Volvo Penta showcased an electric terminal tractor at a recent port and terminal technology trade show in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The tractor was retrofitted with a Volvo Penta electric driveline, borrowing technologies from Volvo’s electric buses and trucks. Volvo Penta has been active in establishing its presence in the EV industry, aiming to offer electrified… Read more »
When you think of roadblocks to EV adoption, vision-challenged automakers, uneducated dealerships and SUV-loving consumers make for convenient culprits. However, in many parts of the world, arcane technical and political issues also present major challenges. In the UK, a technical issue having to do with the electrical grid is emerging as a limitation on home… Read more »
Power Integrations, a manufacturer of gate-driver technology for medium- and high-voltage inverter applications, has introduced the SCALE-iFlex gate-driver system for IGBT, hybrid, and silicon-carbide (SiC) MOSFET power modules with blocking voltages from 1.7 to 4.5 kV. The system consists of a central Isolated Master Control (IMC) and one to four Module-Adapted Gate Drivers (MAGs). The… Read more »
Tesla owners are fortunate to have their own network of DC fast chargers – the Superchargers – which are sufficient for many drivers’ long-distance travel needs. However, more charging choices are always better, so several years ago, Tesla introduced an adapter to allow Model S and X drivers to use CHAdeMO fast charging stations. Apparently,… Read more »
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has pledged more than $12 million towards the deployment of electric buses in Alexandria, Blacksburg, and Hampton Roads. The funding will cover a total of 17 electric buses and charging stations, eliminating the need for an estimated two million gallons of diesel fuel and offsetting 612,000 tons of carbon emissions and… Read more »
Tourists love Europe for its endless variety: just cross a border and you’ll encounter a different language, different architecture, different food – and a different mix of electric vehicles. On this summer’s trip, I visited Amsterdam, which has a huge variety of electrified transportation options; Switzerland, a car-loving country where Teslas are slowly but surely… Read more »
Sponsored by Dymax The current movement toward vehicle electrification and the desire to put self-driving cars on the road is fueling an automotive revolution. Manufacturers are searching for assembly solutions that increase productivity and throughput, decrease rework and costs, and boost the bottom line. Concurrently, design engineers are striving to create better performing, more reliable… Read more »
Voltaiq, a battery software platform company, has released an industry survey, Preparing for The Electrification Tsunami, that examined many of the challenges battery manufacturers, suppliers, and integrators currently face. Conducted in Q1 2019, the survey polled battery cell producers, battery pack and component developers, academic and national labs, and companies involved in transportation, consumer electronics,… Read more »
UK-based M&I Materials has developed a new range of biodegradable dielectric fluids, MIVOLT, to provide immersion cooling for EV batteries and charging points. As non-conductive fluids, MIVOLT fluids can come into direct contact with electronic components, which M&I says is a more effective method of heat removal and a lighter-weight option than designs that rely… Read more »
BYD has opened its first electric bus assembly plant in Canada. The 45,000-square-foot facility in Newmarket, Ontario will focus on assembling buses for the Toronto Transit Commission, Canada’s largest transit operator. BYD currently has buses on order or in operation throughout Canada, including in Montreal and neighboring Longueuil, where the company sold nine buses last… Read more »
