Volkswagen wanted to determine what could happen when an EV is plugged into a 350 kW DC fast charger on the hottest days, so the company spent the past year building an EV charging test site at its Arizona Proving Grounds. The 50 charging stations, which feature a mix of standards and power levels from… Read more »
Sponsored by Hesse Mechatronics By Mike McKeown and Dr. Dirk Siepe, Hesse Mechatronics Wire bonding cylindrical battery packs is becoming more mainstream in the alternative energy market these days. This article will review the design guidelines for how to successfully implement a wire or ribbon bonding process for battery packs using cylindrical lithium-ion cells. It… Read more »
Colorado-based Lightning Systems has launched a new all-electric powertrain for the popular Ford F-550 Chassis Cab, which can be used for shuttle buses, delivery trucks and many other specialty vehicles. The new Lightning Electric Ford F-550 will be available in gross vehicle weight ratings (GVWR) of 17,500 to 19,500 pounds. The company is now accepting… Read more »
TE Connectivity’s new EV solutions kits contain all of the company’s high-voltage terminals and connectors needed to create an assembly, now in a single package. Kits are available for AMP+ HVA 280, AMP+ HVA 630, AMP+ HVP 800, AMP+ HVP 1100, and AMP+ IPT solutions designed for high-voltage EV applications. “To make ordering and assembly… Read more »
A new documentary segment from Discovery’s Science Channel offers a rare, brief look inside Tesla’s Gigafactory 1 in Nevada. The 10-minute segment, part of an episode of the Super Factories series, features a bit of new footage from inside the Gigafactory, where few mortals have been permitted to tread. Highlights include some cool shots of… Read more »
Adamas Intelligence—the developer of a web-based platform that helps users track monthly deployment of battery materials, battery capacity, battery chemistries and cell suppliers—will provide an informative overview of the EV battery market in the past half-year at the Charged Virtual Conference on EV Engineering. In a new webcast session announced this week, Alla Kolesnikova, Head… Read more »
At its largest European manufacturing location in Dingolfing, Germany, BMW recently opened the Competence Centre for E-Drive Production. Having produced electric powertrain components in Dingolfing since 2013, the BMW Group is now expanding its capacity. Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder and Chairman of the Board Oliver Zipse symbolically launched the production of the new, highly integrated… Read more »
The diversity of electric motors used in today’s EVs is quite striking. Motor-makers have a huge range of choices, from materials to rotor and stator designs, and they’ve explored many different possibilities. In April, teardown specialist Sandy Munro analyzed 10 leading EV motors and developed a comprehensive side-by-side comparison report. Designing a motor involves trade-offs… Read more »
China is Buick’s largest market, and the brand seems to be GM’s chosen channel to introduce its new energy vehicles. Buick offers a wide range of electrified models, from 48 V mild-hybrids to pure EVs, in China. Last October, Buick launched the Velite 6 Plus, an EV with a range of 255 miles. Now Buick… Read more »
What a difference a few years (and some judicious government policy) makes. Back in 2014, the US was the center of the EV scene, and sales in Europe had yet to crack the one-percent mark. Now the Continent has left us behind. In June, the market share of plug-in vehicles exceeded 8% in all of… Read more »
