Newswire

New study finds V2G discharging harmful to EV batteries

Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology is seen as a potentially valuable resource for balancing electrical grids and facilitating the use of renewable energy. However, a new study by a team at the University of Hawaii suggests that the additional cycling to discharge vehicle batteries to the grid is detrimental to battery performance. In “Durability and reliability of… Read more »

No more small pilots: It’s time to convert US transit buses to electric

City buses are an ideal application for EVs. The savings on fuel and maintenance are undeniable. In China, cities are ordering them by the thousand. So why are US cities still piddling around with pilots of a few buses? “The time for pilot programs should be in the rear-view mirror,” writes Gina Coplon-Newfield, Director of… Read more »

Tritium trials its Veefil fast chargers in China

Australian EVSE manufacturer Tritium, which recently expanded into the UK and opened an office in the US, has set its sights on another continent, beginning trials of its Veefil-RT 50 kW DC charger in China. The first Veefil charger has been installed in Jiangsu Province, near the financial center of Shanghai. “China is currently one… Read more »

EV tech explained: What are the limiting factors of an EV’s regenerative braking force?

In many EVs, regenerative braking is limited by the manufacturer to a modest level, and usually offers little or no ability for the driver to adjust it (aside from the few cases in which regen is made proportional to the initial movement of the brake pedal). Is tepid regen braking the result of some sort… Read more »

AK Steel receives $1.8-million DOE award to develop electrical steels for hybrids and EVs

Ohio-based AK Steel has won an award of up to $1.8 million from the DOE to develop a new generation of non-oriented electrical steels (NOES) for motors used in a variety of industrial and automotive applications, including hybrid and electric vehicles. The three-year project will be conducted in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and… Read more »

Leclanché’s new marine battery system earns international certification

Swiss battery-maker Leclanché’s new Marine Rack System (MRS), a modular Li-ion battery system, has won approval by the international certification body DNV-GL. Leclanché will use the MRS on the E-ferry in Denmark, the world’s largest electric ferry, which is equipped with a 4.3 MWh Leclanché lithium-ion battery, and is scheduled for launch later this year…. Read more »

Qualcomm demonstrates 20 kW wireless dynamic charging at highway speeds

Plugging that J1772 connector into an EV’s charging port is such a hassle! Wireless charging is the future, and dynamic charging, which allows vehicles to charge while rolling down the road, is the ultimate goal. Now wireless charging pioneer Qualcomm has demonstrated a dynamic electric vehicle charging (DEVC) system that’s capable of charging an EV… Read more »

California ARB opens funding solicitations for Class 7 and 8 trucks

The California Air Resources Board is seeking solicitations for up to $17 million in grants for its On-Road Advanced Technology Demonstrations Projects. Eligible projects will demonstrate pre-commercial Intelligent Transportation Systems and Connected Trucks; Advanced Engines and Powertrains; and Zero-Emission Short and Regional Haul Trucks. ARB is currently funding a 43-truck demonstration of zero- and near-zero-emission… Read more »

Open source hardware platform lets anyone build an EV

Thanks to the internet (for better or for worse), anyone can publish their own book or magazine. What if anyone could build their own car? That’s the idea behind OSVehicle’s TABBY EVO, a modular open-source hardware platform for EVs. The platform includes pretty much everything but the body and interior of the vehicle: chassis, powertrain,… Read more »