Mes: octubre 2020

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — In recognition of National Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Day and the hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai, Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and Longo Toyota of El Monte are donating 1,008 meals to non-profit, Meals on Wheels (October 8^th and the number 1,008 are used in connection with hydrogen because its atomic weight is 1.008). Toyota’s Mirai fuel cell electric vehicle is powered solely by hydrogen without combustion, and its only emission is water. SoCalGas, the largest gas distribution utility in North America, recognizes hydrogen and fuel cells to be a critical part of the future of clean energy in California.

«Longo Toyota is proud to partner with SoCalGas on National Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Day to bring awareness to hydrogen and fuel cell technology in the automotive space,» said Doug Eroh, President and General Manager of Longo Toyota.  «As one of the original authorized Mirai dealers in California, we have sold over 1,300 Mirai fuel cell vehicles in addition to over 35,000 hybrid electric vehicles over the past 20 years.  Longo Toyota is committed to promoting clean energy vehicles and educating the public on the importance of environmental sustainability.»

«As California works to transition to cleaner energy, SoCalGas knows the importance of hydrogen and fuel cells in developing the 21^st century energy system, and innovations like hydrogen-powered cars are key. Vehicles like the Mirai are expected to play an important role as California seeks to meet the requirements of Governor Newsom’s executive order to require all new cars sold here to be zero-emissions by 2035,» said Yuri Freedman, SoCalGas senior director of business development. «SoCalGas is also furthering innovation and the development of carbon-free and carbon-negative gases like renewable natural gas and hydrogen, which demonstrates our commitment to helping California reach its climate goals affordably and reliably.»

For the past six years, the U.S. Congress has passed resolutions recognizing October 8 as Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, hydrogen and fuel cells can be used in multiple sectors such as transportation and stationary power enabling energy security and resiliency.  

National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day was created by the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA) to help raise awareness of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies. FCHEA recently launched a report titled, Road Map to a US Hydrogen Economy. The Road Map was developed with input from 20 major companies including Microsoft, Toyota, Air Liquide, Cummins, SoCalGas, and other Fortune 100 firms. It outlines how expanding the use of hydrogen would help solve a multitude of energy, environmental and health issues and makes the case that hydrogen will be required to dramatically decrease carbon fuels from U.S. energy supply, especially as energy demands increase.  Further, the Road Map explains the role of hydrogen in providing carbon-free electricity, long-term storage of renewable power, and clean distributed power to prevent power outages during natural disasters or grid cyberattacks. 

Fuel cells are yet another technology which continues to scale in the energy industry, combining both hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity. SoCalGas recently announced it begun powering two of its largest Los Angeles-area facilities with Bloom Energy solid oxide fuel cells. The switch to fuel cells reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, air pollutants and the cost of power, as well as provides reliable electricity independent of the power grid.

SoCalGas’ vision is to be the cleanest gas utility in North America and support a 21st century energy system that provides clean, affordable, resilient and integrated energy. As part of its vision, the utility committed to replacing 20 percent of natural gas supplies to its core customers with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. SoCalGas will also make use of hydrogen, fuel cells and other energy alternatives.

About SoCalGas
Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, clean and increasingly renewable gas service to 21.8 million customers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California, where more than 90 percent of residents use natural gas for heating, hot water, cooking, drying clothes or other uses. Gas delivered through the company’s pipelines also plays a key role in providing electricity to Californians— about 45 percent of electric power generated in the state comes from gas-fired power plants.

SoCalGas’ vision is to be the cleanest gas utility in North America, delivering affordable and increasingly renewable energy to its customers. In support of that vision, SoCalGas is committed to replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply with renewable gas by 2030. Renewable natural gas is made from waste created by dairy farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while keeping bills affordable for our customers. From 2014 through 2018, the company invested nearly $6.5 billion to upgrade and modernize its pipeline system to enhance safety and reliability. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), an energy services holding company based in San Diego. For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook. 

About Longo Toyota
Longo Toyota, located in El Monte, CA, is the #1 Volume Toyota Dealer in the USA since 1967. Longo Toyota employs over 500 Team Members and is a multiple year winner of the Toyota President’s Cabinet Award, President’s Award, Circle of Excellence Award, and Board of Governor’s Award. Longo Toyota is a past winner of the Automotive News Best Dealerships to Work For Award, and Women’s Choice Award.

 

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/socalgas–longo-toyota-donate-1-008-meals-to-mark-national-hydrogen-day-and-bring-attention-to-carbon-free-fuel-301148875.html

SOURCE Southern California Gas Company

BARCELONA, Spain, Oct. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Wallbox, the leading energy management company that manufactures smart charging solutions for electric vehicles (EV), today announced Supernova, its first fast public charger that delivers 65 kW of charging power at half the cost of similar chargers. This marks Wallbox’s entry into the public charging segment, complementing its existing offerings for both residential and semi-public charging that are currently available in over 40 countries globally.

Supernova introduces unprecedented levels of efficiency and reliability into this market segment.  Supernova offers an optimized internal design to make it light and easy to install by integrating multiple,  modular elements from Wallbox’s award-winning bidirectional charger, Quasar. The product doesn’t compromise on aesthetics, with a modern, ergonomic layout synonymous with the Wallbox brand and its signature hallmarks of innovation and design. 

The segment, currently valued at $11.7 billion, will grow exponentially in the next few years, driven by extensive investment globally to expand public charging networks. Europe is installing one million public charge points by 2025 and France alone is committing to 100,000 chargers next year, while Germany is aiming for one million chargers this decade. In the U.S., New York and California have announced plans to expand their investment in charging infrastructure, committing millions in funds. California has also announced its plan to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles in the state beginning in 2035.

Wallbox developed Supernova with the goal of overcoming the following challenges of public charging in cities:

Efficiency and reliability: 

Supernova has nine systems that work in harmony to provide maximum power, yet maintain operational independence. This modular assembly offers unprecedented flexibility and reliability to ensure the charger continues to operate optimally regardless of the circumstances.

Product installation and maintenance costs:

Supernova reduces the costs associated with equivalent public charging solutions by approximately 50  percent. The optimized charger design ensures a more efficient product with lower production cost. Its modular composition offers installation and maintenance advantages by requiring simpler infrastructure and resources, such as eliminating the need for heavy machinery to transport the product.

«Ultimately, for EVs to completely replace internal combustion vehicles, we must eliminate any inconvenience associated with charging and offer people a perfect experience, be it at home or while taking a road trip. An extensive and efficient network of public chargers is essential for this. With a less expensive and more reliable charger like the Supernova, we can accelerate the virtuous cycle of creating this infrastructure which, in turn, will drive the adoption of EV,» said Enric Asunción, co-founder and CEO of Wallbox.

Iberdrola, which recently announced plans to invest €150 million in sustainable mobility to intensify the deployment of charge points, has identified a clear need for supporting electromobility through the coordinated and efficient action between its main stakeholders. «In our strategy to transition towards a carbon free economy, we continue to bet on electric transportation as a key lever to reduce emissions and pollution, as well as for a green recovery of the economy in the post-COVID world,» said Raquel Blanco, Global Director of Smart Mobility at Iberdrola, said.

Iberdrola has already signed over 40 agreements for deploying charging infrastructure.

«Through Perseo, the company invests in innovative startups with high technological potential, such as Wallbox, to drive the development of key technology for transportation electrification,» added Blanco. 

Iberdrola expects around 150,000 charger points to be installed in homes and businesses, as well as urban roads and main highways across Spain in the next five years. The company plans to deploy a high efficiency charging network by installing ultra-fast stations with 350 kW of power for every 200 kilometers, super-fast with 150 kW for every 100 kilometers and fast charging stations with 50 kW or more of power for every 50 kilometers.

125 miles of range  in under 30 minutes:

«Supernova is our answer to the growing needs of EV users and the cities they live in. We have applied the same development concepts and fundamentals that we used to make Quasar,  the world’s lightest, smallest and most efficient bidirectional charger. The result is a charger that is exponentially more stable and efficient, easier to install and maintain,» said Eduard Castañeda,  co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Wallbox. Wallbox’s strategic move follows its acquisition of Electromaps, a leading platform for accessing networks of public charging points for EVs. As many as 95 percent of Spain’s EV users depend on Electromaps to locate and share information about public charging points and the company plans to roll out the platform to new markets in the coming months.

The EV driver at the center of everything:

«New technologies often disrupt our routines.  This change is only accelerated by providing sufficient incentives to overcome the barriers to adopt better solutions. Most consumers agree  that electric mobility is beneficial because of the lower environmental impact and improved driving experience,» said Bárbara Calixto, CMO of Wallbox. «However, concerns about charging infrastructure have been one of the main deterrents when considering an EV. Fortunately, countries with mature charging networks, such as Norway and  Sweden, provide a promising outlook of the future  – the development of charging infrastructure and adoption of EV in parallel. As the former becomes larger, it accelerates the later. In turn, more EV  will make public charging more attractive and economically viable,» Calixto added.

Next steps
Supernova is designed to offer an affordable and scalable solution that can be installed anywhere within cities and also serve the growing EV fleet segment. This is expected to lead to more opportunities for charging at more places and to greater access for EVs.

Wallbox is developing even more powerful chargers in the future such as a 150 kW charger for intercity day trips and a 250 kW product for longer distances.

Production of Supernova is expected to start in the second quarter of 2021 and distribution will first start in Europe followed by North America and other countries.

About Wallbox

Wallbox is a leading energy management company that manufactures smart charging solutions for electric vehicles. Combining state-of the-art technology with exceptional design, Wallbox creates a smart ecosystem that improves the way we manage, use and store energy.  Created in 2015 and with its headquarters in Barcelona, Wallbox’ mission is to facilitate the adoption of electric vehicles today to make a more sustainable use of energy tomorrow. 

Envisioning a world free of fossil fuels, Wallbox™ technology enables people to create, use and share renewable energy in ways they never imagined. It currently sells to more than 40 countries and has 250 staff spread across offices in Europe, Asia, and America, as well as 2  factories of its own. Wallbox offers four types of chargers, including Quasar, the world’s smallest and lightest bidirectional charger for home use with advanced two-way charging technology. It was recognized with the highest distinction by CES, the world’s leading technology trade show for the industry. During the first half of 2020 Wallbox completed a Series A round of investment of 23 million euros.

About Iberdrola

Iberdrola is a global energy leader, the number-one producer of wind power, and one of the world’s biggest electricity utilities by market capitalisation. The Group supplies energy to almost 100 million people in dozens of countries including Spain, the United Kingdom  (ScottishPower), the United States (AVANGRID), Brazil (Neoenergia), Australia (Infigen) Mexico, Germany, Portugal, Italy and France. With a workforce of more than 35,000 and assets in excess of €122 billion, it achieved a turnover of over €36.4 billion and a net profit of over €3.4  billion in 2019. 

Iberdrola is leading the transition towards a sustainable energy model through its investments in renewable energy, smart grids, large-scale energy storage and digital transformation, to offer the most advanced products and services to its customers. Thanks to its commitment to clean energy, Iberdrola is one of the companies with the lowest emissions and an international benchmark for its contribution to sustainability and the fight against climate change.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wallbox-announces-supernova-a-next-generation-fast-public-charger-that-offers-greater-efficiency-and-higher-performance-at-half-the-cost-301148853.html

SOURCE Wallbox

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Celebrating National Hydrogen Day 2020, Hyundai’s U.S. fuel cell SUVs, the NEXO fuel cell SUV and the Tucson fuel cell SUV, have together accumulated more than 10.9 million miles, all emitting only clean water vapor. This cumulative distance is the equivalent of circumnavigating the Earth more than 437 times at the equator, measuring approximately 24,901 miles at its widest circumference.

https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/models/hyundai-nexo-2021-nexo 

«Celebrating National Hydrogen Day 2020, we’re incredibly proud of our hydrogen vehicle impact in reducing harmful greenhouse emissions on our planet. As the hydrogen refueling infrastructure continues to grow, we applaud the exponential emissions reduction it will bring, resulting in a cleaner atmosphere for everyone,» said Olabisi Boyle, vice president of Product Planning and Mobility Strategy, Hyundai Motor North America.

NEXO is the technological flagship of Hyundai’s growing eco-vehicle portfolio and marks Hyundai’s continued momentum with the industry’s most diverse SUV eco powertrain lineup. The NEXO Blue model has an estimated range of 380 miles, one of the greatest of any zero-emissions vehicle, and refueling can be achieved in as little as five minutes, rivaling comparable internal-combustion SUVs in terms of both range and refueling speed. NEXO dealers include Keyes Hyundai in Van Nuys, Tustin Hyundai, Capitol Hyundai in San Jose and Roseville Hyundai near Sacramento.

Hyundai Motor America
At Hyundai Motor America, we believe everyone deserves better. From the way we design and build our cars to the way we treat the people who drive them, making things better is at the heart of everything we do. Hyundai’s technology-rich product lineup of cars, SUVs and alternative-powered electric and fuel cell vehicles is backed by Hyundai Assurance—our promise to create a better experience for customers. Hyundai vehicles are sold and serviced through more than 830 dealerships nationwide and nearly half of those sold in the U.S. are built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. Hyundai Motor America is headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, and is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea.

Please visit our media website at www.HyundaiNews.com

Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram 

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hyundai-zero-emissions-fuel-cell-mileage-circumnavigates-globe-more-than-400-times-for-national-hydrogen-day-301148794.html

SOURCE Hyundai Motor America