Innovate UK is sponsoring a number of competitions to spur companies to develop emissions-reducing vehicle technologies, with millions of pound in grant money for the winners. One of these is Make it Lighter with Less, which aims to improve the efficiency and performance of electric motors. This project is led by Alvant, a specialist in… Read more »
The Volkswagen Group has added South Korean battery cell manufacturer SK Innovation (SKI) to its stable of battery suppliers. SKI will supply the batteries for VW’s North American sales and a portion of the batteries for its European pure EVs. VW’s Roadmap E strategy calls for the Group to bring 50 new fully electric models… Read more »
Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), a China-based manufacturer of battery products, has opened its first North American sales and service facility. The new Detroit base is CATL’s fourth international site, following the opening of a Japanese subsidiary in May. CATL already supplies the North American market with core battery technologies for EVs and energy storage applications…. Read more »
The growing energy demand created by EV charging could threaten the stability of electrical grids unless utilities take a proactive approach to planning their future networks, according to a joint study from management consulting firm L.E.K. Consulting and Australia-based charging infrastructure company Tritium. “Preparing the Grid for the Uptake of Electric Vehicles” highlights a clustering… Read more »
Lithium Australia subsidiary VSPC has figured out how to make Li-ion battery cathode material, and Li-ion batteries, from tri-lithium phosphate produced directly from mining waste. The proprietary SiLeach process eliminates the need to generate high-purity lithium hydroxide or carbonate, which is one of the most cost-intensive and challenging steps in the manufacture of Li-ion batteries…. Read more »
Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) have introduced a bill that would require auto manufacturers to make zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) 50% of new car sales by 2030, and 100% of sales by 2040. The Zero-Emissions Vehicle Act of 2018 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Few details… Read more »
Dana, an Ohio-based company that designs propulsion systems for heavy-duty vehicles, introduced the Spicer Electrified with TM4 e-Hub Drive at the recent Bauma construction machinery trade fair in China. The drive is designed for underground mining trucks, large wheel loaders and reach stackers. It features Spicer axles, Brevini planetary drive designs, TM4 electric motors and… Read more »
Since its humiliation in the Dirty Diesel Debacle, the Volkswagen Group has been preaching the EV gospel with the zeal of the newly converted. Several automakers have forecast that substantial percentages of their sales would soon consist of plug-in vehicles, but as far as we know VW is the first to set a date for… Read more »
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has developed a seal for Li-ion batteries that not only resists fire but “folds” to offer extra protections. Here’s how it works: fixed aluminum elements are equipped with a sealing profile on their outer edges to not only provide stability but also integrate mounting points for the clips used to attach the… Read more »
During the recent Amsterdam Drone Week event, Audi, Airbus and design and engineering firm Italdesign presented a flying car prototype called the Pop.Up Next. The concept combines a self-driving EV with a passenger drone, and features a passenger capsule that can be removed from its wheels and picked up by the flying drone. The prototype… Read more »
