Establishing a plug-in vehicle tax credit in North Carolina would boost the state’s GDP by $52 million over the next 16 years, while reducing the impact of fluctuating gasoline prices, says a new study. The study, “Impact of Introducing an Electric Vehicle Rebate on the North Carolina State Economy,” was published by Keybridge Research, and… Read more »
Japanese giant Panasonic is currently Tesla’s exclusive battery partner, but as its battery needs balloon along with demand for the upcoming Model 3, it’s only logical that the California company should keep its options open with other suppliers. The Korea Times reported that Tesla has approached LG Chem, Samsung SDI and SK Innovation. Tesla executives… Read more »
Michigan-based XG Sciences has received a DOE Round 2 small business award for $150,000, which it will use to support its efforts to develop low-cost manufacturing of a silicon-graphene composite anode. One goal for the new anode type is to reduce the formation of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI). The SEI layer is both a… Read more »
UK organizations Elm EV and Zero Carbon Futures have teamed up to create EV Works, which aims to help businesses and other organizations to roll out large-scale EV charging networks across multiple sites. Elm EV has installed over 2,000 EV charging stations at homes and businesses in the UK. Zero Carbon Futures is a non-profit… Read more »
Following the departure of two top manufacturing executives, Tesla Motors has hired Peter Hochholdinger, a 22-year veteran of Audi who oversaw the production of the company’s A4, A5 and Q5 models. Mr. Hochholdinger was also involved in bringing Audi’s new Mexican production facility online. Hochholdinger will be Tesla’s new VP of Vehicle Production, replacing Greg… Read more »
German battery systems provider BMZ has opened up the first two buildings at what it says will be Europe’s biggest lithium-ion battery factory, in Karlstein-Großwelzheim, Germany. When the facility is completed in 2020, it will cover some 55,000 square meters, including production, laboratory and office buildings. It will employ a staff of up to 1,500… Read more »
The tidal wave of reservations for Model 3 carries both good and bad news for Tesla – it’s cool to have all those future sales in the pipeline (over $14 billion worth, the company figures), but it’s a bummer to have to wait two years to get the cash. However, all the publicity comes with… Read more »
Hydrocarbon fuels have energy densities that are at least 100 times greater than that of current lithium-ion batteries. Even with projected improvements in battery technology as far out as 2045, batteries are still expected to be significantly less energy-dense than gasoline. However, the energy density of the actual storage medium may not be the best… Read more »
ABI Research forecasts that global EV revenue will quintuple by 2021, to reach $58 billion. Converging trends such as multimodal transport and ride-sharing will help to drive the rapid growth. “The role of vehicle electrification in urban areas is part of a broader smart mobility model that includes shared vehicles, charging options, and driverless electric… Read more »
Nissan and Eaton have partnered to introduce a residential energy storage unit that’s designed to enable customers to take advantage of time-of-use pricing, and to provide back-up power. The xStorage system is powered by twelve second-life Nissan EV battery modules, and will feature smartphone connectivity. Nissan Design Europe will contribute design expertise to ensure that… Read more »
