The record for “largest order of electric buses in Europe” is proving to be a rapidly moving target. In November, Volvo sold 157 e-buses to a French public transit operator, and proclaimed that this order was the largest in Europe to date. Now Keolis, a private public transport operator that manages bus and metro systems… Read more »
VW of America recently commissioned California-based EV conversion specialist EV West to construct an electrified VW Type 2 Bus to showcase the company’s e-Golf powertrain. The stock powertrain and 35.8 kWh battery system from the donor 2017 e-Golf gives the e-Bus an approximate range of 125 miles. The powertrain will reside in the rear compartment… Read more »
Hitachi Automotive Systems is starting mass production of its 800-volt, high-output EV inverter. The company says that, thanks to its strong cooling performance, the new inverter delivers twice the voltage and 2.7 times the power density of previous generations. Most EVs are based on a 400-volt system, so in order to increase driving range, additional… Read more »
Researchers at Germany’s esteemed Fraunhofer research organization have developed a casting technique to produce lightweight aluminum windings with a higher groove fill factor than conventional copper wire. The coils are composed of cast aluminum, and are based on a flat conductor arrangement, which leads to a higher slot fill factor and thus better use of… Read more »
The US DOE has awarded a grant to Canadian parts supplier Magna to develop e-motor technologies for next-generation propulsion systems that are both cheaper and more powerful than today’s technology. The supplier has partnered with the Illinois Institute of Technology and University of Wisconsin-Madison for the initiative. The organizations aim to develop an e-motor that… Read more »
Volkswagen is by far the most charged of the legacy automakers. In November, the company announced that it would increase its planned investment in electrification. Now the German giant says it will revamp its motorsport programs to focus on electric mobility. From now on, the emphasis will be on fully electric racing cars, and ICE… Read more »
Sponsored by Scheugenpflug Scheugenpflug focuses on e-mobility and autonomous driving and, with its high-quality dispensing solutions, is accompanying an imminent turn of events in the growth field of mobility. Digitalization, e-mobility, autonomous driving, industry 4.0 and energy system transformation: Many of today’s megatrends would be unachievable without safe, reliable electronics. These electronics are becoming smaller,… Read more »
Kentucky-based Kinemetrix, a manufacturer of automated assembly equipment, has developed new scalable, modular EV manufacturing technologies that use 3D vision-guided welding and robotics. The company’s new Agile3D CopperWeld is a process technology that combines 3D vision and TIG welding for joining small copper leads in EV components. Machine vision finds the leads in 3D space,… Read more »
Swiss electronics company ABB is providing charging stations and grid connection hardware for a Swedish charging network developed by state-owned energy company Vattenfall. ABB has already provided equipment for Vattenfall at almost 40 public locations across Sweden. Vattenfall is using the ABB Terra fast charger, which ABB calls the world’s fastest EV charger. ABB’s all-in-one… Read more »
General Motors and LG Chem have announced plans to establish a battery cell assembly plant on a greenfield site in the Lordstown area of Northeast Ohio. The companies will invest up to $2.3 billion in the facility through a new joint venture. The new factory will eventually provide batteries for GM’s electric pickup truck, expected… Read more »
