Tesla’s mysterious D has been revealed and it is cool. Elon Musk introduced the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive version of Model S at a theatrical event at Hawthorne Municipal Airport (where SpaceX is headquartered). Musk didn’t just show a slide of the goodies – a huge robot arm lifted up a Model S chassis and turned it… Read more »
Aluminum seems to be in the ascendant these days – Ford will use aluminum for the body of its 2015 F-150 pickup truck, and a recent report from the Aluminum Association predicts that by 2025, three out of four pickups will have all-aluminum bodies. Not so fast, says the industry information service World Steel Dynamics…. Read more »
Public DC fast-charging stations are proliferating around the world at what some might call an alarming rate. In at least 50 countries, EV drivers can top up their batteries in the time it takes to (leisurely) enjoy a cup of tea, or whatever the local beverage may be. While automakers agree on the importance of… Read more »
Johnson Matthey has completed its acquisition of A123 Systems’ cathode materials manufacturing facility in Changzhou, China. The plant produces lithium iron phosphate (LFP), the cathode material that A123 has been using. The companies have signed a long-term supply agreement by which Johnson Matthey will supply all of A123’s LFP requirements. Johnson Matthey will produce A123’s… Read more »
The EV world was shocked by recent reports that Nissan is thinking about cutting production of its proprietary battery packs in favor of sourcing packs from South Korea’s LG Chem. Speculation ran riot in the media, but facts were few. This week, the picture became clearer, as Green Car Reports asked Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn… Read more »
Chrysler will launch a plug-in hybrid version of the next-generation Town & Country minivan late next year, about a year earlier than the company had previously indicated. Other hybrids, including a full-size crossover, are also in the product pipeline. The plug-in minivan, which would be a first for the industry, will get 75 MPGe, according… Read more »
Michigan Technological University researchers exhort you to take pity on “the poor lithium ion.” As it endlessly rushes from anode to cathode and back again, all kinds of chemical processes take place, eventually causing batteries to lose capacity, and possibly even overheat. Much of what goes on at the atomic scale as lithium-ion batteries are… Read more »
Almost every major carmaker now has at least one plug-in vehicle for sale. However, several of these vehicles were produced mainly to appease the California Air Resources Board, and their makers have shown little interest in actively marketing them. Savvy car buyers are aware of this, and make their choices accordingly – no one wants… Read more »
The Fraunhofer Institute will hold its third annual workshop on lithium-sulfur batteries in Dresden, Germany, on November 12 and 13. Lithium-sulfur is a leading contender for the battery chemistry of the future, and Fraunhofer believes that novel materials such as nanostructured carbon/sulfur composite cathodes, solid electrolytes and alloy-based anodes will significantly enhance performance. Dr Oliver… Read more »
Japan has long been at the forefront of the electromobility revolution. It’s the home of the historic Toyota Prius and the world’s best-selling EV, the Nissan LEAF. As an island nation that imports almost all of its oil, Japan has compelling reasons to electrify, and its government has worked hard to do so, providing significant… Read more »
