| The world is now full of advancements. And as man's | | | | GeneSiC, Argonne National Laboratory, and Oak |
| mechanism to adapt to these advancements, several | | | | Ridge National Laboratory are the other team |
| individuals and groups support different funded | | | | members for the project. |
| projects to further make the present technologies | | | | For negotiation of an award of up to $1.7 million, the |
| even more sophisticated. Whether these technologies | | | | DOE has chosen Virginia Polytechnic Institute and |
| give advantages or disadvantages, what is important | | | | State University of Blacksburg, Virginia. The project |
| is that they are built with the aim of helping mankind. | | | | will focus on developing an advanced soft switching |
| Among other things, countries are in competition with | | | | inverter in order to minimize switching and power |
| regard to advanced technology. When one country | | | | losses. The Azure Dynamics, Powerex, and the |
| has invented a system, expect that another country | | | | National Institute of Standards and Technology are |
| will release a new invention. And so others do the | | | | the other team members for the project. |
| same. And this pattern goes on and on. | | | | To work on developing high-speed electric motors, |
| On this issue, the state performs an important role in | | | | the General Electric Global Research of Niskayuna, |
| supporting its constituents to produce more and | | | | New York, has been chosen for negotiation of an |
| more advanced technologies. | | | | award of up to $3.4 million. With team members GE |
| Five next generation vehicle research projects were | | | | Motors and the University of Wisconsin at Madison, |
| chosen by the United States Department of Energy | | | | the project will be focusing on increasing the traction |
| to receive a maximum of $19 million from the DOE | | | | motor drive power density and efficiency at |
| fund in order to further develop plug-in hybrid electric | | | | minimized costs for PHEVs, HEVs and FCVs. This will |
| vehicles (PHEVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and | | | | be done by building an electric motor of at least |
| fuel cell vehicles (FCVs). A total of $33.8 million | | | | 55kW peak power and that has the capability to |
| projects chosen for negotiation of awards were | | | | operate on a high speed. The project's goal is to |
| mixed with the industry's cost share. | | | | have at least 14,000 revolutions per minute (RPM). |
| The five chosen projects support advanced power | | | | Maker of quality GMC suspension bushing, General |
| electronics and electric motor technologies so that | | | | Motors Corporation in Torrance, California, has been |
| they would be able to help introduce advanced PHEV, | | | | chosen for negotiation of an award costing a |
| HEV, and FCV applications to the market. This was in | | | | maximum of $7.9 million. The work is to develop a |
| support of President George Bush's Twenty in Ten | | | | combined traction motor and power electronic |
| plans. These seek to minimize by twenty percent the | | | | inverter for PHEV, HEV, and FCV. To lower the cost, |
| country's gas consumption within the decade through | | | | weight, and package volume, and increase efficiency |
| maximizing the use of alternative and renewable | | | | is the goal of the project. Oak Ridge National |
| sources of energy and advancing the current | | | | Laboratory, Ames National Laboratory, Arnold |
| Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) standards. | | | | Magnetics, Encap Technologies, Isothermal Systems |
| While also increasing vehicle efficiency, the projects | | | | Research, and AVX are GMC's team members. |
| will emphasize the reduction of cost, weight, and size | | | | To work on a vehicle system research on order to |
| of electric drive and power conversion devices. | | | | determine the optimum operating battery and DC-link |
| High-temperature three-phase inverters, high-speed | | | | voltages, allowing for higher efficiency and less costs, |
| motors, integrated traction drive systems, and | | | | the U.S. Hybrid Corporation of Torrance, California has |
| bi-directional DC/DC converters are the four areas in | | | | been selected. This was for an award of up to $1.3 |
| which the chosen projects will focus on. | | | | million for a bi-directional DC/DC converter for PHEVs. |
| Selected projects are the Delphi Automotive | | | | The project will include University of Illinois, Oak |
| Systems in Troy, Michigan, the Virginia Polytechnic | | | | Ridge National Laboratory, and SiCED as the |
| Institute and State University of Blacksburg, Virginia, | | | | company's teammates. |
| the General Electric Global Research of Niskayuna, | | | | As an essential part of DOE's Vehicle Technologies |
| New York, the General Motors Corporation in | | | | Program, advancing vehicle technologies aims to |
| Torrance, California, and the U.S. Hybrid Corporation | | | | develop and improve vehicle technologies and |
| of Torrance, California. | | | | alternative fuels that could tremendously reduce the |
| For negotiation of an award reaching to $4.9 million | | | | need for petroleum, lessen emissions of air pollutants |
| intended for high-temperature three-phase inverter | | | | and greenhouse gases, and enable the U.S. |
| research, the Delphi Automotive Systems in Troy, | | | | transportation industry to maintain a strong, |
| Michigan has been chosen. The agility of electric | | | | competitive position in the domestic and international |
| motors are controlled and regulated by three-phase | | | | markets. |
| inverters. The Dow Corning, GE Global Research, | | | | |