By all accounts, Tesla’s battery tech is superior to anything currently available to the legacy automakers. So, if you can’t beat ‘em, what do you do? You join ‘em—or poach some of their battery talent to lead your own efforts. Battery developer Northvolt was founded in 2017 by two Tesla alums who were involved in… Read more »
GreenPower Motor Company has signed a lease/purchase agreement for a manufacturing facility in South Charleston, West Virginia, where it will produce electric school buses. The 9.5-acre property includes an 80,000-square-foot building. GreenPower plans to begin production at the facility by the second half of 2022. As part of the agreement, the state will provide up… Read more »
The VETERIA21 Project is aimed at developing new and more efficient transformation processes for thermoplastic composites used in EV battery casings. With funding from Spain’s Valencia Regional Government and implementation by Spain-based plastics company AIMPLAS, the VETERIA21 project aims to replace metal casings with thermoplastic composites. The company says thermoplastic composites provide several advantages, including… Read more »
Powertrain company Benevelli has introduced a new line of IPM electric motors called the SMAC Series 270, which is intended for the EV and off-highway vehicle markets. The range of motors is designed for high-performance traction, power generation, electro-hydraulic systems and specialized high-power applications. Each of the air- and liquid-cooled motors features a stator 270… Read more »
Automakers have invested big bucks in fuel cells over the past few years, and they’d probably be glad to find some viable applications for the technology. GM is developing ways to apply its Hydrotec fuel cell technology to power generation. GM is planning multiple Hydrotec-based power generators, all powered by GM’s Generation 2 Hydrotec fuel… Read more »
Battery recycling firm Li-Cycle expects to begin operating a battery recycling facility in Warren, Ohio in early 2023 as part of its hub-and-spoke model. Li-Cycle will install and operate its proprietary Spoke technology and equipment on the site of the Ultium Cells battery manufacturing megafactory, which is currently under construction. Its output will be black… Read more »
BMW of North America and Electrify America have announced an agreement to provide 2022 BMW EV customers with two years of 30-minute complimentary charging sessions at all Electrify America public charging stations. The program will launch with the sale of the new BMW iX xDrive50, BMW i4 eDrive40 and BMW i4 M50 in March. Customers… Read more »
Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage has launched a new photorelay that’s designed for high-voltage automotive batteries, battery voltage monitoring, and the detection of mechanical relay sticking and ground faults. The new TLX9160T is an AEC-Q101-qualified photorelay that’s composed of a SO16L-T package, and features high-voltage MOSFETs and an avalanche current rating of 0.6 mA in IAV…. Read more »
EV charger and DC converter company Green Watt Power has added new 10-amp models to its EVC 3300 line of Level 2 chargers. The new models, which will be available in March, are designed for a range of EVs including material handlers, motorcycles, scooters and e-carts. The new 3.3 kW chargers feature CAN communication compatibility,… Read more »
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, aka the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal—whatever you call it, it provides a plentiful pot of federal funding for EV charging infrastructure. When Charged spoke with former EPA official Margo Oge in January about the policy, we asked her how long it would take before the money starts to flow. “I… Read more »
