Chinese EV maker BYD has sold 34 electric taxis in Brussels, capital of the EU, embarrassing the more established players Renault and Nissan. “I’d rather have chosen a European brand than a Chinese one of course,” said Luigi Marrocco, CEO of Taxis Bleus, one of the two biggest taxi companies in Brussels. “But when it… Read more »
Nissan has begun testing its LEAF to Home power supply system, which aims to use EV technology to help power grids cope with peaks in demand, provide power during natural disasters, and make electricity from renewable sources more viable. Energy management firm Eneres is conducting the tests, using LEAF EVs at several Nissan sales outlets…. Read more »
Assembly specialist Böllhoff and adhesive expert DELO have developed a new joining method for lightweight materials using a bonded bolt called ONSERT. The technology is ideally suited to carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), and the companies have tested it in a pilot project that secured cables, claddings and other components of the BMW i3. DELO… Read more »
The latest idea for reducing vehicle weight comes from the German engineering colossus Siemens, which has developed a way to integrate an EV’s motor and inverter in a single housing. An inverter, which converts the battery’s direct current into alternating current for the motor, is a key component of any EV. Siemens’ Sivetec MSA 3300… Read more »
Odyne Systems has delivered six new plug-in hybrid trucks to Consumers Energy, Michigan’s largest utility. The vehicles include three Terex Commander digger derricks, two Terex bucket trucks and an under-deck compressor vehicle with a Boss hydraulic lift and compressor. All six trucks were manufactured by Milwaukee-based DUECO, an independent provider of trucks for the utility… Read more »
Panasonic Enterprise Solutions has partnered with Powertree Services to build 68 EV charging stations at multi-unit residential properties in San Francisco. Each is part of a system that includes solar panels and battery storage. The installation will not only provide charging for vehicles, but also solar power to the buildings and load-balancing services to the… Read more »
Researchers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory have demonstrated a solid-state high-voltage (5 V) lithium battery with an extremely long cycle life (10,000 cycles) and high Coulombic efficiency (99.98%). The solid electrolyte enables the use of high-voltage cathodes and lithium anodes with minimal side reactions. The energy stored in a battery of a given size… Read more »
Daimler has reorganized its financial relationship with Tesla, selling its 4% stake in the California carmaker. The cooperation between the partners on the Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive is unaffected. “We are extremely satisfied with the development of our investment in Tesla, but it is not necessary for our partnership and cooperation,” said Daimler Board Member… Read more »
As part of Germany’s Visio.M electromobility project, researchers at Munich Technical University (TUM) have developed a torque vectoring transmission that’s designed to improve handling and recoup the maximum amount of braking energy. “While drive torque is normally distributed 50/50 to the wheels of the drive axle, our torque vectoring system doses the torque between the… Read more »
The Golden State is preparing for the electrified future in a comprehensive way. The California Building Code will soon require that all newly constructed housing and parking lots provide the conduit and electrical system capacity for EV charging stations, beginning in 2015. EVSE installation often requires trenching to run new electrical conduit, as well as… Read more »
