A new EPIC project coordinated by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is aimed at accelerating the drying of electrodes for lithium-ion batteries, increasing the energy efficiency of this process and reducing production cost. KIT says innovative electrode drying management can reduce the cost of battery production and improve environmental performance. The quality of Li-ion battery… Read more »
Posts By: Tom Lombardo
Hitachi establishes new EV motor company
Hitachi Automotive Systems recently established a spinoff—Hitachi Automotive Electric Motor Systems America—for the development, manufacture and sale of EV motors. The new company, led by President Shingo Nakamura, will utilize the existing 260,000 square-meter Hitachi office and manufacturing facilities in Berea City, Kentucky. Full production is expected to start in 2022, depending on the effects… Read more »
teamtechnik software applies Industry 4.0 optimization to End-of-Line EV system testing
End-of-Line (EOL) testing of EV powertrains now generates more data than ever, thanks to the ubiquity of smart sensors and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). With a focus on testing and measurement, teamtechnik applies Industry 4.0 tools and techniques to optimize production and testing processes. Sometimes called “the fourth industrial revolution,” Industry 4.0 expands… Read more »
GM to debut wireless EV battery management system
General Motors will use an almost completely wireless battery management system (wBMS)—the first of its kind, according to GM—for production EVs. This wireless system, developed with Analog Devices, will allow GM to power many types of EVs from a common set of battery components. The wBMS is expected to drive GM’s Ultium-powered EVs to market… Read more »
New anode material could lead to safer batteries with long cycle life
Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Jilin University have investigated a promising anode material for future high-performance batteries: lithium lanthanum titanate with a perovskite crystal structure (LLTO). As the team reported in Nature Communications, LLTO can improve battery energy density, power density, charging rate, safety and cycle life without requiring a particle… Read more »
Mercedes and CATL team up on future battery technology
Mercedes-Benz and Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) are collaborating to create new battery technology for the high-volume electrification of Mercedes vehicles. The carmaker is accelerating its Electric First strategy, and plans to use carbon-neutral battery cells, modules and systems supplied by CATL. The agreement covers the full range of battery technologies, from cells to modules for… Read more »
Use of aluminum growing faster than any other automotive material
A new survey reports that the use of aluminum is growing faster than that of any other automotive material, and is expected to grow to content levels of 514 pounds per vehicle (PPV) by 2026, up 12% from 2020 levels. The survey, conducted by DuckerFrontier, analyzes the latest information on material content for North American… Read more »
EnergyX and ProfMOF partner on lithium-ion nanotechnology
Energy Exploration Technologies (EnergyX) and ProfMOF have announced a partnership to promote the use of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), a relatively new class of nanotechnology materials suitable for applications in the renewable energy and battery storage fields. Capable of separating, transporting and isolating specific elements at the ionic level, MOFs are dense and malleable materials made… Read more »
Vitesco to supply drive control units for Volkswagen EVs
Vitesco Technologies, a maker of electric powertrains, will provide drive control units for the Volkswagen ID.3. “This product makes us part of Volkswagen’s electrification ecosystem, which is proof of our strong system and electronics expertise across the entire vehicle propulsion system and beyond,” said Vitesco VP Wolfgang Breuer. Vitesco developed the drive control unit for… Read more »
BorgWarner to build integrated drive module for Ford Mustang Mach-E
BorgWarner has announced that it is building an Integrated Drive Module (iDM) for Ford’s new all-electric Mustang Mach-E SUV. The iDM comes complete with a BorgWarner thermal-management system and a gearbox integrated with a motor and power electronics from other suppliers. “Our knowledge of system integration, paired with our gearing proficiency, allows us to design… Read more »