Solid Power has grown rapidly since it was established in 2012 as a spin-out company from the University of Colorado. The battery developer recently moved into a new facility in Louisville, Colorado that will triple its footprint. Now the company has announced a partnership with the BMW Group to develop its solid-state batteries for EV… Read more »
Toyota, the world’s second-largest automaker, and one of the largest electrification skeptics (its execs have made statements disparaging battery EVs, and its Lexus subsidiary has run ads mocking EVs), now says it plans to launch 10 new pure EVs by “the early 2020s,” and to add electrified variants to its entire lineup by 2025. “As a mass-market… Read more »
Still skeptical about the Tesla Semi? Advance orders are piling up, including one from the 800-pound brown gorilla of the shipping industry – UPS has announced that it will buy 125 units, the largest order so far. UPS said it provided Tesla with data about its truck routes in order to evaluate how the vehicle… Read more »
While new EVs remain on the pricey side for lower-income buyers, there are great values available on the used market. Sadly, few realize this, and myths and misinformation abound. A recent study from the buyer intelligence firm Autolist compared buyer perceptions of used EVs to market data, and found a major disconnect. Fact vs Fiction:… Read more »
Kia’s 2018 Niro Plug-in Hybrid, which is expected to be in showrooms by the end of the year, was on display at the recent Los Angeles Auto Show. The crossover is Kia’s third plug-in model, joining the Optima PHEV and the Soul EV. The Niro PHEV pairs an all-aluminum 1.6-liter GDI (gasoline direct injection) four-cylinder… Read more »
Public EV chargers are a common sight in much of Western Europe, and the web is steadily expanding further east. Electromobility provider eMobility International operates a fleet of 110 rental and rideshare EVs in Bulgaria, as well a network of charging stations. The company has deployed a network of ABB Terra 53 fast charging stations,… Read more »
The UK’s Autumn Budget, recently presented to Parliament, includes a number of measures designed to support electromobility and renewable energy. The government proposes to establish a new Charging Investment Infrastructure Fund with an investment of £400 million ($530 million), half of which is to be provided by matching private investment. The budget also includes £100… Read more »
DOE scientists at the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR) have discovered a new magnesium-ion solid-state conductor, a major step towards making solid-state magnesium-ion batteries that are both energy-dense and safe. The liquid electrolyte used in current lithium-ion batteries makes them potentially flammable. Researchers around the world are working to develop a practical solid-state… Read more »
Los Angeles-based Thor Trucks has become the latest builder to unveil an electric Class 8 semi truck. The company says its ET-One will have a 300-mile range (when fully loaded to 40 tons), a top speed of 70 mph and a starting price of $150,000. Production is to begin in 2019. The ET-One will feature… Read more »
Groupe PSA, owner of the Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel and Vauxhall brands, and Nidec Leroy-Somer, a French manufacturer of small precision motors, plan to form a joint venture to develop a range of traction motors for electrified vehicles. The 50/50 JV will receive an initial investment of €220 million ($262 million). The main components of… Read more »
