Bitrode, a global supplier of battery production charging and test systems, has launched its new High Density IGBT formation charger in North America. The HD-CR/CD, introduced last year in Europe, complements Bitrode’s existing line of cell formation equipment. Formation is the first charge carried out at a cell manufacturer’s plant, which creates the desired microstructure… Read more »
September plug-in sales showed a slight decrease compared to August, but 2014 is still on track to decisively beat 2013’s figure. Pure electricity ruled this month, as the leading EVs made strong showings, and all the major PHEV models showed steep declines. The Nissan LEAF still leads the pack. Sales shrank slightly to 2,881 in… Read more »
The European auto market is picking up – it grew by 6 percent in the first half of 2014 – and also changing rapidly. Out of the 24 segments tracked by Automotive News Europe, nine had leadership changes since last year. Can you guess which segment is the fastest-growing overall? That’s right, electric vehicle sales… Read more »
Scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) have invented a 2-in-1 electric motor that integrates the vehicle’s traction motor with the air conditioning compressor, saving both space and energy. “The biggest challenge with electric cars in tropical megacities is the range that they can travel on a charge, because their… Read more »
Magna International recently announced that it produces the liftgate assembly for BMW’s popular i3. The collaboratively-designed liftgate maintains the BMW i brand appearance and achieves the vehicle’s mass requirements through the use of a lightweight composite structure which integrates the liftgate’s functional systems. Locking and latching systems, rear windshield wiper system, interior trim, exterior painted trim… Read more »
Mark your calendars! On October 9, Tesla is going to announce…something. Elon Musk has issued one of his famously cryptic tweets, to wit: About time to unveil the D and something else pic.twitter.com/qp23yi59i6 — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 2, 2014 The mysterious missive is accompanied by a picture of what is undoubtedly a Model S… Read more »
When will lithium-ion battery prices reach the price point of $100 per kWh that so many in the media are calling the “magic number?” According to Winfried Hoffmann, an analyst at the consulting firm ASE, the glad day will dawn sometime around 2030. Hoffmann, the former CTO of Applied Materials, is a well-known figure in… Read more »
Parker’s Electromechanical Automation Division has announced its new GVM142 generator and auxiliary motor series, which is intended to be used in electric and hybrid vehicle accessory applications. Pre-production units are currently being tested for high-power alternator replacements as well as electrohydraulic pump applications such as power steering and aerial lift hydraulics. The latest addition to… Read more »
Tesla plans to double its Hong Kong workforce to over 100 people by the end of the year, and has hired a country director for the Chinese city. “Hong Kong could potentially be the place to showcase the success of electric vehicles to the rest of Asia,” said Veronica Wu, Tesla’s VP for China operations…. Read more »
The German cabinet is backing a bill to let municipalities offer drivers of plug-in vehicles incentives such as free parking and the right to use bus lanes. Germany’s goal is to have a million electric vehicles auf der strasse by 2020 (as of the beginning of 2014, there were about 21,000). “Electric cars will get… Read more »
