Chemical company BASF announced a new battery materials production site in Schwarzheide, Germany, as part of its multi-step investment in Europe’s EV value chain. The new plant will produce cathode active materials with an initial capacity enabling the supply of around 400,000 pure EVs per year with BASF battery materials. The company says the Schwarzheide… Read more »
Low-carbon energy provider EDF has acquired Pod Point, an EV charging company. Pod Point has rolled out 62,000 charging points in the UK and 6,600 in Norway. The acquisition follows EDF’s acquisition last year of Pivot Power, which specializes in grid-scale batteries and provides high-voltage power for EV charge points. Simone Rossi, UK CEO of… Read more »
The University of Texas at Austin has agreed to transfer patents relating to a new type of electrolyte to be used in solid-state lithium batteries to Hydro-Québec, Canada’s largest electricity producer. The patents are co-invented by Dr. John B. Goodenough—a professor at The University of Texas at Austin and the 2019 Nobel Laureate in chemistry—and… Read more »
Nidec has launched two new models of traction motor systems: a 200 kW model for the D and E segments and a 50 kW model for the A segment. Both models are based on Nidec’s 150 kW E-Axle. Targeting luxury EVs for the European and Chinese markets, the 200 kW model features a motor and… Read more »
In 2019, 95.6 GWh of battery capacity was deployed globally in new passenger EVs, an increase of 30% over the prior year, according to a tracking system developed by Adamas Intelligence. Asia Pacific led the pack with 50.9 GWh deployed, an increase of 27% year-over-year. Europe followed with 23.9 GWh deployed, a large increase of… Read more »
Wärtsilä has selected Corvus Energy to supply energy storage systems for three new hybrid ferries for Finnlines, a Finish ferry operator. Designed for roll-on/roll-off cargo, each ferry has a length of 238 meters, a beam of 34 meters, a capacity of 5,800 lane-meters, and more than 5,000 meter-square of vehicle decks. Built at Nanjing shipyard,… Read more »
From the beginning, Tesla’s use of readily available cylindrical battery cells gave it an advantage over other EV-makers, which used proprietary prismatic or pouch cells. In 2015, JB Straubel explained why Tesla was sticking with cylindrical cells, even though others found it a controversial decision. Over the years, many writers have noted Tesla’s battery tech… Read more »
Motiv Power Systems, maker of the EPIC all-electric chassis for buses and trucks, has opened a new facility in Stockton, California. The new location will serve as a pre-delivery inspection and service center for EVs built on its platform. Medium-duty trucks and buses are electrified by Motiv’s operating software and power electronics on popular Ford… Read more »
Yamaha Motor has begun accepting orders for a high-performance electric motor prototype capable of producing high power density for EVs. The company says the compact unit generates up to 200 kW thanks to a high-efficiency segment conductor and advanced casting and processing technologies. Yamaha says the goal of the project is to deepen its knowledge… Read more »
Scandinavian transport operator Nobina, which services Malmo, Sweden, has ordered 60 of Volvo’s 7900 Electric Articulated electric buses. Propelled by dual electric motors with a two-speed transmission, the buses have a maximum power output of 400 kW, maximum torque of 31 kN-m at the driven axle, and up to 396 kWh of battery capacity. The… Read more »
