Scientists from Nanyang Technological University have developed a smart chip that they say provides a more precise picture of battery health than current warning systems, many of which only alert users when the battery is already overheating. Developed by Professor Rachid Yazami of the Energy Research Institute @ NTU, the new chip is small enough… Read more »
Network operator ChargePoint has launched a new program that aims to help businesses attract affluent EV owners. ChargePoint Places allows retail and hospitality companies that offer EV charging to create exclusive offers that ChargePoint then promotes to its members. EV drivers are a coveted market segment – according to ChargePoint, 85 percent have higher than… Read more »
XG Sciences and Boston-Power have announced a joint development program aimed at customizing XG Sciences’ silicon-graphene anode materials for use in Boston-Power’s lithium-ion battery cell products. The program will focus on optimizing electrochemical and microstructural electrode performance, as well as developing electrode and battery manufacturing techniques using the two companies’ proprietary materials. MORE: Samsung invests in… Read more »
Car dealers are a conservative lot, and many have shown themselves to be highly skeptical about EVs. This topic, which the EV press has been discussing for some time (including a feature article in the June/July 2014 issue of Charged), has now broken through to the mainstream press, as the New York Times reports that… Read more »
Researchers at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute have developed a modular battery system that could offer lower cost and improved range by making it easier to replace defective cells. In theory, all the individual cells of a battery can store the same amount of energy. In practice however, their capacities vary, and because the cells are connected… Read more »
Is that an electrically powered Porsche approaching in the distance? The German sports car maker has given the green light for a project called Mission E, with the aim of launching a new EV by the end of the decade. Porsche also announced a major program of expansion and upgrades at its Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen plant, which… Read more »
The Danish firm CLEVER, which is owned by a group of electric utilities, has built a network of over 500 fast charging stations in Denmark, and is in the process of creating a similar network in Sweden. Now the company is expanding to the south, installing four new quick charge stations in northern Germany. The… Read more »
Hyundai’s upcoming five-door hatchback, which will be launched next month in South Korea, and will come in hybrid, PHEV and EV versions, has been dubbed the Ioniq, at least in the UK (the news comes from Hyundai’s UK division, and has not yet been confirmed by Hyundai Motors America). According to Green Car Reports, the… Read more »
Silicon’s high theoretical charge capacity has inspired a tremendous amount of research into the possibility of using it to replace at least part of the graphite in lithium-ion battery anodes. However, Si presents major technical challenges. It can undergo a volume change of up to 300% during charging and discharging, limiting cycle life. Michigan-based Paraclete… Read more »
EVs are slowly making inroads into taxi fleets, especially in Europe. Visitors to Amsterdam enjoy the Tesla taxis that serve the airport, but the continent’s leading manufacturer of e-cabs is Nissan, with more than 550 electric taxis on European roads (including both the LEAF and the e-NV200 commercial van). The company delivered over 100 EVs… Read more »
