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Future of the Automotive IndustryThe first event of its kind, Auto FutureTech Summit 2008 was an elite global gathering of representatives of the automotive and fuel sector's major stakeholders. Their purpose was to explore together the key issues, challenges and opportunities that will confront the global automobile industry over the coming decade. This was a unique opportunity to gain the perspectives of the industry's leading decision-makers on the forces that will drive change and determine success in the global marketplace of tomorrow. Future Automotive MarketsWednesday, March 12 10:30 12:00 After a 100-year reign, the gasoline-powered internal combustion engine is likely approaching its final decades. The implications for the broader environmental movement-and for the people who design, build and sell automobiles-are profound. Every step toward greater fuel efficiency, reduced emissions and auto/fuel alternatives-coming simultaneously from changes in consumer demand, legislative developments and technology breakthroughs-will have its impact. This panel brought together the keenest observers of auto industry market trends to analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing these industries, and the implications for global warming and energy security.
Bradley Berman, Director, Auto FutureTech Summit; Editor, HybridCars.com, Berkeley, CA (Moderator)
Hybrids and Plug-in Hybrids: The Emergence of Grid-Connected VehiclesWednesday, March 12 1:30 3:00 Hybrid gas-electric cars represent one of the auto industry's fastest growing segments. And hot on the heels of hybrids are plug-in hybrids, which offer many of the advantages of fully electric cars, plus the range and convenience of today's hybrids. The ability of plug-in hybrids to push fuel efficiency over the 100-mpg mark-and greatly reduce tailpipe emissions from the vehicle-is being championed by car companies, utility companies, energy security advocates, and environmentalists alike. This panel examined likely market and technology scenarios for the evolution of hybrids from today's gas-electric cars to tomorrow's grid-connected vehicles.
Rusty Heffner, Associate, Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, VA (Moderator) Cars & the Electric GridWednesday, March 12 3:30 5:00 There are nearly 180,000 gasoline stations in the US alone. Building a hydrogen highway or ethanol avenue will require an overhaul of the entire refueling network. But a future in which cars are viewed as moving electric appliances that can plug into electric outlets in any home or business provides a more immediate and feasible technology migration path. But is our fragile electric grid capable of supplying enough power to supply millions of cars? Can utilities produce enough of the required energy in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly manner? Can next-generation car batteries serve as portable and distributed energy storage devices, and thus strengthen the grid via two-way vehicle-to-grid (V2G) energy systems? Strategists from electric utility companies and federal and local energy agencies discussed how they are preparing to get into the car energy business.
Donna LeClair, Chief Technology Officer, BC Hydro, Vancouver, BC (Moderator) Innovation in Auto ComponentsThursday, March 13 8:30 10:00 Public awareness about green business is usually limited to consumer brands. But some of the most critical eco-innovations occur in the R&D departments of companies which supply components and raw materials. The auto industry is the perfect case in point. Many of the next-generation fuel-saving technologies, which will debut in the cars of the future, are currently being developed by auto suppliers. Relevant components include advanced gasoline and diesel engines, battery and related electric systems, electric motors and generators, power-split devices, and new materials. In this session-a suppliers' roundtable-the leading auto supply companies discussed the role of the supplier in bringing about a green car revolution, evaluated their work as a model for other industries, and highlighted their latest products. Lindsay Brooke, Senior Editor, Automotive Engineering International, SAE International, Troy, MI (Moderator) Lithium Batteries: The Game-Changing Green Car TechnologyThursday, March 13 10:30 12:00 The emergence of small, lightweight lithium-ion batteries has helped create a market for notebook computers, cell phones, and other portable devices, from the iPod to the BlackBerry. Researchers have toiled for many years in attempts to scale this technology for use in automotive traction batteries. While the benefit for consumers could be revolutionary-and could open the door to plug-in hybrids and battery-electric vehicles-challenges remain significant. This session emphasized economic and environmental strategy rather than chemistry and engineering. The major players in the battery industry discussed the race to lithium and the resulting impact for the auto industry and the environment.
Ann Marie Sastry, Professor of Mechanical Engineering; Professor of Biomedical Engineering; Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbour, MI (Moderator) The Electric Vehicle RenaissanceThursday, March 13 1:30 3:00 Electric vehicles figured prominently in the early history of the automobile. Recent advances in battery technology and electronics promise to create an electric vehicle renaissance in the 21st century. Cars running purely on electricity-with no gasoline engine on board-are fast, efficient, quiet and fun to drive. And yet, market obstacles such as limited driving range continue to persist. In this session, executives from companies trying to usher in the new age of electric cars discussed opportunities and obstacles.
Brian P. Wynne, President, Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA), Washington, DC (Moderator) Clean DieselThursday, March 13 3:30 5:00 Vehicles that use diesel fuel are likely to play a critical role in the future of automotive technology. Diesels, which attain better fuel economy than their gasoline counterparts, already account for nearly half of all new vehicle sales in Europe. In some European countries (such as France), diesel vehicles account for as much as 70 percent of new car sales. While diesel engines emit less carbon dioxide than gasoline engines, they emit more oxides of nitrogen and particulate matter, and therefore face significant regulatory challenges in many regions in the United States and in Europe. This session explored key questions: Are cleaner diesel engines and fuels just around the corner? What about biodiesel? Will new diesel engines and fuels meet increasingly stringent environmental requirements?
Timothy V. Johnson, Director, Emerging Regulations and Technologies, Corning Environmental Technologies, Corning Inc., Corning, NY (Moderator) Hydrogen-Powered Vehicles: Dreams & RealityFriday, March 14 8:30 10:00 Automakers and government agencies have invested billions of dollars into breakthrough hydrogen technologies, and there is evidence that the investment is beginning to pay off. Cars powered by hydrogen and fuel cell technologies are finally moving towards commercialization. Do the recent announcements from a number of carmakers about production-level hydrogen cars mean that zero-emission technology is ready to move beyond the concept stage? This session took a hard look at the dreams and realities of hydrogen-powered vehicles.
John Voelcker, Auto journalist & Author, New York, NY (Moderator) |
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