The German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) says that the number of public EV charging stations rose more than 50% from summer 2018 to summer 2019. Germany currently has 20,650 charging stations, up from 13,500 the previous year. Of those, 12% are rapid charging stations. The country now has more EVs on the… Read more »
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is launching a $40-million program called the Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE), which is designed to aid in the purchase of zero-emission off-road freight technology. CORE will offer vouchers for buyers to offset the higher initial costs of zero-emission equipment, including the following: On- and off-road terminal… Read more »
Sponsored by Hesse GmbH By Sebastian Holtkämper, Product Manager, Hesse GmbH Looking back a decade ago on a tough worldwide EV market, hundreds of thousands of hybrid electrical vehicles (HEV), but only a few thousand battery vehicles (BEV) were yearly sold. Compared to the total car market, electric driving was a true niche experience at… Read more »
Japanese auto and motorcycle parts maker Musashi Seimitsu has invested in KeraCel, a Silicon Valley-based company that is developing solid-state batteries using 3D printing technologies. KeraCel says its 3D printing can create safe, low-cost, compact and flexible solid-state batteries. The company plans to commercialize these technologies and products in the near future. This long-term partnership… Read more »
The American automakers’ plug-in programs may seem to have stalled, but both GM and Ford have exciting things bubbling beneath the surface, which are expected to burst forth sometime in the next couple of years. Ford has said it plans to invest $11.5 billion to introduce 40 electrified vehicles by 2022, of which 16 will… Read more »
Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz Energy and BAIC’s Beijing Electric Vehicle Co. will partner to establish second-life energy storage systems in China. The companies plan to set up the first second-life energy storage unit in Beijing, repurposing retired batteries from BAIC’s BJEV models. Gordon Gassmann, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Energy, said, “The extension of regenerative and thus high-fluctuation energy… Read more »
Japanese semiconductor manufacturer Renesas Electronics has announced its fourth-generation Li-ion battery management integrated circuit (IC). The company says its new ISL78714 IC provides accurate cell voltage and temperature monitoring, cell balancing, and extensive system diagnostics to protect 14-cell Li-ion battery packs, all while maximizing drive time and range for hybrid and electric vehicles. The ISL78714… Read more »
Sponsored by Heraeus Major trends in electronic applications involve operation temperatures above 150 °C, increased power density and longer lifetime. This requires a high melting temperature and fatigue resistance, improved thermal conductivity and reduced electrical resistivity of the connecting material. Silver-based sintering technology is suited for high operation temperatures due to its pure Ag die… Read more »
BMW plans to bring its Induction Charging Pilot Program to the United States. The company launched the program in Germany in 2018. BMW’s Wireless Charging allows for automated charging via an induction GroundPad when a CarPad is fixed to the underside of the vehicle. The system has a charging power of 3.2 kW, which is… Read more »
Colorado’s Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) voted 8-1 to approve the state’s adoption of the zero-emissions vehicle mandate. Colorado became the 10th state to join California’s ZEV program. According to the state’s Air Pollution Control Division (yes, this is a separate agency from the AQCC), automakers will be required to make ZEVs 4.9% of the… Read more »