Milton Keynes, Greenwich, Gallium Nitride, London, ALABC.

Autonomous and electric: In the UK, five pilot projects with self-driving vehicles launched this Wednesday. In Milton Keynes, three electric pods named “Lutz Pathfinder” connect the main station with the city centre. And tourists visiting Greenwich can now take a seat in driverless electric shuttle buses.
transportevolved.com, theguardian.com, gov.uk, citymetric.com (pictures)

On-board charging: Fiat-Chrysler company FCA US, Delta Products, Transphorm and Virginia Tech together are developing an efficient 6.6kW bidirectional on-board charger for PEVs based on Gallium Nitride power switches. The U.S. Department of Energy supports the project with 3 million dollars.
greencarcongress.com

The Metrocab is now roaming the streets of London as the range-extended electric taxi has just been approved by Transport for London (TfL) to carry paying passengers. Made by British Frazer-Nash Research and Ecotive, the new black cab comes with panoramic glass roof and as a six-seater plus an optional front passenger’s seat. A trial is currently being run in Hackney, East London.
hybridcars.com (with video), taxileaks.de

48V mild hybrids: The Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium (ALABC) showcased three hybrid electric concept vehicles resulting from its R&D program that demonstrate the real-world potential of lead-carbon batteries in 48V architectures. Two of the cars were produced in association with major OEMs (Ford and Hyundai/Kia).
greencarcongress.com

– Feedback –

Most clicked link on Wednesday was the report from industry insider Georg Kacher on the upcoming BMW i5/i7.
carmagazine.co.uk