On December 31, 2014, Elon Musk tweeted: “We are actually working on a charger that automatically moves out from the wall & connects like a solid metal snake. For realz. This can be used with all existing Model S cars, not just future ones.” Musk first mentioned the automatic charging idea in October 2014 at… Read more »
EV charging solution provider eMotorWerks has incorporated OSIsoft’s PI System within its cloud-based Smart[Grid] charging platform. The collaboration aims to streamline data flows between EV charging networks and providers of energy resources on the grid. OSIsoft’s PI System aggregates data from electrical utilities, Independent Service Operators (ISOs) and Regional Transmission Operators (RTOs), while eMotorWerks’ JuiceNet… Read more »
San Diego-based ride-sharing service Opoli has agreed to buy 50 e6 EVs from China’s BYD Motors. The e6 electric crossover will join Opoli’s natural gas airport shuttles later this summer. Opoli, which launched its service in the San Diego area just a few weeks ago, is the first ride-share service permitted at the San Diego… Read more »
The Swiss Tier 1 power electronics supplier BRUSA Elektronik has licensed Qualcomm’s Halo wireless charging technology. BRUSA has already been working on wireless technology with its ICS wireless charging system. The company has developed its own rectangular coil geometry, which it calls FRAME. The integration of power electronics both in the vehicle and in the… Read more »
MTU Friedrichshafen, a manufacturer of large diesel engines, has formed a development partnership with Li-ion battery-maker AKASOL, with the aim of developing battery systems for MTU’s hybrid and electric propulsion systems. Using AKASOL battery systems, MTU plans to produce hybrid powertrains for the marine, heavy-duty ground vehicle and rail sectors, as well as stationary industrial… Read more »
Researchers from North Carolina State University and Carnegie Mellon University have found that adding a magnetic resonance field enhancer (MRFE) – which can be as simple as a copper loop – to a wireless charging system can boost transfer efficiency by at least 100 percent, and possibly as much as 5,000 percent. “Our experimental results… Read more »
For those of us who are puzzled and discouraged by the recent decline in sales of hybrid vehicles, a new paper from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) offers plenty of hope for the future. According to “Hybrid Vehicles: Technology Development and Cost Reduction,” the costs of full-function hybrid systems are likely to drop… Read more »
Fiat Chrysler is the automaker that EVangelists love to hate. The brand has nary a hybrid in its lineup (although a plug-in powertrain for the Town & Country minivan is expected to appear in 2016), and, like some evil stepmother in a fairy tale, CEO Sergio Marchionne heaps derision on the feisty little Fiat 500e,… Read more »
If, as most of the media is convinced, the world’s luxury automakers are all scrambling to deliver a competitor for Tesla’s Model S, then it would seem only logical for Nissan, builder of the world’s top-selling EV, to produce an upscale EV under its luxury brand, Infiniti. In fact, the gentlemen from Yokohama already thought… Read more »
Swiss power electronics supplier BRUSA Elektronik has introduced a new electric drivetrain unit that combines a motor and gearbox. The DTSP1 “is optimal for use in sports cars and vans as well as light commercial vehicles due to its low weight and high power density.” BRUSA’s HSM1-10.18.22 motor offers continuous power output of 145 kW… Read more »
