SparkCharge, which was profiled in the July/August 2019 issue of Charged, has developed a portable, modular charger that’s designed to provide anytime/anyplace charging on demand. Now the company has announced the closing of $3.3 million in seed round financing led by Point Judith Capital (PJC) with participation from Revolution’s Rise of the Rest Seed Fund,… Read more »
With a £5-million grant from the UK Government’s Faraday Battery Challenge Fund, Ilika Technologies has extended its product roadmap to develop large-format Goliath pouch cells. Another 15 big ones in equity funding was provided by a combination of existing and new UK-based institutional shareholders. Ilika currently produces its Stereax batteries on a pilot line in… Read more »
Comau has introduced new laser laboratories to support companies as they develop, implement and optimize the laser processes involved in constructing and assembling e-motors and batteries. With two labs in Grugliasco (Turin)—one specialized in batteries and the other dedicated to e-motors—plus additional labs in Shanghai and Detroit, Comau now offers a range of laser processes… Read more »
Automobiles have long been a frequent topic for Consumer Reports, and over the past few years, the popular magazine has slowly been getting used to the idea of EVs. The consumer advocate has had a couple of historic exchanges with Tesla—in 2013 it gave Model S an important seal of approval, awarding the new EV… Read more »
There are some flamboyant EV startups out there these days, and frankly, we tend to look at them with a skeptical eye. California-based Lucid Motors gets more respect around here than most, for a couple of reasons: the company has been around since 2007 (it was founded as Atieva, and originally focused on building battery… Read more »
Enovix Corporation has secured an additional $45 million to produce and commercialize its 3D Silicon Lithium-ion Battery. Enovix CEO Harrold Rust said, “Anchoring the round is a $25-million strategic investment from a leading California technology company. Present investors have added $10 million, and customers have contracted $10 million to develop batteries for specific products and… Read more »
Volkswagen Group Components and startup Shanghai DU-POWER New Energy have formed a joint venture to produce “flexible quick charging stations” in China. The two companies will each own 50% of the JV, which will be located in the Suzhou Wuzhong Development Zone, near Shanghai. Series production is scheduled to start in the second half of… Read more »
Schleuniger Global recently introduced CrimpCenter 64 SP, its latest automatic crimping machine. The company says that the new product delivers 8 to 14 percent faster production compared to its predecessor. The new CrimpCenter 64 SP provides an array of features, including: Application-specific default values for process parameters Dual ToolingShuttle quick-change system Automatic pneumatic pressure control… Read more »
Why shouldn’t there be a day to honor Elon Musk? If static electricity and bubble wrap are entitled to commemorations on the calendar (January 9 and 27, respectively), surely the visionary behind Tesla, SpaceX, PayPal and other high-tech ventures deserves a day. That’s the question that Tesla pundit and superfan Anuarbek Imanbaev asked a group… Read more »
NASA holds a slew of patents on EV-related technology, including battery management systems, ultracapacitors, modular robotic vehicles, composite materials and more. Examples include: Solid-State Ultracapacitor for Improved Energy Storage Battery Charge Equalizer System Battery Management System Modular Robotic Vehicle (MRV) Internal Short Circuit Testing Device to Improve Battery Designs Li-ion Cell Calorimeter Model-Based Prognostics for… Read more »
