Like Einstein, Picasso and Muhammad Ali, Elon Musk is a great aphorist. His pithy sayings are continually quoted in contexts ranging far beyond the techie press. In fact, whole web sites (shitelonsays.com) have been devoted to the utterances of the Californic oracle. Not all those who do great things are good at explaining how they… Read more »
EV startup Lucid Motors unveiled its Lucid Air electric luxury sedan in December. Bloomberg recently got to check out a couple of prototypes. Reporters took a ride in a vehicle that had almost no interior finish – just bare metal panels and a vinyl bench seat. The test vehicle was far lighter than the finished… Read more »
Automotive News China reports that battery maker A123 Systems won a contract worth approximately $1 billion to supply 2.6 million Li-ion batteries for 48 V systems to the SAIC-GM joint venture in China. A123 initially entered into a partnership with SAIC Motor in 2009 with the formation of a battery pack joint venture called Advanced… Read more »
Car and Driver reports that Nissan plans to show a Juke concept using the new e-Power drive system at the Tokyo auto show this fall. The e-Power system, which Nissan introduced in the Note in November, is a series hybrid that pairs a 1.2-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine with a power generator and inverter. It shares… Read more »
Hitachi Automotive Systems and Honda have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a joint venture, with a capitalization of around 5 billion yen ($45 million), to develop and manufacture EV motors. Hitachi first started selling motors for electrified vehicles in 1999, and has since delivered “a high volume” of these motors to vehicle manufacturers… Read more »
Vehicles from South Korean carmakers Hyundai and Kia often share components and technology, although the two brands compete in the marketplace. The Kia Niro hybrid wagon and the new Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid hatchback share the same platform and powertrain. The 2017 Ioniq will be offered in hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric models – the EV… Read more »
Scottish battery management systems innovator Dukosi has secured £2 million in new investment funding, led by IP Group. Dukosi has developed a battery management system (BMS) that collects, processes and stores data directly at the cell. Using wireless technology, the system transmits real-time information on cell performance to support master-level control of the battery pack…. Read more »
Battery-maker Kokam’s new XPAND battery pack is aimed at heavy vehicles such as electric buses, trams, trucks and other commercial and industrial EVs. The XPAND battery pack will be offered in two versions: the 7.1 kWh XMP71P and the 11.4 kWh XMP114E. Both are scalable to support EV applications from 7.1 kWh to 1.5 MWh… Read more »
ChargePoint, which operates a network of more than 33,000 independently owned charging spots, has secured $82 million in funding, the first part of a larger fundraising round led by Daimler. The new investment will support the expansion of the company’s charging network into Europe. BMW i Ventures and other existing investors also participated in the… Read more »
As expected, the USA’s Climate-Change-Denier-In-Chief will move towards rolling back federal regulations on vehicle emissions. The change, which could undo one of President Barack Obama’s most significant environmental legacies, does not require action by Congress. Reuters reports that an announcement is expected from the Trump administration as soon as Tuesday. The expected order will reopen… Read more »
