Dr. Steven Chu, a Nobel Prize winner in Physics and the former US Secretary of Energy, has joined the Board of Directors of Amprius, a developer of lithium-ion batteries with operations in California and China. Amprius, co-founded by Stanford Professor Yi Cui, introduced its first generation of batteries in May 2013, and it is now… Read more »
FedEx Express will begin testing Nissan’s e-NV200 electric cargo vehicle under real-world conditions in Washington DC. The companies have conducted similar e-NV200 tests with fleets in Japan, Singapore, the UK and Brazil, but this test will be the e-NV200’s North American debut. The front-wheel drive e-NV200 has a powertrain based on the LEAF, and the… Read more »
LG Chem, the world’s largest lithium-ion battery maker, has obtained a patent for its safety-reinforced separator (SRS) in Europe and Japan. The company already has patents for the technology in South Korea, the US and China. The separator is an important component of lithium-ion polymer batteries, separating the negative and positive poles to prevent internal… Read more »
By Tom Saxton, Chief Science Officer, Plug In America With over 160,000 170,000 plug-in vehicles on the road in the US, an increasing number of drivers are depending on public charging to extend the useful range of their vehicles, both for extended trips in large metro areas and for even longer road trips. At the same time, there is… Read more »
Mitsubishi seems to be in no hurry to bring its Outlander PHEV to the US, but the new plug-in SUV has gotten off to a splendid start in Europe. MMC launched the new model in the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Switzerland last October, and has already booked over 12,000 orders. It had delivered over 8,000 units by… Read more »
If you’ve got an idea for cheaper, lighter, safer or more durable batteries or electric powertrain components, you may be eligible for a piece of a new $10 million pot of research funding. The DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) has issued an Incubator Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for projects that address any of several “areas… Read more »
The Nissan LEAF silently cruised past a milestone as global sales reached 100,000. The electric hatchback, which is now available in 35 countries, remains the best-selling EV in history, with a 45% market share. “I have chosen my Nissan LEAF because I am very interested in its running costs,” said UK dentist Dr. Brett Garner,… Read more »
Apollo Sunguard Systems of Sarasota, Florida has won a contract to supply 183 EV charging stations at federal government buildings across the country. Apollo, which outbid five competitors for the job, will serve as distributor for the ChargePoint dual Level 2 charging stations. “We got the greatest Christmas present going,” says Apollo President Kevin Connelly…. Read more »
London’s classic black taxicabs are slowly but surely going electric. The new Range Extended Electric Metrocab, a plug-in hybrid taxi designed and built in the UK by Ecotive, a subsidiary of electric powertrain developer Frazer-Nash, will begin real-world trials in the British capital this month. London’s famous black taxis must conform to a host of… Read more »
In March 2012, Fuji Electric Corporation of America announced plans to begin selling its DC fast charging stations in the US. At that time, the company had already deployed over 300 of its chargers in other markets around the world. The company’s international experience gave it practical insight into the challenges of the EV charging… Read more »
