Mobile Energy Solutions Alliance Partners
Altairnano, Inc
A leader in advanced nanomaterials and alternative energy solutions. In alternative energy the company has developed novel electrode nanomaterials and its NanoSafeTM rechargeable, nano titanate battery system provides fundamental advantages over existing, traditional lithium ion battery designs.
NanoSafe batteries deliver power per unit weight and unit volume several times that of conventional lithium ion batteries. Altairnano laboratory measurements indicate power density as high as 4000 W/Kg and over 5000 W/liter. By using nano-titanate materials as the negative electrode material, the formation of an SEI is eliminated. When a lithium ion battery, with a carbon negative electrode, is first charged a protective layer (called the Solid Electrolyte Interface or SEI) is formed on the surface of the highly reactive negative electrode. In addition, the nano-titanate particles are up to 100 times smaller than a typical graphite particle therby greatly reducing the distance a lithium atom must travel to be released from the particle. These properties also mean that even at very cold temperatures, a nano-titanate battery will produce high power.
The same technology also dramatically increases battery charge and discharge rates; rapid charge is important for next generation electric vehicles so they can be charged in a few minutes rather than hours as with current lithium ion technology. The NanoSafe cell has also demonstrated that surges of power can be delivered without risking thermal runaway.
http://www.altairnano.com
Avālence LLC
A Connecticut-based company with a leading-edge electrolytic technology that
produces high-pressure hydrogen gas for transportation and clean energy
infrastructure applications. The Avālence Hydrofiller fueling station being
developed for the Greater New Haven Transit District project does not require a
compressor to produce hydrogen gas at a pressure of 6500 psi and is easily
interfaced with renewable power for emission-free hydrogen fuel production.
Founded in 2002, Avālence LLC is a spin-off of two privately owned firms with
over 150 years combined experience in the fields of hydrogen and air-separation
equipment design and manufacture, and was recently awarded "Best Early Stage
Company 2005" at the Crossroads Venture Fair.
http://www.avalence.com
City of Burbank
The City of Burbank operates three distinct transportation programs through the Human & Senior Services Division of the Park, Recreation & Community Services Department under the BurbankBus name. The BurbankBus is a commuter fixed route serving both Burbank residents and Burbank employees through five fixed route options, five days per week and 13 buses in service. The BurbankBus Senior and Disabled Transit provide Burbank's seniors and disabled residents with curb-to-curb van service, seven days per week with seven dedicated vehicles. The BurbankBus -Got Wheels! provides Burbank Youth ages 10-18 with fixed route service to major youth oriented destinations in two modes, after school mode and summer mode offering service five days per week through the use of four dedicated vehicles.
The City of Burbank owns and maintains a city-wide fleet of over 350 vehicles of all types. The City of Burbank has experience in operating and maintaining a variety of fuel typed vehicles including Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Propane, Electric, Hybrid-Electric, and most recently Hydrogen, in addition to regular diesel and gasoline fuel types. Burbank currently uses five Toyota Priuses converted to run on hydrogen. Therefore Burbank has hands-on experience with gaseous hydrogen refueling.
http://www.burbankca.org/transportation
Center for Transportation and the Envrionment (CTE)
The Center for Transportation and the Environment is an organization whose goal is to provide resources to anyone committed to the idea and practice of advancing and implementing new transportation technologies.
CTE offers project development, management resources, funding, networking opportunities for our members and others in the transportation technology industry.
Since 1993, CTE has managed a portfolio of $90 million in team research, development, and demonstration projects involving some 450 organizations in the advanced transportation field. The projects represent a broad range of transportation-related challenges including technology development, testing, public awareness campaigns educational programs, marketing research, and commuter behavior studies.
CTE has facilitated funding for these projects and others from the Departments of Defense, Energy, Interior, and Transporation, as well as from the U.S. Army and NASA, among many others.
CompositeTek
Established in 1999, has nearly 100 customers, with product offerings ranging
from truck mounted booms used to hoist munitions, to MP3 laser disc components
with tolerances of less than ±10µ. The company provides substantial engineering
expertise, and in the future will provide Finite Element Analysis (FEA) for
composite structure design, Computer Aided Design (CAD) services, and machining
and finishing services (filament winding, hand lay-up capabilities, in-house
machining, surface finishing, oven and autoclave curing processes). CompositeTek
services for the transportation industry include designing individual body panels,
conducting finite element analysis (FEA) tests, as well as designing and fabricating
the required tooling for vehicle body panels.
General Electric Global Research
GE Global Research has been the cornerstone of GE technology for more than 100 years. They are one of the world’s largest and most diverse industrial research labs with a presence that spans the globe. With more than 2600 of the best and brightest researcher spread out at four multi disciplinary facilities around the world they are delivering the innovations and breakthroughs that are driving growth for GE’s businesses and revolutionizing markets As such, GE has been a leader in the development of hybrid electric drive technology dating back to the early 1970s when they designed and built a car that achieved in excess of 100 mpg. Since that time they have participated in a number of hybrid electric transportation projects, the most significant being the first New York City Hybrid Electric Bus in the early 1990s. As a recipient of a development program from the FTA National Fuel Cell Bus Program, GE Global Research will be developing an all new drive train for the ZMES bus.
http://www.ge.com/research/
Grannis Transportation Consulting
Established in the late 1990’s to work with the Department of Energy Clean Cities Program to promote alternative transportation fuels and vehicles to reduce dependence on foreign oil and reduce mobile source emissions. Lee Grannis, the principal, has initiated programs that include electric drive, compressed natural gas and biomass powered vehicles and related infrastructure. The company works programs from initial design implementation through deployment of alternative fueled vehicles (AFVs) and their associated infrastructure. The programs have focused on deployment of AFVs in the New Haven area and the Northeastern United States, using an "Outside the Box" approach to accelerate implementation of these vehicles in the region and nationwide. Grannis Transportation Consulting coordinates its efforts with the State of Connecticut, the Connecticut Clean Cities Coalitions, the US Department of Energy, US EPA and the Federal Transit Administration.
Hydrogenics Corporation
A clean power generation company engaged in the commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technology and test stations for fuel cells. With an unrivalled experience in fuel cell test systems, and relationships with key industry partners, Hydrogenics is creating innovative clean energy solutions for transportation, stationary and portable power applications. Hydrogenics, based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, has operations in British Columbia, Canada, Japan, the United States, and Germany. Hydrogenics will provide the two 14kW fuel cells required for the Greater New Haven Transit District project along with the requisite integration expertise.
http://www.hydrogenics.com
Martin Marietta Composites
Martin Marietta Composites, located in North Carolina, manufactures structural composite products used in transportation, construction and military applications. When high strength, low weight and durability are important - composites deliver the solution.
Martin Marietta Composites Engineers working in conjunction with Mobile Energy Solution's CompositeTek engineering staff have developed a technology specific composite body which is designed to house the batteries in the floor cavity of the bus. This unique concept provides a low center of gravity and even weight distribution while giving up no usable floor or roof space for battery placement.
http://www.martinmarietta.com/Products/composites.asp
Synergy EV
Synergy EV, Inc is a 15 year experienced Technology, Sales and Financing Corporation with operations in California's Silicon Valley and the Country of Costa Rica. Synergy EV focuses on Fleet Vehicles of electronic, hybrid and fuel cell nature from Patrol vehicles, Industrial, Neighborhood, Trucks and Buses.
Synergy EV is founding memberr of the Electronic Transportation Development Center in Silicon Valley, involved in integrating Computer, Chip and Communication technology into electronic transportation.
In addition, Synergy EV Financial, provides Order Financing funds for targeted electronic and hybrid solutions and has approved the Mobile Energy Solutions Bus Product Line for Total Solution Financing.
http://www.synergyev.com
UQM Technologies
With more than 25 years of experience in developing and applying electric power systems to advanced vehicles, UQM technologies is a world recognized technology leader in the development and manufacture of high performance, power dense and energy efficient electric motors, generators and power electronic controllers.
A major emphasis of the company is developing electric power systems for battery electric, hybrid electric and fuel cell electric vehicles, under-the-hood power accessories and other vehicle auxiliaries, and distributed power generation.
http://www.uqm.com