Cargo ships, powered by heavy fuel oil with a high sulfur content, are some of the largest and most polluting vehicles on the planet, so electrifying them could be very cost-effective in terms of reducing air pollution. Last year, a consortium of Japanese companies announced a collaboration to develop an all-electric oil tanker. Now Asahi… Read more »
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GAC Group’s novel graphene-based battery tech will debut in a vehicle this year
Graphene, a crystalline allotrope of carbon, is reported to be a better electricity conductor than copper, 200 times stronger than steel, and six times lighter. Metal oxides can be attached to its surface to improve its energy storage functions. Now China’s GAC Group has announced “breakthrough progress” with a graphene-based super-fast-charging battery, which the company… Read more »
Virginia to become the next zero-emission vehicle state
The Virginia Senate has passed a bill that would establish California-style clean car standards in the state. The bill, HB 1965, creates low-emission vehicle (LEV) and zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) programs. It will strengthen regulations on tailpipe emissions, and require automakers to sell a certain number of ZEVs in Virginia. Governor Ralph Northam is expected to… Read more »
BorgWarner to acquire AKASOL
BorgWarner and AKASOL have signed an agreement to position BorgWarner to expand its commercial vehicle electrification capabilities. As part of the agreement, a subsidiary of BorgWarner will pay €120 per share in cash for all outstanding shares of AKASOL. Headquartered in Darmstadt, Germany, AKASOL designs and manufactures customizable battery packs for buses, commercial vehicles, rail… Read more »
Bluebus electric minibus, with solid-state LMP batteries, operating in France
The French city of Triel-sur-Seine has launched a trial of an electric shuttle service that uses a six-meter electric bus made by Bluebus, a subsidiary of the Bolloré Group. The minibuses, which will be delivered this summer, are part of an order for up to 800 e-buses from three manufacturers by Île-de-France Mobilités, an agency… Read more »
StoreDot releases samples of its “five-minute” EV battery
In 2015, Israeli battery developer StoreDot announced plans to enter the EV market with battery cells that it said could enable a 300-mile battery pack to be charged in 5 minutes. Now the company has launched engineering samples of its first-generation batteries that are designed to be manufactured at scale on traditional Li-lion production lines…. Read more »
Silicon anode nanostructure could increase battery capacity and lifespan
Image caption: In the first stage, the silicon film exists as a rigid but wobbly columnar structure. In the second stage, the columns touch at the top, forming a vaulted structure, which is strong due to arch action. In the third stage, further deposition of silicon atoms results in a sponge-like structure. The red dashed… Read more »
BorgWarner launches 800-volt electric motor for commercial vehicles
BorgWarner’s latest High Voltage Hairpin (HVH) electric motor, the HVH 320, is designed to power a variety of commercial EVs. Production of the HVH 320, which is equipped with 800-volt capabilities and is available in four variants, is expected to kick off in 2024. Its multifaceted platform will deliver over 400 kW of power at… Read more »
Tesla may get $1.2 billion worth of German subsidies
The European Commission recently approved a multinational project to support battery innovation, which will involve 42 companies, including several automakers. One of those automakers is Tesla, which may receive a cool billion euros ($1.2 billion) in public funding from the federal government of Germany and the state of Brandenburg, the site of the company’s Gigafactory… Read more »
New report outlines cooperation between utilities and school districts to finance electric school buses
A new report from the United States Public Interest Research Group (US-PIRG) outlines ways that utility companies and school districts can come together to deploy electric school buses across the country. Electric school buses are ready to roll—the technology is here, and protecting school children from noxious diesel fumes is a cause that draws a… Read more »

