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Recharge Wrap-up: 10-year sentence for biodiesel fraudsters, overhead fast charging EV buses in Luxembourg

Toyota will use addressable TV advertising to target potential Prius Prime customers. By choosing to advertise in households with specific attributes, Toyota hopes to grab the attention of buyers who "see their vehicle as an extension of their consumption of advanced technology," according to Toyota Motors Sales media manager Lisa McQueen. The ad depicts a person who is skeptical of various inventions throughout history until he finds himself inside the Prius Prime. Hyundai has also used addressable TV ads for its Genesis brand. Read more at Automotive News. Two Florida men have each been sentenced to over 10 years in prison for biodiesel credit fraud. Thomas Davanzo and Robert Fedyna of Gen-X Energy Group and its subsidiary Southern Resources and Commodities were convicted of buying fuel that had already been sold with Renewable Identification Numbers, then fraudulently claiming more credits on that fuel. The scheme raked in more than $46 million, mostly in selling the fraudulent credits. Critics of the Renewable Fuel Standard point to incidents like this as a reason to oppose the program. Read more from Reuters. Volvo electric buses in Luxembourg will use Heliox Fast Charge systems. Public transport operator Sales-Lentz has ordered three of the Heliox systems that will charge the buses using pantograph (overhead wire) contacts. The chargers will be placed at end-of-route stops for opportunistic charging of the transport agency's four Volvo 7900 electric buses. The 450-kW, Wi-Fi-enabled OppCharge system automatically connects the charger to contact plates on the roofs of the vehicles, charging them in three to six minutes. Read more at Green Car Congress. Related Gallery 2017 Toyota Prius Prime Advanced View 35 Photos News Source: Automotive News, Reuters, Green Car CongressImage Credit: Volvo Buses Government/Legal Green Marketing/Advertising Toyota Volvo Biodiesel Technology Electric recharge wrapup

Recharge Wrap-up: BMW plans for retired batteries; automakers support dual-standard chargers

Toyota will test hybrids with silicon-carbide (SiC) power semiconductors. In Japan, Toyota has put the SiC power semiconductors into the power control units of a Camry Hybrid prototype and a fuel cell bus for a year-long test. Research suggests the SiC units will decrease electrical losses while managing power supply, thus improving overall powertrain efficiency. Current power semiconductors account for about 20 percent of electrical losses, and success with these tests could mean more efficient hybrids on the roads in the future. Read more at Hybrid Cars. Automakers from CCS and CHAdeMO camps are supporting dual-standard charging station networks. https://www.autoblog.com/bmw/, Volkswagen (CCS camp) and ChargePoint announced plans to build "express charging corridors" by installing about 100 DC fast chargers, many of which will support both types of charging. Kansas City Power & Light is partnering with Nissan (CHAdeMO camp) and ChargePoint to install DC chargers that "will charge any model of electric vehicle on the market." This leads the folks at Green Car Reports to look into whether this ends the looming standard war between automakers in the US. Read more at Green Car Reports. BMW, Bosch and utility company Vattenfall are making plans for a second life for retired BMW i3 batteries. The Second Life Batteries Alliance project will recycle the old lithium ion battery packs - which can still hold a charge - in off-grid storage and grid-stabilization applications, beginning with a grid storage system in Hamburg, Germany. Bosch has created a battery management algorithm to extend the life of the batteries and make sure they don't cause harm to Vattenfall's facilities. Read more at Transport Evolved.

Will Toyota lose up to 70% of its workforce in TX relocation?

Toyota's decision to move its US headquarters from its longtime home in Torrance, CA, to Plano, TX, was one of the biggest stories in the automotive industry this spring. With several months since the announcement, more details about the plan have leaked out. It seems that pulling up stakes could mean an even larger shakeup in the Toyota workforce than first thought.
According to Automotive News, Toyota intends to hang onto around 50 percent of its workforce in the move to the Lone Star State. However, even that figure might be optimistic. According to an unnamed insider speaking to AN, there is a fear the actual number could be closer to 30 percent. For comparison, Nissan retained about 42 percent of its workers in its move from California to Tennessee.
The actual percentage making the move is a mystery because Toyota is still rewriting its job descriptions under a single set of guidelines. The changes affect benefits, bonuses and the reporting structure, according to Automotive News, and employees' reactions could play a big role in who decides to go. According to an unnamed worker speaking to AN, the wait is hurting morale. Some people are even applying at the nearby Honda headquarters.