If you were wondering whether or not General Motors is truly throwing its weight behind green technology then take a look at its list of 1,300 patents filed last year – more than half of them were devoted to green innovations.
A study released by the Intellectual Capital Merchant Banc firm Ocean Tomo LLC looked into the patent activity of the top 15 global car makers and found that General Motors is a leader in the area. James E Malackowski, the CEO of Ocean Tomo LLC, commented that GM has “higher average quality and newer green technology and patents than the other 14 automakers combined.”
So just what are these green patents?
Perhaps one of the most notable is for the development of a new catalyst material that helps purify the exhaust from diesel and other lean burning engines. Whereas traditional catalysts use platinum, a team of GM researchers has found that perovskite can provide similar performance while helping reduce costs.
Another notable breakthrough is a new device that uses a material called shape memory alloy that changes shape when heated. This can be used to convert waste heat from a vehicle’s engine into electricity which in turn powers auxiliary equipment such as interior lighting or a car stereo.
According to Alan Taub, the vice president of GM Global Research and Development, the move towards electrification requires a “reinvention of the DNA of the automobile” and, as a result, the company’s green patent portfolio is helping it to achieve “world class technological breakthroughs”.
