-advanced ship’s maiden season. MS Roald Amundsen is to take on the Northwest Passage as Amundsen did, but this time as the world’s first hybrid-powered ship.

It will also cruise the Norwegian coast to Greenland, which Fridtjof Nansen traversed on cross-country skis in 1888. Other trips include the west coast of North- and South-America in areas the Vikings reached and heading for the bottom of the globe for an Antarctica season at the end of the year in a hybrid-powered ship Amundsen wouldn’t have imagined would ever sail the seas.

MS Roald Amundsen - Hurtigruten Norway, Battery-Powered Cruise Ship, air pollution in city harbours — MS Roald Amundsen (Hurtigruten)

Fully Electric Ice Cream Van Concept Unveiled By Nissan For Clean Air Day

Its motor will run using a 40kWh battery

27 June 2019 From Paul Münzner Filed Under: 2019, Featured, MOTORING

Nissan created this all-electric, zero-emission ice cream van concept by taking the ICE (internal combustion engine) out of the truck. The said concept was revealed by the company on June 20, 2019, in London, United Kingdom during the Clean Air Day.

Nissan Electric Ice Cream Van — (Nissan)

One of the most popular traditions we have during summer is chasing the ice cream truck in our neighborhood. However, most of these trucks run on diesel engines. Older models even need their engine to keep on running to power their freezers. This means that you’ll get an extra flavor of CO2 emission on your cone.

Nissan’s Electric Ice Cream Van Covers 124 Miles

“Ice cream is enjoyed the world over, but consumers are increasingly mindful of the environmental impact of how we produce such treats, and the ‘last mile’ of how they reach us,” said Kalyana Sivagnanam, managing director, Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd. He adds: “This project is a perfect demonstration of Nissan’s Intelligent Mobility strategy, applying more than a decade of EV experience and progress in battery technology to create cleaner solutions for power on the go – in ways customers might not expect. By eliminating harmful tailpipe emissions, and increasing our use of renewable energy, we can help make this a better world for everyone.”

Some cities and towns in the UK are now planning to put a stop to these and even set a fine to these vehicles. Nissan believes that its “Sky to Scoop” ice cream van concept has massive potential. They believe that it’s the solution vendors are looking for to decrease the carbon footprint they’re imprinting on the environment.

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The company partnered with the ice cream manufacturer Mackie’s of Scotland to help them make the concept green. The Scottish company boasts of a family-run dairy farm powered using both solar energy and renewable wind.

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The foundation of the project prototype is Nissan’s e-NV200, a light commercial vehicle that’s entirely electric with a range reaching an impressive 124 miles. They installed Sky to Scoop with a couple of Nissan Energy ROAM power packs.

To power its coolers and soft-serve machine, the company utilizes lithium-ion cells obtained from the company’s first-gen electric vehicles. They can be charged together with the truck. Its motor, on the other hand, will run using a 40kWh battery. There are also solar panels placed on the rooftop to give it an extra boost.

“We’re delighted to have worked with Nissan on this project as it’s the perfect complement to our own vision of becoming self-sustainable in renewable energy – and eliminating carbon in the journey from ‘Sky to Scoop’,” said Karin Hayhow, marketing director at Mackie’s of Scotland. She adds: “At Mackie’s, we’ve already shifted our dependence from fossil-fuels on to clean renewable power. We now export 4.5 times more energy to the national grid than we consume. This year we will make further progress towards our vision with the installation of an innovative new low-carbon refrigeration system. We’re proud to be a ‘climate positive’ ice cream maker.”

The project demonstrates not just the Intelligent Mobility strategy of Nissan, but how Sky to Scoop can get rid of the carbon dependency of our ice cream experience at each stage.

Nissan Electric Ice Cream Van Story — (Nissan)

Hyundai Motor Unveils Its Electric Double-Decker Bus In Korea

Powered with a 384 kWh water-cooled high-efficiency polymer battery

09 June 2019 From Paul Münzner Filed Under: 2019, Featured, MOTORING

Hyundai Motor took a break from its N car series to unveil an electric double-decker bus on May 29, 2019, in Seoul, South Korea. This is a first for the giant motor company, and it is part of their efforts to improve traffic congestion problems and help reduce air pollution. The project, which the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport supported, commenced in 2017 and it took Hyundai 18 months to develop their first-ever electric double-decker bus.

Hyundai’s Electric Double-Decker Bus Accommodates Up to 70 Passengers

The innovative zero-emission public transport was showcased at the “Land Infrastructure and Transport Technology Fair” held in South Korea which Hyundai co-hosted together with the National Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport. The event lasted from May 29 to 31.

Hyundai Motor Introduces Electric Double-Decker Bus front — (Hyundai)

The electric double-decker bus can accommodate up to 70 passengers, with 11 seats available on its first floor, and 59 on its second floor. This is 1.5 times as many passengers as what a regular bus can seat. The eco-friendly double-decker also secures added convenience and accessibility for passengers with disabilities and impaired mobility by implementing a low floor design, automatic sliding ramp, and fixed-in-space wheelchairs.

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The bus may be massive at 12,990 mm long and a height of 3,995 mm, but it does have rear-wheel steering to help its driver navigate city streets. Its suspension system is also independent in the first driving axle to provide passengers with a very relaxing and comfortable drive. On the other hand, the combination of a 240kW wheel motor axle and motor in the second axle reduces electricity loss.

The company powered the all-new electric bus with a 384 kWh water-cooled high-efficiency polymer battery to live up to its promise of reducing vehicle emissions while increasing efficiency at the same time. The maximum driving range of the bus on a single charge is 300km. With a full charge only taking around 72 minutes, everything sounds very promising indeed.

Hyundai Motor Introduces Electric Double-Decker Bus front left — (Hyundai)

Hyundai Motor Introduces Electric Double-Decker Bus Side left — (Hyundai)

Intelligent Pedestrian Traffic Lights Recognizes Pedestrians’ Intent to Cross the Road

Implementation by the end of 2020

02 June 2019 From Paul Münzner Filed Under: 2019, Featured, MOTORING

Vienna has found an intelligent solution to reducing the delays and annoyance pedestrians experience in the Austrian capital every time they want to cross the road. And that solution is to make the traffic lights which control the crossings intelligent enough themselves to know when the lights need to change to green.

Being a traffic light in #Vienna #Austria can be very exciting. Following the #Ampelpaerchen revamp, pedestrian signals in Vienna have now learned to think https://t.co/OYKSTK5fCH @tugraz_csbme @Stadt_Wien #traffic #safety #computervision #pedestrians (© Günther Pichler GmbH) pic.twitter.com/ZfV2ui6lzC
— TU Graz (@tugraz) May 27, 2019

It has been developed by researchers at TU Graz’s Institute of Computer Graphics and Vision for the capital’s Municipal Department 33 and will bring an end to button pushing at pedestrian crossings in the city. Additionally, it will reduce the amount of time wasted waiting for the lights to change from a red image of a walking man to a green one, and so signal that it’s safe for people to cross the road.

Camera Picks up Pedestrians’ Intention to Cross Road

The camera-based system is designed to pick up that pedestrians are approaching as soon as they enter an eight by five meter field. And within one second it will make an initial estimation of how many of them intend to cross the road. A more reliable estimation a second later will trigger a signal to the pedestrian light controller, causing it to react as it would to the button being pushed. This will ensure the traffic lights turn red, while pedestrians are given the green light to cross.

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“The green phase can be extended in the case of large groups of persons, who require more time to cross the road. And if persons leave the waiting area before the lights have turned to green, this is also passed on to the lights. The traffic lights subsequently don’t switch to green and there are no unnecessary waiting times for motorized traffic,” says Horst Possegger from the Institute of Computer Graphics and Vision of the University of Graz. The system can recognize whoever likes to cross the road in a few seconds. “It requires one second to estimate the intention – after two seconds the estimation becomes reliable. Using the current configurations, our system signals that wish to cross three to four seconds before the button is pushed.”

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Implementation Planned for End of 2020

Should the system indicate that several people will be crossing at the same time, the green light will stay on for a longer period. And should they change their mind about crossing, the light does not change to green.

It took TU Graz researchers two years to develop the system which is expected to be installed on and in pedestrian lights in Vienna by the end of 2020. Among the biggest challenges was the small size of the traffic light’s switch box in which the hardware for a powerful local computer had to be housed. Another was the need for the system to be able to run at all times, in any weather, and in spite of any fluctuations in voltage. A monitor also had to be included to detect and report any faults.

Self-Sufficient Tilburg Bus Station Transport Hub in Full Action

Self-Sufficiency with 250m² Solar Panels

11 May 2019 From Paul Münzner Filed Under: 2019, Featured, MOTORING

The newly designed Tilburg Bus Station by Cepezed in The Netherlands was formally opened to the public. The common transport facility has a length of more than 160 meters. It features a triangular, minimalistic circuit and uses an ETFE-foil for its awning cover. The positions of the bus are organized around its outer side where six are for boarding, and one is for deboarding.

250m² solar panels supply Tilburg Bus Station with energy for the lighting, digital information signs, and heating of the waiting benches and staff room etc.

The bus station’s circular shape starts narrow near its entrance and then widens on its West side. Within its circular route overlooking the station is a multi-functional pavilion with a pleasant transparent facade that folds open. The structure has lunch and rest areas for all bus drivers, as well as an information point called Arriva for a catering stall.

Self-Sufficient Tilburg Bus Station Transport Hub by night in The Netherlands by Cepezed — (Cepezed)

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Cepezed uses a minimalistic approach in the detailing of the bus station but combined it with a profoundly integrated design. This style can be seen in the structure’s slender columns which were incorporated with electric cabling, intercom, SOS button, and water drainage. On the other hand, its central load-bearing stability beam, which was built using folded sheet steels, also serves as the building’s rainwater drainage. And thanks to the solar panels implemented on the awning, the transport hub can produce its own source of energy for its digital info signs, integrated heating, lighting, staff room, waiting benches, and more.

Inclusiveness is another aspect that was given importance in the design of the bus station. The elevated terrace with handrails between them can be easily reached by wheelchairs via a ramp. Braille signings are also provided on the platforms.

Cepezed worked on the entire project with passion and dedication unlike no other to create an energy-neutral bus station where travelers can go to their destination conveniently and comfortably. Since its opening, the distinct public transport hub has been utilized by plenty of travelers every day.