It now appears that Tesla has been selling EV regulatory credits on three continents, and ironically Volkswagen, the legacy automaker that seems to be the most serious about electrification, has emerged as the latest buyer. Tesla has made a tidy little side business out of selling EV credits to automakers that couldn’t (or chose not… Read more »
Evonik has introduced the silicon-carbon composite material Siridion Black as a new anode material for lithium-ion batteries, claiming that it increases energy density, and improves fast-charging capability and energy efficiency. “Until now, graphite has been used as an anode material in lithium-ion batteries, but batteries with a higher capacity need new materials that also allow… Read more »
DHL Freight and Volvo Trucks have partnered to test the introduction of heavy-duty electric trucks for regional transport. To date, most deployments of electric trucks in Europe have been for shorter distances within urban areas. Now the two firms have initiated a project focusing on longer-distance heavy transport use cases. DHL and Volvo are conducting… Read more »
MIT researchers analyzed three decades of studies that examined the decline in lithium-ion battery prices, and found that costs have dropped by 97 percent since they were first commercially introduced in 1991. This rate of improvement is much faster than many analysts had claimed, and is comparable to that of photovoltaic panels, which some had… Read more »
Last-mile delivery is a perfect use case for EVs, but fleet operators (understandably) tend to insist on lengthy real-world pilots before placing substantial orders. The latest delivery giant to move from testing to deployment is DHL Express, which wrapped up a successful pilot program using nine Lightning Electric Ford Transit 350HD electric vans in the… Read more »
Semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia has announced a partnership with United Automotive Electronic Systems (UAES), a provider of automotive powertrain and body control systems. The program will focus on power systems for EVs, with the aim of jointly developing automotive applications using gallium nitride (GaN) technology. UAES is currently using Nexperia GaN FETs in EV projects such… Read more »
Unifrax has announced that its new proprietary technology, SiFAB (Silicon Fiber Anode Battery Technology), which is currently in advanced testing after years of R&D, has shown promising performance in multiple battery systems, enables higher energy density, and has demonstrated incremental Si loadings of greater than 40 percent. “SiFAB is the latest development from our long-standing… Read more »
President Biden’s next priority is a massive infrastructure bill, and e-mobility is very much a part of the plan to upgrade and modernize the country’s transportation system. The administration is going big. “The American Jobs Plan will invest in America in a way we have not invested since we built the interstate highways and won… Read more »
Following his two informative presentations at our September conference comparing 10 leading EV motors and Tesla’s inverter technology versus other BEVs, Sandy Munro returns to the Charged Virtual Conference on EV Engineering, April 19-22, 2021. For many years, Munro & Associates has been performing teardowns—taking cars apart to find out what their components are, where… Read more »
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has expanded its material testing capabilities to include performance and compatibility evaluations of the rubber, elastomers and thermoplastics used to seal and safely maintain lithium-ion batteries. The company has installed equipment and adopted new testing protocols in its Plymouth, Michigan Central Laboratory that will provide data on which materials optimally resist breakdown… Read more »
