News

GreenRoad raises $10M from Generation Investment Management

GreenRoad announced last month that it has raised $10 million in financing from Generation Investment Management, the investment firm co-founded by Al Gore in 2004.

GreenRoad, which is developing technologies to encourage safe and fuel-efficient driving behavior, intends to use the proceeds to accelerate the deployment of its GreenRoad 360 service among new and existing customers.

GreenRoad 360, the company’s proprietary-based service, provides drivers and fleet managers with real-time, comprehensive and preventative feedback, analysis, reporting and coaching on drivers’ abilities, maneuvers, and patterns.

According to GreenRoad, driving behavior is the largest single contributor to driving safety and fuel efficiency, and costs the US and Europe over $500 billion dollars per year. A typical GreenRoad customer sees up to a 50% reduction in crash costs and up to a 10% reduction in fuel consumption within the first year. As a result, GreenRoad delivers an innovative solution that saves lives, saves fleets money in top vehicle expense categories (fuel, crash, wear & tear, insurance), and provides a cost-effective way to reduce emissions.

GreenRoad is headquartered in Redwood Shores, California, with sales offices throughout the U.S. and UK and an R&D Center in Or Yehuda, Israel, which has 90 employees. The company was founded in 2003 by Chief of Safety Hod Fleishman and CTO Ofer Raz.

I am excited to see Generation working with GreenRoad. GreenRoad’s job is to make our roads safer and greener, and I look forward to seeing what the two can do together to lead the way to cleaner, safer, and more cost-efficient transportation.

View a previously written post by Mouli Cohen about innovation

  • March
  • 10th, 2010
  • 12:34 pm

Filed under: News

Porsche Unveils Hi-Tech Concept Car at Geneva

Porsche revealed an ultra-efficient, low-emission, mid-engine super sports car that features hybrid and electronic drive technology at this month’s Geneva Motor Show.

The 918 Spyder combines high-tech racing features with electric-mobility to offer a wide range of innovative new qualities. For example, it comes with a fuel consumption rate of nearly 78 mpg, which is truly outstanding, even for an ultra compact city car. But the Spyder is intended to offer the performance of a super sports car with a top speed of 198 mph, and a lap time on the Nordschleife of Nurburgring in less than 7:30 minutes, faster than even the Porsche Carrera GT.

How does a supercar achieve such range? The Spyder is a parallel hybrid like the Prius. This means that two powertrains – both gas and electric – can operate together or separately to keep the wheels turning. There are four modes that configure the powertrains for anything from maximum efficiency to maximum performance and everything in between. The E-Drive mode means pure electric power, and the car can reportedly last up to 16 minutes on electrons alone. Next up is hybrid mode, which would be primarily be used for everyday driving. The Sports Hybrid mode uses both powertrains, but leans a little more toward performance with most of the power reaching the rear wheels. Finally, the Race Hybrid mode means all systems are go for the lowest lap times possible.

The Spyder is one of three Porsche models with hybrid drive making their debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. The trio – made up of Porsche’s new Cayenne S Hybrid SUV with parallel full-hybrid drive, the 911 GT3 R Hybrid race car with electric drive, and the two-seater high-performance 918 Spyder mid-engine sports car with plug-in hybrid technology – clearly demonstrates not only the great promise of this new drive technology, but also the innovative power of Porsche as a genuine pioneer in hybrid drive.

The highly-innovative 918 combines Porsche’s Intelligent Performance philosophy with the high-technology from motorsport, with classic but modern design to make what I believe is a truly convincing statement.

View a previously written post by Mouli Cohen about innovative concept cars

  • March
  • 8th, 2010
  • 10:56 am

Filed under: News

Hyundai & BASF Team Up on Hi Tech Concept Car

Hyundai and BASF are presenting their jointly developed i-flow concept car this month at the Geneva Motor Show. The innovations in the i-flow are the first included in any vehicle to date, and illustrate a great many possibilities for mobility in the future. For example, the interior of the i-flow offers a revolutionary seating concept, and the high-gloss liquid metal coating is not only eye-catching but environmentally friendly thanks to the use of a waterborne paint system.

BASF’s contributions to the concept car allow for far greater fuel efficiency, a lower environmental impact, freedom of design, as well as greater comfort and safety. The i-flow’s energy concept provides an impressive example of high tech, encapsulating a modern diesel engine with a rigid foam polyurethane insulation system that protects both the engine and the environment. A brilliant effect is provided by a new mirror-like paint from BASF Coatings – the liquid metal basecoat makes the i-flow look as though it is chrome-plated rather than painted. In addition, the innovative iGloss clearcoat makes the paint surface both scratch resistant and weather resistant.

“The i-flow is a milestone on the road to the car of the future. Because Hyundai was quick to involve us in the development process, we were able to offer our full strengths. We are very happy with the outstanding results of our cooperation,” said Dr. Wolfgang Hapke, head of BASF’s Performance Polymers division, at the presentation of the new concept car in Geneva on Wednesday. “BASF proved to be a true partner, with whom we jointly developed innovative solutions for design and engineering. For example, our new ‘fluidic sculpture’ body language is particular well expressed by the innovative coating technique used for the i-flow concept car,” explained Thomas Bürkle, head of Hyundai’s European design center.

View a previously written post by Mouli Cohen about Hi Tech

  • March
  • 5th, 2010
  • 8:00 am

Filed under: News

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GreenRoad announced last month that it has raised $10 million in financing from Generation Investment Management, the investment firm co-founded by Al Gore in 2004. GreenRoad, which is developing technologies to encourage safe and fuel-efficient driving behavior, intends to use the proceeds to accelerate the deployment of its GreenRoad 360 service among new and existing customers. GreenRoad [...].

Porsche revealed an ultra-efficient, low-emission, mid-engine super sports car that features hybrid and electronic drive technology at this month’s Geneva Motor Show.

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