In quest of faster charging times, some EV-makers are gradually raising the power capacity of their vehicles’ onboard chargers. However, a new analysis from Frost & Sullivan predicts that onboard chargers with power ratings between 3 and 3.7 kW will remain the norm, especially in lower-end models, and will account for 62 percent of sales in… Read more »
Avis Denmark has placed an order for 401 Nissan e-NV200 electric vans and a further 60 LEAFs, bringing the company’s total EV fleet to 861 vehicles. The new vehicles will be offered on long-term leases, not for short-term airport car rentals. Avis purchased 400 LEAFs in 2014, which were successfully placed through its leasing scheme…. Read more »
Tesla reached another corporate milestone this week, making its first acquisition, Michigan tool and die manufacturer Riviera Tool. The company will be renamed the Tesla Tool and Die Factory, and most of the 100 employees are expected to stay on, the Detroit News reported. “This acquisition enables Tesla to bring additional capabilities in-house, streamlining production… Read more »
Last month at the SAE World Congress in Detroit, Charged came across a very interesting booth in the career development section. Atieva, a company we’ve heard little about, is hiring a lot of engineers for a new EV project. “Atieva is designing and creating a breakthrough electric car in the heart of Silicon Valley,” says the… Read more »
GaN Systems Inc., a developer of gallium nitride power switching semiconductors, has closed a $20-million Series C financing round. The company will use the new money to ramp up sales and marketing efforts and to continue expanding its manufacturing line. GaN Systems says its Island Technology results in devices that are smaller and more efficient… Read more »
[Updated 5/10/15 to include Elon Musk’s comments on talks with Google. Originally posted 4/22/15.] Since shortly after Tesla began its automotive adventures, folks have been speculating that the company might be acquired by one of the cash-rich technology giants, but more industry-savvy observers have generally poo-poohed the idea. In a new biography of Elon Musk,… Read more »
Solid-state electrolytes are the talk of the town these days. California-based PATHION has been working to commercialize solid electrolytes since its founding in 2012, building on its exclusive license from Los Alamos National Laboratories for a promising material called Lithium-Rich Anti-Perovskite (LiRAP). At the recent Materials Research Conference, PATHION presented two new superionic solid-state electrolytes built upon… Read more »
The EV market in Europe got off to a late start, but now that European automakers such as BMW, Volkswagen, Mercedes and Audi have introduced plug-in models, things are starting to move quickly. Registrations of new electric vehicles (including BEVs, PHEVs and FCVs) in the EU countries grew from 11,304 units in Q1 2014 to 24,630… Read more »
Tesla Motors is the epitome of a “moving target,” so when I released my history of the company in mid-2014, I knew it would be out of date before long. Like the company’s vehicles, the book continues to be regularly updated, and each new version will be smoothly delivered through the magic of the internet…. Read more »
The 2016 Chevrolet Volt is on its way. MSRP for the base LT model will be $33,995 including delivery – $1,175 lower than the 2015 Volt, and close to the $33,560 average price of a new vehicle, as estimated by KBB (via Green Car Reports). There’s also a snazzier trim level that has a host of high-tech… Read more »
