The US Environmental Protection Agency has finalized a set of new auto emissions standards, which the New York Times calls “the most significant climate action taken to date by the Biden administration, and [the] highest level ever set for fuel economy.” The story so far: In 2017, major automakers asked the incoming US president to… Read more »
A new study from DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory seeks to identify the reasons that DC fast charging accelerates battery degradation. The researchers gained some new insights into a process that can cause damage to the anode during charging and discharging. A paper based on the study, “Increased disorder at graphite particle edges revealed by multilength… Read more »
The Dutch city of Utrecht is already pretty green. The rate of car ownership is far lower than in the US. The city boasts the world’s largest bike parking garage and an extensive network of bike lanes, and a new car-free neighborhood for 20,000 people is on the drawing board. Even here, however, cars aren’t… Read more »
Ford has launched a new sustainable charging program that allows plug-in vehicle owners in California to opt for carbon-neutral home charging. Ford is participating in the California Air Resource Board (CARB) Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program, which allows customers to match the use of electricity for charging with 100-percent local renewable energy. Owners of… Read more »
Sponsored by Schaeffler Imagine a hybrid vehicle that could not only heat a home when the power goes out, but that could also pull a bigger trailer than its non-hybrid brother while using less fuel. Ford Motor Co. did just this with the new 2021 F-150. To enable that hybridization, Schaeffler designed and industrialized a… Read more »
Automaker Stellantis and electronics manufacturer Foxconn are teaming up to design and produce purpose-built semiconductors for the automotive industry. “With Foxconn, we aim to create four new families of chips that will cover over 80% of our semiconductor needs, helping to significantly modernize our components, reduce complexity, and simplify the supply chain,” said Stellantis CEO… Read more »
Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories may have discovered a way to make a longer-lasting, more efficient battery. The team used Kelvin probe force microscopy to locate places where electron flows get stuck. Solid-state batteries use solid electrolytes instead of electrochemical gels and liquids. Researchers suspected that there was a loss of voltage at interfaces within… Read more »
ITECH has released four new IT-M3900 power supply products: the IT-M3900B for regenerative power systems; the IT-M3900C for bidirectional DC power supplies; the IT-M3900D for DC high-power supplies; and the IT-M3800 for regenerative DC loads. The maximum power of a 1U unit is 6 kW, and the maximum of a 2U unit is 12 kW…. Read more »
Atom Power, manufacturer of a UL-listed solid-state digital circuit breaker, has launched a new EV charging solution called PURPL, which charges vehicles directly from the circuit breaker, and incorporates energy management technology to keep electricity costs low. Because PURPL charges EVs directly from the breaker, the charging station itself does not contain expensive electronics—it’s simply… Read more »
Big engine specialist Cummins has released the new PowerDrive 8000 system for terminal tractors. Cummins will begin field tests of the new product with Kalmar, one of Cummins’ lead customers, in early 2022, and the two companies will partner to offer battery-electric terminal tractors globally. Terminal tractors (aka drayage tractors or yard goats) are ideal… Read more »
