At the upcoming International Motor Show in Frankfurt, BMW will have four new plug-in hybrid models on display. All are based on the company’s eDrive technology, initially developed for the i3 and i8. The modular structure of the eDrive system is designed to make it easier to add an electrified powertrain to different vehicle models…. Read more »
Saft America has received a $6.13-million award from the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC), in collaboration with the DOE, to develop stop-start battery technology. The 30-month contract, which includes a 50% cost-share by Saft, will focus on the development and delivery of lithium-ion 12-volt modules for stop-start battery applications. Saft has previously worked with… Read more »
Connecticut, one of 14 states that have adopted California’s clean-air standards, has set a goal of putting 300,000 zero-emission and hybrid vehicles on the state’s roads by 2025. To further that aim, it has established an incentive program with a new wrinkle: instead of having to apply for a rebate after buying a new vehicle,… Read more »
PlugShare, the maker of a popular charging station locator app, has teamed up with solar energy provider Sungevity to offer a free home charging station, including installation, with the purchase of a rooftop solar system. The Drive Solar program offers qualified customers in the San Francisco Bay Area a 7.2 kW GE WattStation, which can… Read more »
Unlike an ICE vehicle, which produces more than enough engine heat to warm the interior, an EV requires an additional electric heater, which gobbles power and limits range. In a worst-case scenario on a cold winter day, the car’s effective range could be cut in half. Several groups around the world are looking for a… Read more »
Responding to the consistent consumer clamor for more range, Nissan has equipped the 2016 LEAF with an optional 30 kWh battery pack that provides an EPA-estimated range of 107 miles – a 27% increase over the current 24 kWh pack. The LEAF comes in three trim levels, and the new battery is standard on the… Read more »
The UK government has announced that the current Plug-in Car Grant scheme, which offers rebates of up to £5,000 ($7,800) to EV buyers, will be extended until at least February 2016. The government previously said that the grant program would be reevaluated once 50,000 plug-in vehicles had been sold, a milestone that is now expected… Read more »
New EV companies are cropping up like dendrites on a lithium metal anode. The latest startup to emerge from stealth mode is called NextEV. Like many of the current crop (see Faraday Future, Atieva, Fisker, Leshi), NextEV is backed by Chinese investors, and is not affiliated with a traditional automaker, although it has recruited execs… Read more »
Battery tech startup Lionano has announced an agreement with Cornell University’s Center for Technology Licensing (CTL) to develop and produce a “drop-in” anode material for Li-ion batteries. The new material is a hollow-structured metal oxide that can substantially reduce the volumetric expansion of a conventional anode. According to Lionano, it can deliver a capacity of… Read more »
Sales of conventional hybrids may be flat, but electrification is steadily creeping into ICE vehicles through the rear door, so to speak. Auto supply giant Bosch has developed a hybrid powertrain that it says costs just a fraction of today’s hybrid systems. “The boost recuperation system is the hybrid for everyone,” says Bosch Board Member… Read more »
