It seems like a lot of folks have a bone to pick with Rep. Joe Manchin [D-WV] who has just this week single-handedly “torpedoed” the Build Back Better bill. The BBB could have been the “the most significant climate legislation in US history,” Megan Mahajan, the manager of energy policy design at the think tank Energy Innovation, told PopSci in October. The plan would put billions of money into developing low-carbon energy technologies and building a national network for electric vehicles.
When this bill dies, so do the chances for the country to reach its lofty and aggressive climate change goals. “There’s still a yawning gap between where we are today and where we need to be to hit President Biden’s climate targets,” Jesse Jenkins, an energy systems engineer at Princeton University who has led an effort to model the effects of the bill on US-wide emissions, told the New York Times. “Without either this bill or a climate bill that’s similar in scope, it’s really hard to see how those goals will be met.”
Unsurprisingly, left-leaning members of the Democratic party and the president himself have voiced frustration with Manchin’s choice. But a more surprising group is speaking out against Manchin’s decision, too—coal miners, including some he represents.
The BBB, along with all of its proposed clean energy benefits, provides a significant boost to coal workers by extending fees paid by coal companies to fund treatments and benefits of workers suffering pneumoconiosis, or Black Lung, which affects thousands of miners across the country. According to the statement, without BBB, that fee will be chopped in half and put the burden of healthcare payments back on individuals and taxpayers. Further, the bill provides tax incentives for companies to build new business on coalfields to employ out-of-work miners.
Additionally, the BBB provides language that would help workers unionize. “This language is critical to any long-term ability to restore the right to organize in America in the face of ramped-up union-busting by employers,” Cecil Roberts, the union’s president, said in a statement. “But now there is no path forward for millions of workers to exercise their rights at work.”
UMWA already released a plan for the energy transition earlier this year stating that “change is coming, whether we seek it or not.” The coal industry saw employment losses of around 50 percent between 2011 and 2020, which will likely continue as the country moves toward a cleaner energy mix. Proposals that include supporting miners and their families by incentivizing alternative jobs in coal country are crucial in protecting these already vulnerable communities.
“We’re likely to lose coal jobs whether or not this bill passes,” Phil Smith, the chief lobbyist for UMWA, told the Washington Post. “If that’s the case, let’s figure out a way to provide as many jobs as possible for those who are going to lose.”
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This story originally featured on Nexus Media News, a nonprofit climate change news service.
On a sweltering morning in July of 2021, thousands of dead fish washed onto the northeastern shores of Pokegama Lake, 60 miles north of Minneapolis.
Deb Vermeersch, an official with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, was called in to investigate.
When she arrived, she saw a quarter-mile stretch of sand covered with the rotting carcass of walleye and Northern pike, which thrive in deep, cool waters, as well as crappies, sunfish and suckers—all warm water dwellers. “They were already pretty decomposed because of the warm water,” Vermeersch recalls.
Because so many different types of fish had died, Vermeersch and her colleagues knew it wasn’t a species-specific parasite, a common cause of fish kills. They zeroed in on the culprit: dangerously low oxygen levels.
Oxygen is disappearing in freshwater lakes at a rate nine times that of oceans due to a combination of pollution and warming waters, according to a study published in Natureearlier this year. Lakes like Pokegama are warming earlier in the spring and staying warm into autumn, fueling algae blooms, which thrive in warm waters, and threaten native fish.
Minnesota, with its 14,380 lakes and temperatures that have risen faster than the national average, is a unique laboratory for studying how climate change is affecting temperate-zone lakes around the world. The state sits at the intersection of four biomes––two distinct prairie ecosystems and two ecologically different forest systems. This means scientists here are able to study how lakes in different ecosystems fare on a warming planet, and look for ways to stave off the worst effects of climate change.
“If you start losing oxygen, you start losing species.“
“What’s going on at the surface is that warmer water holds less oxygen than cool water,” says Lesley Knoll, a University of Minnesota limnologist and one of the authors of the Nature report. She says that longer, hotter summers are interfering with two key processes that have historically kept lakes’ oxygen levels in check: mixing and stratification. In temperate climates, water at the surface of lakes mixes with deep waters in the spring and the fall, when both layers are similar in temperature. As the surface water warms during the summer, the water forms distinct layers based on temperature––cool water at the bottom, warm at the top. This is known as stratification. In the fall, when the surface waters cool again, the water mixes for a second time, replenishing oxygen in deeper waters. But as climate change makes surface water warmer, and keeps it warmer for longer, that mixing doesn’t happen when it should.
“As you have that stronger stratification, the water in the deep part of the lake is cut off from the oxygen at the top part of the lake. If you start losing oxygen, you start losing species,” says Kevin Rose, a biologist at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York and a coauthor of the Nature study.
Knoll, Rose and a team of 43 other researchers studied 400 temperate lakes from around the world. They found that, on average, surface waters warmed by 7 degrees Fahrenheit and have lost roughly 5 percent of oxygen since 1980; deep waters, which haven’t warmed much, have still lost an average of almost 20 percent of their oxygen. (Thanks to the state’s long-held lake monitoring programs, almost a quarter the lakes in the study were in Minnesota.)
Warming lakes emit methane
Fish kills aren’t the only reason scientists are concerned about lakes losing oxygen. In extreme cases, when deep waters go completely void of oxygen, something else happens: Methane-emitting bacteria begin to thrive.
“As lakes warm, they will produce more methane and most of that has to do with stratification,” says James Cotner, a limnologist at the University of Minnesota.
Lakes normally emit carbon dioxide as a natural part of breaking down the trees, plants and animals that decay in them, but plants in and around fresh water also absorb it, making healthy lakes carbon sinks.
Lakes have historically emitted methane, too––about 10 to 20 percent of the world’s emissions––but the prospect of them releasing more of the greenhouse gas has Cotner and his colleagues alarmed. Methane is about 25 times more potent than CO2 when it comes to trapping heat in Earth’s atmosphere.
Cotner is leading a team of researchers who are studying what conditions allow methane-emitting bacteria to prosper in lakes and how conservationists can respond.
“The key questions are understanding how much and when carbon dioxide and methane are emitted from lakes, and what are the key variables that can tell how much will be emitted. Certainly, oxygen is a big part of that, but stratification and warming also plays a role,” says Cotner.
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Pollution plays a big role
It’s not just longer, hotter summers that are causing lakes to lose their oxygen. Polluted agricultural runoff (pesticides and fertilizers) and logging have long plagued Minnesota’s lakes. It’s a problem that’s getting worse worldwide as climate change pushes agriculture further away from the equator and into new territory, says Heather Baird, an official with Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources.
In northern Minnesota, potatoes now grow where pine forests have thrived for years. Phosphorus, a common fertilizer, now runs off from the soil into the region’s lakes, Baird says. Though small amounts of phosphorus occur naturally in lake ecosystems, too much of it feeds harmful algae blooms.
Those blooms, which thrive in warm, nutrient-rich water, set off a chain of events that remove oxygen from deep lake waters.
“When phosphorus builds in lakes and creates algae blooms, those blooms eventually die. As they do, they sink. Deeper down, bacteria break down the algae, using up the remaining oxygen at those lower depths,” said Baird.
A quarter of Minnesota lakes now have phosphorus levels that are so high that the state advises against swimming, fishing or boating in them. Fueled by these nutrients, algae blooms take over, covering the lake in sometimes toxic residue that thrives in warm, nutrient-rich water, as was the case in Pokegama Lake earlier this year. The protists choke out aquatic life, especially fish that thrive in cold, deep waters. This is all exacerbated by warming air temperatures.
The 75 percent rule
Researchers and conservationists in Minnesota are now studying the best ways to protect temperate-climate lakes from the worst effects of climate change. They have found that preserving 75 percent of deep-water lakes’ watersheds appear to keep fish stocks healthy.
“Having a forested watershed helps keep better water quality by filtering out nutrients, which in turn can buffer against the impacts of climate change, to a point,” Knoll said. However, she added, as temperatures continue to rise, “that 75 percent may not be high enough anymore.”
Knoll and state conservationists are focusing their research and efforts on deep, cool lakes that have a better chance of staying oxygenated than warmer, shallower lakes, like Pokegama.
Vermeersch, the Minnesota fisheries supervisor, said it’s unclear what this will mean for the future of lakes like Pokegama. “Hopefully it’s not going to be a linear thing,” she said, adding that fish kills are “probably going to happen more often,” depending on a combination of factors. “When you get lakes like Pokegama that are shallow and already impaired, I think we are going to see more and more conditions like this.”
Correction (December 23, 2021): The story previously identified the wrong Pokegama Lake in Minnesota. The one that experienced the fish kill in July is 60 miles away from Minneapolis, not 140 miles away.
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As part of a $37 billion program, General Motors plans to bring at least 30 battery-electric vehicles to market by mid-decade — but it is expanding its electrification strategy to power up pretty much anything “already on the road,” as well as on the water, it announced on Wednesday.
GM looking to electrify “everything,” including offering conversion kits as well as packages for vehicles like this jet tug.
The largest of the Detroit automakers’ Electric Connect and Cruise eCrate systems will allow owners to swap out their conventional gas engines in classic vehicles like the Camaro and E-10 pickup for battery-drive technology. GM also is looking to power up cargo tractors and other airport gear, while also working up ways to bring electric propulsion to the marine industry.
“GM has an established strategy, network of integrators and co-development agreements to apply an extensive array of components and solutions to a broad range of customers and use cases,” said Travis Hester, GM vice president of Electric Vehicle Growth Operations, in a statement Wednesday.
The carmaker estimates there’s a “total addressable market” for swapping conventional drive systems for battery power that could approach $20 billion by 2030.
“As companies across many industries look to reduce their environmental impact, GM is uniquely positioned to serve as a leader not only through exciting new EVs across our brands, but through additional technology applications,” said Hester, “and we look forward to bringing customers — existing and new — along with us on our zero-emissions journey.”
Chevrolet showcased a 1977 K5 Blazer converted to all-electric propulsion at SEMA360 in 2020.
Converting to electric
Demand for conversion technology is already on the rise. There’s been a flood of startups converting classic vehicles, including vintage Camaros, Porsches, Volkswagens and Land Rovers, to run on battery power.
GM targeted the conversion market with the launch of the eCOPO Camaro project car at the SEMA Show several years back, and has revealed other project cars like Project X and the 1977 K-5 Blazer. It is getting ready to provide what are essentially plug-and-play packages, like the Cruise eCrate and Electric Connect, to simplify the process. The goal is to allow owners and conversion companies to make a swap with a minimum of effort.
The Detroit automaker isn’t the only one sensing an opportunity here, however. Ford recently demonstrated the potential for its own Mach-E crate motors, which, as the name implies, uses hardware and software borrowed from its Mustang Mach-E battery-electric SUV. The conversion package can be plugged into classic products such as a 1978 Ford F-100 pickup. Volkswagen and Tesla have also gotten into the game, the latter automaker’s electric drive technology used by one conversion fan on a Rolls-Royce once owned by Johnny Cash.
Multiple applications for electric motors
But GM’s strategy isn’t limited to road-going vehicles.
It’s teaming up with Textron Ground Support Equipment Inc., a Textron subsidiary, to power up ground support equipment like the cargo and baggage tractors, belt loaders and Tug equipment found at commercial airports. Electrifying those vehicles promises to reduce emissions, as well as operating costs, while improving reliability, experts claim.
Commercial fleets, in general are showing strong interest in making the switch to battery power. GM this month began delivering the first of its BrightDrop delivery vans, joining competitors like Ford and Rivian in a market that could rapidly grow this decade, according to industry forecasts.
The opportunity to electrify isn’t limited to ground vehicles, however. A number of manufacturers are looking at ways to harness battery and hydrogen fuel-cell technology for other transportation and cargo applications. Rolls-Royce recently set a speed record with an aircraft outfitted with one of its drive systems. Airbus just released plans for a hydrogen turbofan system.
GM sees big opportunities coming in the marine world. It recently announced a strategic investment in the Seattle-based Pure Watercraft. The move, the automaker said, “represents an opportunity to bring EV technology to the marine industry and help preserve enjoyment of the outdoors for future generations. Together, the two companies will develop and commercialize battery electric watercraft, to accelerate the transition to electric mobility.”
GM also has been exploring ways to electrify the rails. Last June it announced another partnership with Wabtec, one of the largest providers of freight locomotives. Under a non-binding agreement, the automaker will provide both battery and hydrogen fuel-cell systems for prototypes like the Wabtec FLXdrive. Eventually, the technology could replace the conventional diesel-hybrid systems that dominate the rails today.
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Charging is key to the transition to electric vehicles and while more chargers are one the way, Ford Motor Co. is launching a new program to ensure the juice needed to run an EV does not contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases.
Ford’s program can be used by current owners of the Mustang Mach-E, E-Transit and Escape PHEV.
With help of one auto industry’s traditional foes, the California Air Resource Board, Ford is beginning what it describes as a “sustainable charging program,” which allows owners of plug-in electric vehicles in California to opt for only carbon-neutral charging at home.
“Ford’s electric vehicle customers are beginning to realize all the possibilities associated with their vehicles and sustainable energy management,” said Matt Stover, director of charging and energy services, Ford Motor Co.
“By working with regulators, utilities and customers for home integration services, we’re enabling EV drivers to lower their carbon footprints, potentially save money and help protect the grid, all through their smartphones.”
California-based owners of all current Ford all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, including the Mustang Mach-E, the E-Transit and the Escape PHEV, plus the F-150 Lightning coming in 2022, are eligible for the program.
Only green energy wanted
The idea is to only use electricity made with renewable sources rather than oil, gas or coal, reducing the carbon footprint of the energy used to power the vehicles.
Ford plans to participate in CARB’s “Low Carbon Fuel Standard,” which will offer customers a new way to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change by matching the use of electricity used to charge plug-in electric vehicles at home with 100% local renewable energy, the automaker said.
CARB, which has control of air quality standards throughout California, has long warred with automakers about emissions. Significant health concerns, created by automotive-related air pollution in Southern California, have given CARB enormous influence over emission standards not only across California but also across the United States.
Once enrolled, the FordPass app automatically tracks the amount of electricity used while charging at home. Ford generates, or buys, an equivalent amount of California-sourced Renewable Energy Certificates, an EPA-recognized program that records the generation and usage of green energy.
Ford then sends evidence of the matching amounts to CARB, ensuring that all home plug-in charging activity is matched with zero-carbon electricity.
Ford is investing more than $30 billion in electric vehicles and batteries through 2025. The push supports the company’s longer-term goal of creating a sustainable American manufacturing ecosystem, and to accelerate its progress towards achieving carbon neutrality no later than 2050. Overall, Ford expects 40% to 50% of its global vehicle volume to be fully electric by 2030.
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The new Mitsubishi Outlander already has proven to be one of the most important products the long-struggling automaker has launched in its bid to become relevant to U.S. motorists again. Now, Mitsubishi is hoping to gain even more traction with the upcoming launch of a plug-in hybrid version.
The gas-powered 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander made its debut in February.
The Japanese automaker claims it will yield more range than the old Outlander PHEV, at an estimated 87 km, or nearly 55 miles, per charge — though that’s using the global WLTP test cycle and will likely come down once the American version is tested by the EPA.
“With low (carbon dioxide) emissions and environmental impact from manufacturing and use,” said Takao Kato, MMC’s president and CEO, “the all-new Outlander PHEV model can be considered the best solution for carbon neutrality today.”
Updated, upgraded drivetrain
The Outlander was first introduced in 2001 and, with the fourth generation, it has become a core part of the brand, accounting for about 20% of its global volume. The first plug-in hybrid version was unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. It produced a combined 197 horsepower by pairing a 2.0-liter inline-4 gas engine with twin 60-kilowatt electric motors drawing power from a 12 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack.
The new Outlander PHEV gets numerous powertrain upgrades, though the automaker isn’t releasing hard specs yet. In a statement announcing the new vehicle it said the plug-in gets “an increase of around 40% in the output of the front and rear motors and drive battery.” The lithium-ion pack, it did note, jumps to 20 kWh. The gas engine, added a spokesman, is a “slightly updated” version of the old PHEV’s 2.4-liter package.
The new Outlander plug-in hybrid will arrive in the U.S. in the second half of 2022.
Mitsubishi also revealed, “The power drive unit for the front motor is newly equipped with a booster function which bolsters driving force by raising the supply of voltage to the front motor while simultaneously improving electricity consumption by raising the efficiency of the generator.”
Third row added
The automaker also took steps to downsize some of the hardware, notably the rear motor and control unit. As a result, the new plug-in will gain room for a third row yielding space for seven occupants.
The drive system now will allow One-Pedal Driving, as well, a feature that effectively allows motorists to minimize the need to jump from throttle to brake when driving in light to moderate traffic. That feature was found to be extremely popular with EV owners, according to the recent J.D. Power Technology Experience Index.
With only modest tweaks, the plug-in adopts the same exterior and interior design as the gas-powered Outlander. The overall strategy is based on a concept dubbed “I-Fu-Do-Do,” which means “authentic” and “majestic” in Japanese.
New design
The new Outlander PHEV is expected to travel more than 55 miles in electric-only mode.
The fourth-generation Mitsubishi Outlander adopted a new styling language called “Dynamic Shield.” Up front, it features a more upright nose with a pinched, dual-level grille and stacked headlamps. From the side, the SUV features a more deeply sculpted silhouette with a bit of a floating roof element.
The automaker clearly wanted to give the new Outlander a more solid and robust look, with such touches as 20-inch wheels and tires and what it calls the Hexagon Guard rear end.
The new SUV grew larger in virtually all dimensions, the width expanding by 2 inches. That means the cabin of the new Outlander is both wider and more spacious than the outgoing model, Mitsubishi adopting more upscale materials and features like tri-zone climate controls, real aluminum panels and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display.
The gas-powered Outlander is powered by a 2.5-liter inline-4 that bumped up power by 8.9 percent. At the same time, it reduced fuel consumption by 2.6 percent.
Pricing TBD
Many of the features from the current model are expected to carry over into the PHEV, though Mitsubishi hasn’t provided specific details. The gas model offers Hill Descent Control and Trailer Stability Assist. A Multiview camera system helps drivers see what’s around the vehicle, whether on-road or off. Other features for the new Mitsubishi Outlander include a power-operated panoramic roof and an electrically operated tailgate that can be opened with a kick of the foot under the rear bumper.
Pricing for the gas model starts at $25,795 — plus $1,195 in delivery fees. Pricing for the PHEV is expected to run higher, though the numbers won’t be released until closer to sales launch. That holds for a variety of other specs, including U.S. range, power and performance.
“Sales will commence in Japan on Dec. 16, followed by Australia and New Zealand in the first half of 2022 and North America in the second half of 2022,” Mitsubishi said in a statement. While it did not offer specifics, that would suggest that the Outlander PHEV will be marketed as a 2023 model in the U.S.
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Volvo’s focus on sustainability turned to its vehicle interiors with the elimination of the use of leather in all vehicles by 2030.
Volvo, like other automakers, has made sustainability a focus for its future products. The shift includes a move toward electrification and the use of materials that are responsibly sourced and sustainable.
Its latest effort is the elimination of leather from all its electric vehicles. The first “leather-free” vehicle in the Volvo line-up is the new C40 Recharge.
“We’ve got a new generation of customers coming through, they’re far more interested in the products they buy and having an ethical story behind them,” Robin Page, Volvo’s head of design, told Reuters. The target date for making its line-up completely leather-free is 2030.
Sustainable and cruelty-free
Volvo Cars’ new leather-free material consists of textiles made from recycled material such as PET bottles, bio-attributed material from sustainable forests and recycled wine corks.
The decision to eliminate leather isn’t solely about sustainability. It’s also about animal welfare. Volvo is keen to appeal to its customers’ concerns about the treatment of animals by the leather industry and the industry’s environmental impact.
According to a recent Volvo report, The Rise of Conscious Design, two-thirds of customers consider a brand’s environmental policies when making a luxury purchase. These people also want to see better labeling that includes the carbon impact of a company and its products.
This not the first effort by the Swedish automaker to improve its sustainability efforts. In 2018, it resolved to remove all single-use plastics from its offices, cafeterias and at all of its events by then of 2019.
Volvo’s first non-leather interior comes with the n C40 Recharge.
Numerous leather alternatives
The elimination of leather forced Volvo to search out a wide range of alternatives. These include Nordico — a material made from forestry byproducts along with recycled cork and plastic bottles. In addition to being a sustainable product, Nordico mimics the look and feel of leather creating a warm and welcoming interior.
“For someone who loves leather but is aware of the negative effects of leather on the environment, this is a good, modern way to capture the properties but is the right material for the future,” Page said
Recycled polyester is also on the list of alternative materials adorning the interior of new Volvos. This helps reduce the company’s carbon footprint. Linen and flax produced in between crops will also be used, which has the added benefit of helping replenish the soil for future crops.
“We have a vision of where we need to go in the future, with the first step to ensure we harness sustainable, natural and recycled materials,” said Page. “The next challenge is to change what we do with these materials, whether that’s making car parts that last forever, re-enter the circular economy or go back into the earth.”
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Mercedes has embraced electrification in all its forms, and that means some good things are coming from its performance brand, AMG, starting with the 2023 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance model which, the automaker suggests, “draw(s) upon technologies from Formula 1.”
Mercedes continues its expansion into electrification with the new AMG GT 63 S E Performance model.
By pairing a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 with an electric motor mounted on the rear axle, AMG’s first performance hybrid punches out some big numbers: 831 horsepower and more than 1,033 pound-feet of torque.
“With the new Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance, we are transporting our brand DNA into an electrified future,” said AMG Board Chairman Philipp Schiemer. “In doing so, we are following our own technical path, which is what has always made AMG so special and desirable.”
If the basic powertrain specs aren’t impressive enough, consider the fact that the hybrid version of the AMG GT will hit 60 mph in a mere 2.9 seconds, and 125 mph in less than 10. It tops out at 197 mph.
Taking some cues from Formula 1
With a 0-60 mph time of 2.9 seconds and the ability to hit 125 mph in just 10 seconds, this is likely the view most will see.
The GT 63 S E is actually a plug-in hybrid, though there’s not much of a battery to work with, a modest 6.1 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion pack that, if it matters to you, will yield about seven miles in all-electric mode. The reality is that this hybrid is designed to deliver on the performance end, and if it happens to yield a bit better mileage and lets you run to the corner store without sipping any fuel at all, so be it.
“The layout with the combustion engine at the front and Electric Drive Unit on the rear axle offers numerous advantages,” said Jochen Hermann, AMG’s technical chief. “The optimized weight distribution, best possible utilization of torque and the very fast power delivery promise driving dynamics at the highest level. Added to this is the high-performance battery developed in-house, which has twice the power density of conventional drive batteries and, like many other components, is inspired by technology from Formula 1.”
In fact, the GT 63 S E Performance should satisfy those who expect hybrids to add environmental benefits, the automaker noting in a news release that, “the development team was also able to improve the efficiency of the entire vehicle in parallel — and achieve lower emissions as well as lower consumption.”
The newest hybrid from Mercedes puts out 831 horsepower and more than 1,030 pound-feet of torque.
The program, was developed in-house at AMG’s Affalterbach operations. And it ushers in a future that will be focused, increasingly, on electrified drivetrain technologies, both hybrid and pure battery-electric offerings.
AMG goes electric
In July, when Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius laid out the parent company’s broad electrification strategy, officials revealed that the auto company is acquiring British-based startup YASA. The new acquisition developed a completely new high-performance motor design, called an axial flux, that will be used in future electric AMG models.
The new GT 63 S hybrid doesn’t use the YASA motor but the electrified portion of the sports car’s drivetrain alone still manages to deliver 201 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque through a 2-speed gearbox. At peak power, it spins up to 13,500 rpm. And while it is mounted on the rear axle, a modified version of the AMG Performance 4Matic system lets that torque be shifted to the front wheels, if needed.
Inspired by Formula 1, it’s still not a Mercedes without an impressive interior.
The electric motor isn’t the only trick Mercedes is bringing to production with the 2023 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance model. The two twin-scroll turbochargers also have been electrified. While they still rely on exhaust gases to reach maximum boost, the system effectively eliminates dreaded turbolag by using electric motors to start them spinning immediately.
As with more conventional versions of the GT, AMG buyers will be able to adjust a variety of vehicle setting using the Dynamic Select system. That includes an EV mode. They’ll also be able to adjust the regenerative settings of the ceramic high-performance composite brake system. Level 3 should allow One-Pedal driving in many situations, drivers able to adapt to the flow of traffic simply by modulating the throttle. Race mode, however, dials that back slightly.
Flexibility for the future
The basic design of the GT 63’s electrified drivetrain is modular in nature. That means it can be sized up or down, depending upon application. On some models, that could mean smaller motors and a larger battery pack to put more emphasis on all-electric range.
The specs Mercedes-AMG is releasing come days ahead of the GT 63 hybrid’s formal debut at next week’s Munich Motor Show. And they’re actually for the European version of the new model. The performance brand says U.S. specifications will come closer to launch — which is expected sometime in 2022.
It’s a classic good news/bad news scenario: Acura set to introduce a special edition of its NSX at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance later this month. Unfortunately, the limited-edition NSX Type-S will mark the end of the run for the hybrid supercar.
Acura’s pulled the plug on the NSX, but it’s going to go out in style with the limited edition Type S.
These are tough times for sedans, coupes and sports cars, with millions of American motorists – and more and more abroad – switching to SUVs and CUVs. Just yesterday, Toyota announced it will pull the plug on its flagship Avalon sedan. Now, Acura is giving the NSX a final hurrah. But if it has to go, the sports car is going to do so in a blaze of glory.
The Type-S will deliver “an even higher performance envelope and a more emotional driving experience,” Acura said in a statement. Specs have yet to be released but that would strongly suggest this limited-edition will deliver more than the 573 horsepower and 476 pound-feet of torque the “base” Acura NSX currently makes.
Limited run – most bound for the U.S.
Acura is billing the Type-S as a “collectible,” in line with the special NSX Zanardi it produced back in 1999, shortly before it killed off the original version of the sports car.
A total of 350 Type-S models will be produced, 300 of them earmarked for the U.S., Acura announced. If you’re interested, the company said, “The limited run supercar will be available for customer orders beginning August 12 at Acura.com/NSX.”
Sales of the current-generation NSX never quite met initial expectations, and have faded into insignificance since its return in mid-2016. American motorists purchased just 138 in 2020, with dealers delivering a mere 16 this past June. But it was, nonetheless, a significant and influential product.
There will be just 350 NSX Type S models made, 300 are coming to the U.S.
The original 1990 model was the first Japanese supercar and achieved a number of breakthroughs, starting with its lightweight aluminum body. Production was halted in 2005 and Acura spent a decade trying to figure out how to bring NSX back to market. It tinkered with a variety of different powertrain alternatives before settling in on a hybrid system pairing a twin-turbocharged V-6 with three electric motors, one in back, the others driving the front-wheel.
Hybrid power
The internal combustion system provided a peak 500 horsepower, the front motors 34 hp each. The back motor added another 47 ponies. (And don’t try to do the math; the V-6 and the electric motors hit peak hp and torque at different RPMs.) That was enough to launch the NSX from 0-60 in 2.7 seconds, with a top speed of 191 mph.
As tough as it was on the street, the NSX was also a force to be reckoned with on the track, Acura’s statement noting that, “The second-generation NSX has also dominated on the racetrack, with the NSX GT3 Evo winning the 2019 and 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship titles in the GTD class, and the 2019 Super GT driver’s and manufacturer’s championships in the GT300 class in Japan. NSX also currently holds the Hybrid record in the Time Attack 1 division of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, set in 2020 by James Robinson, and the production vehicle record at the Grand Prix of Long Beach street circuit, set in 2019 by Peter Cunningham.”
The limited edition Type S puts out 573 horsepower and 476 pound-feet of torque.
While the NSX may be going away, its influence will continue to be felt. A less aggressive version of its Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive, or SH-AWD, system appears on several products, including the MDX. And both Acura and its mainstream sibling, Honda, have changed their approach to using hybrid power. Where the emphasis was solely on fuel economy in the days of the original Honda Insight, more of their products now use battery assistance to enhance performance — the Honda CR-V Hybrid the most powerful version of that compact CUV.
An all-electric future
Is there a future for the NSX? Could it yet again rise from the dead? The automaker leaves us speculating it isn’t ready to walk away from the legendary badge.
“Acura is a performance brand, a company of enthusiasts, and we will continue moving forward, actively investigating what the next generation of sports cars should be in an electrified era.” said Jon Ikeda, vice president and Acura brand officer.
Considering what we’re seeing from brands as diverse as Dodge, Tesla and Ferrari, an all-electric Acura NSX could, indeed, be something to watch out for.
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The European Union put the final nail of the coffin for gas- and diesel-powered vehicle sales, proposing a complete ban starting in 2035.
BMW CEO Oliver Zipse said the Europe’s infrastructure isn’t equipped to handle tougher proposed emissions targets by the EU.
The move came as part of a much larger package of plans — dubbed “Fit for 55” — to reduce carbon emissions from vehicles on the continent by 55% between now and 2030. The current target is 37.5% by the end of the decade. The same push includes a 100% reduction by 2035. To be clear, these are proposals, not actual mandates — yet.
“This is the sort of ambition we’ve been waiting to see from the EU, where it’s been lacking in recent years,” Helen Clarkson, chief executive of the Climate Group, a non-profit group that works with business and government to tackle climate change, told Reuters.
“The science tells us we need to halve emissions by 2030, so for road transport it’s simple – get rid of the internal combustion engine.”
Unsurprisingly, ACEA, the European auto industry trade group, criticized the tougher proposals, saying the complete elimination of internal combustion-powered vehicles by 2035 was overkill. It noted that ACEA members support the push for carbon neutrality by 2050, but the proposed new standards essentially wipe out billions invested by automakers with that target in mind.
EU can want, but continent is not ready
Volkswagen AG Chairman Herbert Diess has helped lead the charge in the conversion to electric vehicles.
“Ambitious climate targets need a binding commitment from all parties involved. The European Commission today made very clear that the Green Deal can only be successful with mandatory targets for the ramp-up of charging and refueling infrastructure in all member states,” said Oliver Zipse, BMW CEO and ACEA president, in a statement.
The trade group noted the infrastructure is not — and will not — be in place to meet the new targets. Also, the demand for EVs doesn’t warrant a change in plans, Zipse noted.
“The current proposal for an even bigger cut in CO2 emissions by 2030 requires a massive further increase in market demand for electric vehicles in a short timeframe,” stated Zipse. “Without significantly increased efforts by all stakeholders – including member states and all involved sectors – the proposed target is simply not viable.”
Automakers have been announcing product plans focused on the shift toward electrified vehicles for several years. Much of those efforts center on the more lax targets, although some countries like Great Britain, Norway, Japan and Canada, have already implemented or are considering sales bans by 2035.
As a result, several automakers are already targeting earlier dates as the bogey for making a complete shift away. Volvo officials expect to be all electric by 2030, as does Bugatti. General Motors targets 2035 for its shift, but not all have done so, which is cause for alarm in some circles.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson led the charge for a 2030 sales ban of gas- and diesel-powered cars.
Forcing change
The pushback against the new targets was not a surprise for supporters, who accounted for that in the massive package of proposals. The group recommended legislation forcing EU countries to install public charging points on “major roads” in 37.3-mile intervals by 2025.
This, according to the Reuters report, would result in 3.5 million stations for light vehicles by 2030 with growth to 16.3 million by the time the mandate for carbon neutrality hits in 2050.
To ensure the shift happens by 2035, the proposals require an investment by the 27 countries in the bloc between $95 billion and $142 billion by 2040.
IHS Markit said in a report on Tuesday that if the EU raised its reduction targets to 50% by 2030, it would bring new fossil-fuel car sales across the bloc down basically zero, although overall registrations — which includes used vehicles — would still see ICE vehicles accounting for 48% of vehicles on the road.
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This story has been updated. It was originally published on January 11, 2019.
Plastic in the ocean, greenhouse gases in the air, chemicals in the soil—we discuss these types of pollution in dinner table conversations and international media alike. But we often forget about one form of environmental damage: light pollution. Because its effects are more subtle than dirty air and water, we often fail to notice it, but the constant abundance of light can also harm our health, environment, and way of life.
“I think humanity has so far terribly underestimated the significance of manmade light from an environmental perspective,” says John Barentine, director of conservation at the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA). “What makes this issue special is that, unlike other forms of environmental pollution, it’s very easy to deal with and very simple to solve.”
By making just a few swaps, you can fight light pollution on three fronts. We can show you how to protect your personal health, darken the environment around you, and petition the nearest city to make changes for the better.
Prevent light from disrupting your sleep
The 24-hour cycle of day and night works in rhythm with our bodies, allowing a glow to signal when it’s time to sleep and when we need to stay alert. However, as we constantly subject ourselves to light, those rhythms are losing their power—and as a result, we’re damaging more than just our sleep cycles.
When you keep bright room lights shining in the hours before bed, they can suppress melatonin, a natural hormone that, among other things, helps regulate daily wake-sleep cycles. Without it, your body doesn’t get the signal that it’s time to unwind, your brain stays more alert, and you often get less sleep—which increases your risk of depression, diabetes, and heart problems. And that’s not all this hormone does. According to a study in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, melatonin disruption could raise blood pressure and possibly even increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.
The worst offenders in our homes are LEDs. More cost-effective and energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs, they also require fewer watts to produce the same amount of light. And compared to the glow from traditional bulbs, the waves LEDs emit fall in a bluer part of the color spectrum. However, research suggests that this type of light makes us more alert and cognitively active. As a result, LED lights may disrupt our circadian rhythms more than incandescent bulbs and their rosier rays.
In fact, any blue-tinged light—including that emanating from digital screens like those of cell phones, computers, and TV—delays the onset of melatonin, reducing our sleep and harming our health. Still, we just can’t quit them: The National Sleep Foundation found that 90 percent of Americans use some sort of electronic device in the hour before bed at least three nights a week. Those who texted or used their computers in that time reported that they were less likely to get a good night’s sleep and more likely to wake up feeling groggy the next day.
Digital screens emit blue light that can affect your sleep and harm your health. Free-Photos / Pixabay
Luckily, indoor blue light is a problem that’s relatively easy to fix. If avoiding screens for an hour or two before bedtime is out of the question, change the color of those screens. Apple devices, for example, offer a Night Shift setting that automatically changes the color temperature of their emitted light when the sun goes down (or at any other time you choose). Androids have a similar option called Night Light. If your device doesn’t have a built-in setting, you can find an app to do it for you.
As for the bulbs that illuminate your evening activities, swap bright white LEDs—in both indoor and outdoor fixtures—for versions with warmer color temperatures. And if you can’t eliminate all the blue light, try on a pair of special glasses that filter out blue light.
Replace your outdoor lighting
As mentioned earlier, you should swap your outdoor LEDs for warmer ones. And there are other ways to reduce the amount of light pollution you spread around. While indoor lighting disrupts our health, outdoor lighting negatively impacts animals, plants… and would-be astronomers.
Studies suggest that human lights disrupt mating and migration patterns in many animal species. For example, they distract migratory birds, drawing them off course. On beaches, they contribute to the declining sea turtle population, disorienting hatchlings and drawing them toward city streets—and nocturnal predators—rather than the ocean. Plant life suffers because moths and other beneficial insects wander toward artificial light and die rather than pollinating the greens that rely on them. Even humans might mourn: As bright lights render the stars invisible, amateur and professional astronomers have lost their view of the cosmos.
By changing your outdoor light setup, you can help wildlife thrive—and earn the thanks of any neighboring star gazers. Start by switching off outdoor lights. If you’re worried about safety, some studies suggest that outdoor lighting may have no effect at deterring crime, and that criminal activity may actually increase in better-lit areas. If that doesn’t convince you, install a motion sensor. That way, lights will only switch on when something moves nearby.
Another easy fix is to buy outdoor lighting fixtures that focus the beams. Lamps that don’t direct light in any way contribute more to light pollution, and they’re also inefficient: In 2015, the International Dark-Sky Association estimated that US residential property owners annually waste at least 117 kWh (that’d cost roughly $22 in New York) per household on misdirected outdoor lighting that does nothing but contribute to sky glow.
Replace those types of fixtures with more focused lighting, which you can find at your local home improvement stores or online. Some options even have a dark sky-friendly seal right on the box. Even without this label, you can still see whether a potential purchase will do the job: Look for directional or shielded fixtures that point light downward, so the bulb is only visible from directly underneath.
Dim your city
Reducing the light pollution that big cities emit is not as easy as swapping your light bulbs. For this, you’ll have to petition local governments to act on your behalf. Still, it can be done: Cities like Tucson, Arizona, where IDA is based, and Flagstaff, Arizona, have implemented citywide changes to protect the night, making the sky darker and the stars brighter for all.
Flagstaff led the charge in 1958, when the city passed a lighting ordinance banning sweeping searchlights. In 1972, Tucson required outdoor lighting to have shielding that directs it downward. Flagstaff did the same in 1973. Then in 1986, Tucson updated their ordinance by banning mercury vapor lights and bottom-mounted billboard floodlights. Next, Flagstaff required all roadways and parking lots to switch to low-pressure sodium lights. In 1998, Coconino County passed the world’s first code to restrict both the type of light permitted in the county and the amount of light per acre. Starting in 2016, Tucson replaced its streetlights with LEDs that emit less blue-spectrum light than most, all of them shielded and most of them with wireless connections that make them remotely dimmable.
The result? Flagstaff has one of the most accessible dark skies in the US—you can see the Milky Way from downtown. Tucson has decreased its overall sky glow by 7 percent and the total amount of light by 70 percent.
How can you bring similar changes to your city? “It’s not a technically difficult problem,” says Christian Luginbuhl, a retired astronomer at the US Naval Observatory in Flagstaff. He’s been leading the charge for that city’s dark sky-friendly ordinances since the 80s. “The reason it doesn’t get solved in so many places is that we need more cultural awareness and initiatives. The technical solutions are just a link in the chain,” he says.
At night, urban areas like New York City light up the sky. Free-Photos / Pixabay
According to Luginbuhl, the key factor is getting people passionate about the value of clear night skies, and how light pollution takes them away. To that end, the Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition hosts annual star parties in the fall and year-round events—art exhibits, lectures, and musical performances—that promote cultural connection to the night sky.
You can start the journey to dim your city by creating or joining a dark-sky advocacy organization like IDA (which might already have a local chapter near you). Partner with environmental, astronomy, and outdoor-advocacy groups to spread the word about the importance of maintaining dark skies. IDA even has resources to help you get started.
Once community support and commitment exist, talk to jurisdictional authorities like commissioners, zoning boards and elected officials, explaining what people can gain by reducing light pollution. Then ask these authorities to consider city-wide ordinances and positive changes, similar to the ones Flagstaff and Tucson adopted.
Implement lighting zones, so they can have different levels of brightness in, say, more rural versus more urban areas.
Ban upward-facing billboard floodlights.
Limit the amount of light (lumens) that non-residential properties can use.
Require streetlights and parking lights to have shielded fixtures that point down, focusing the rays away from the sky.
“The only way to address light pollution effectively is that we as a society need to decide it’s something we care about,” Luginbuhl says.
This will take time, but light pollution is a problem with a clear solution. Once we solve it, the results benefit us all.
