One solution to the problem of long-range over-the-road electric trucks could be electrifying sections of roadway with a system similar to that used by railroads. The Swedish Transport Administration recently inaugurated a two-kilometer stretch of “electric road” on the E16 highway in Sandviken. The test area is equipped with electric catenary lines over one of… Read more »
The DOE has announced nearly $16 million in funding from its Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF), which has a mission to help businesses move promising energy technologies from the DOE’s national laboratories to the marketplace. This round of funding will support 54 projects at 12 national labs, involving 52 private-sector partners. EV-related TCF awards include: Manufacturing… Read more »
The EV of the future will be just one component of an integrated transportation/energy ecosystem that includes private cars, public transport, renewable energy sources and stationary storage. Could trains and cars, both powered by electricity, share not only passengers, but also energy? The idea may not be as outlandish as it seems. Hybrid and electric… Read more »
Volkswagen has agreed to pay up to $14.7 billion to settle claims resulting from its emissions rigging fraud, the US Department of Justice announced. Volkswagen’s deeds were “the most flagrant violations of our consumer and environmental laws in our country’s history,” said US Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates. “We cannot undo the damage that’s… Read more »
The Canadian province of Québec is systematically building a chain of fast charging stations along Highway 20, one of the region’s busiest corridors. Premier Philippe Couillard, Hydro-Québec CEO Éric Martel and other dignitaries celebrated the completion of a new phase of the project at the recent EVS29 Electric Vehicle Symposium. Public charging network The Electric… Read more »
The state of New Jersey has launched a $725,000 grant program to encourage installation of workplace EV charging stations. The It Pay$ to Plug In program offers grants for workplace chargers on a first-come basis: up to $250 for a Level 1 charging station, and up to $5,000 for a Level 2 station. DC fast… Read more »
Power management and analog solution provider Intersil has introduced a 12-cell battery pack monitor that provides cell balancing and voltage and temperature monitoring to safeguard Li-ion battery packs in electrified vehicles. The new ISL78610 monitors and balances up to 12 cells with accurate voltage readings and diagnostics, enabling system designers to make informed decisions based… Read more »
The city of Columbus, Ohio has won the Smart City Challenge, a competition organized by the DOT to encourage cities to develop plans for a 21st-century intelligent transportation system. 78 cities submitted applications for the award, which will provide up to $40 million from the DOT and an additional $10 million from Paul Allen’s Vulcan… Read more »
Human ingenuity continues to address the important problems of the world, pushing vehicle acceleration time ever faster. A team of Swiss students has set a new world record for EV acceleration with an experimental race car that reached 62 mph in 1.513 seconds. The Grimsel, built by the Academic Motorsports Club Zürich, shattered the previous… Read more »
Australian electric utility AGL Energy has announced plans to offer its electricity customers an “all you can eat” EV charging service. “If you have an electric car and you have an AGL smart meter…you can get energy for that car, as much as you want, 24 hours a day, for a dollar,” said AGL CEO… Read more »
