The first Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive has rolled off the assembly line in Rastatt, Germany, and is scheduled to go on sale in the US this summer. With an MSRP expected to be in the low 40s, the electric Benz may prove a worthy competitor to the BMW i3, and could really shake up the… Read more »
Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE:FSL) has announced a new battery sensor that it says is the first to combine three measurement channels, a 16/32-bit MCU, and a CAN protocol module in a single package. The MM9Z1J638 battery sensor measures key battery parameters for monitoring state of health (SOH), state of charge (SOC) and state of function (SOF)… Read more »
Ultracapacitor pioneer Ioxus has announced the launch of a series of module systems for a single-piece extruded housing for use with all of its axial ultracapacitors. The iMOD X-Series allows for every cell to be in thermal contact with the outside of the housing, allowing for even heating and cooling, as well as reduced heat… Read more »
After a little over three years on the market, is the Chevy Volt a hit or a miss? With 58,000 units sold, it’s one of the world’s top-selling plug-ins to date. However, its sales are still minuscule compared to its legacy gas-powered cousins. CNET’s Brooke Crothers recently spoke with Volt Marketing Manager Dora Norwicki and… Read more »
The European MotorBrain project has presented a prototype of a lightweight electric motor system that integrates the motor, gear drive and inverter, and requires no rare earth metals. The prototype motor system is three quarters the size of models from the beginning of the project in 2011, and, at less than 77 kg (170 lbs),… Read more »
The Swiss firm BRUSA, which makes a range of electric powertrain components, including motors, controllers, power electronics, battery packs and onboard chargers, has started developing a new generation of its Inductive Charging System (ICS). The new wireless charger runs at 7.2 kW, twice the power of the previous version, with the same footprint. The company plans… Read more »
New $2,500 California rebate program for public agencies located in Bay Area Air Quality Management District The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) announced a new rebate program, on April 3, for public agencies that purchase or lease electric vehicles. Highlights of the program include: Approved public agencies can receive $2,500 vouchers for purchasing or… Read more »
Ioxus, a manufacturer of ultracapacitor technology, has raised $21 million in a series C funding round from investors that include IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and venture capital firm the Westly Group (this follows $15 million that Ioxus raised last July). Supercapacitors (aka ultracapacitors or ultracaps), with their superior charge/discharge rates and… Read more »
Smith Electric Vehicles, a builder of electric medium-duty trucks that was featured in our January 2013 issue, has suspended production, but CEO Bryan Hansel is adamant that the company is not closing its doors for good. Hansel said that Smith decided on the temporary stoppage because the business is building vehicles at a loss and… Read more »
FEV is exhibiting a new transmission specially designed for plug-in hybrid powertrains at this week’s SAE World Congress in Detroit. According to FEV, engine downsizing for increased fuel efficiency has led to challenges for transmission developers, who must provide higher levels of capability in a smaller package. The company took a “clean sheet approach” to… Read more »