Ten European industry and research organizations are partnering in the EU-funded project ECO COMBAT (Ecological Composites for High-Efficient Li-Ion Batteries), which aims to develop next-generation Li-ion batteries. Better performance is not the only goal for the new battery. The project also aims to develop a battery that’s more sustainable, by reducing the need for expensive… Read more »
ClipperCreek has introduced a new cable management solution for its line of EV charging stations. The Universal Pedestal Extension Kit is for use with the company’s HCS or CS series stations, and can be added to existing pedestals in the field. This new kit adds easy cable retraction based on an adjustable spring system. It… Read more »
Car buyers’ love of SUVs continues to grow. Every third BMW car built last year was an SUV, and the market is growing so fast that the company is increasing production capacity and adding an X2 and an X7 to its lineup in 2018. With a certain poetic justice, the German automaker says it plans… Read more »
Canada-based GreenPower Motor Company has signed a contract to supply 10 of its EV350 40-foot electric transit buses to the City of Porterville, California. The e-buses will be deployed on all 9 Porterville Transit routes. The $9-million order includes 11 charging systems to be installed at the city’s maintenance facility and transit center. The first… Read more »
Power management company Eaton has launched a new line of automotive-grade high-current power inductors for DC/DC converters, voltage regulators, battery-powered systems, multi-phase regulators and point of load modules. Automotive manufacturers require components that endure a wide temperature range, corrosive conditions, noise, electromagnetic interference (EMI) and shock. HCM1A inductors are compliant with AEC-Q200 Automotive Grade 1,… Read more »
New types of electrodes – positive and negative terminals – are considered essential for the development of a new generation of high energy-density batteries. As lithium-ion batteries begin to reach their capacity limits, many researchers are looking at lithium-sulfur as a solution. Sulfur is both lightweight and abundant, with a high theoretical energy capacity. However,… Read more »
Falken Tire Europe, the European affiliate of the Japanese tire manufacturer Sumitomo Rubber, has launched a new summer tire with optimized rolling resistance. The new Ecorun A-A is designed to save fuel and offer good braking performance in wet conditions. Falken used its 4D Nano Design to develop a tire compound that delivers exceptional performance… Read more »
A Danish-led consortium aims to advance the technology of EV grid integration. Partners in the Parker project include automakers Nissan, Mitsubishi and PSA, as well as the Technical University of Denmark and several electric utilities. EVs can theoretically help to stabilize the electrical grid by charging their batteries when there is surplus power, and returning… Read more »
Another milestone on the road to self-driving cars was reached this week as Tesla released a software update that apparently brings the capabilities of cars with Autopilot 2.0 to near-parity with those of the first-generation Autopilot suite. As aficionados know, Tesla vehicles built since October 2016 are equipped with second-generation Autopilot hardware (including eight cameras… Read more »
Toshiba’s latest addition to its SCiB line of lithium-ion batteries, the SIP series of modules for automated guided vehicles (AGVs), will be available in April. AGVs are mobile robots used to transport materials around factory floors, warehouses, hospitals and offices. Most current AGVs use lead batteries, which suffer from long charge times and short lifecycles…. Read more »
