Newswire

Credit Suisse: Tesla has already proven that EVs are inherently better

A major stock market opinion-maker has affirmed what Charged readers already know: EVs will inevitably replace old-fashioned international combustion engines, and Tesla Motors will be a major beneficiary of the shift. “We believe that Tesla has already proven that EVs are inherently better, although most industry observers, and certainly the general public, don’t know it… Read more »

VIDEO: New California startup builds $529,000 electric super-coupe

Updated 8/18/2014 11:45 AM EST to include pricing details. It seems Tesla’s not the only company building EVs in Silicon Valley these days. Campbell-based Renovo Motors, which has operated in “stealth mode” for four years, has just taken the wraps off its new electric supercar. The Renovo Coupe is an electrified version of the classic… Read more »

EV-Lite project develops lighter and cheaper battery pack

While researchers around the world seek to develop better battery chemistries, the EV-Lite project has been working on a more mundane goal, but one that could also lead to more cost-effective batteries: reducing the weight and cost of the non-cell components of a battery pack. The two-year project, which was undertaken by a consortium of… Read more »

Two news outlets report Model S reliability issues, Tesla raises warranty to 8 years

Few cars have received as many rave reviews as the Tesla Model S. Since its launch, just about every media outlet that covers cars has sung the praises of the luxury EV – many named it Car of the Year, and some bestowed even grander titles. Recently however, two of the most respected auto industry… Read more »

Saab’s new owner: We’re not insolvent, and we have a plan to resume production.

National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), the company working to resurrect the Saab brand as a pure EV, may have stalled, but it isn’t ready for the junkyard just yet. The company issued a statement this week saying that it is not technically insolvent – its assets are larger than its debt, and its suppliers will… Read more »

Orange EV electric terminal truck completes demonstration, qualifies for Drive Clean Chicago incentives

Kansas City-based Orange EV’s T-Series electric terminal truck has been approved for financial incentives through the Drive Clean Chicago program, which offers terminal operators a cash subsidy of $45,000 to $75,000 per truck. Orange EV converts legacy diesel trucks to pure electric, stripping the chassis down to bare metal, installing an electric powertrain and reconditioning… Read more »

Schaeffler’s STEP2 EV, with two-speed powershift transmission, cruises the Alps at E-Car Rally

The Schaeffler Group, a multinational conglomerate that makes a range of electric drivetrain components, fielded an EV at July’s E-Car Rally in Montafon, Austria, held on the dream roads of the Alps. The STEP2, Schaeffler’s third entry in this yearly event, is an EV with a drive from the Schaeffler subsidiary IDAM and a two-speed… Read more »

New report: Wide bandgap technology can make power conversion 90% more efficient

Wide Bandgap (WBG) semiconductor technologies are attracting a lot of attention, and research funding. In January, the Obama administration selected a consortium of businesses and universities to lead an innovation institute focused on WBG materials. Japan and the UK are also funding R&D in the field. A new report from Lux Research, Silicon vs. WBG:… Read more »

Waive green regulations to speed construction of green cars? California woos Tesla Gigafactory

The irony is as heavy as an 85 kWh battery pack: California is considering exempting Tesla from some of its famously tough environmental regulations in order to entice the automaker to build its Gigafactory in the Golden State. An incentive package currently being negotiated in the office of Governor Jerry Brown could include waivers of… Read more »

ZeroTruck builds electric medium-duty trucks under California Energy Commission Grant

ZeroTruck has announced that it is finalizing assembly of several fully electric medium-duty trucks built under a California Energy Commission Grant. ZeroTruck’s proprietary Electric Drive Integration System (EDIS) converts class 3-5 trucks to run on electric power. Based on the popular medium-duty Isuzu truck, ZeroTruck has a highway speed of 70 mph, and up to… Read more »