One of the many benefits of a plug-in hybrid work truck is the ability to run power tools without the noise and stink of an idling diesel engine. Wisconsin-based Odyne Systems LLC sells a modular plug-in hybrid drive system for medium- and heavy-duty trucks that can be installed in a new vehicle or as a… Read more »
If we had an electric crystal ball, the question we’d most like to ask is: When will a next-generation battery, with substantially improved range, show up in a production EV? According to Nissan, that Earth-shaking event may happen around 2017. At last month’s Beijing auto show, Executive VP Andy Palmer told Automotive News that a… Read more »
General Motors plans to bring all its EV battery building capabilities in-house, producing battery systems for the 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV at its battery assembly plant in Brownstown, Michigan, which also manufactures battery packs for the Chevrolet Volt, Opel Ampera and Cadillac ELR. The Spark’s redesigned battery system has a capacity of 19 kWh, and… Read more »
As you might guess from the name, Juice Bar’s EV charging stations are meant to be more than just utilitarian pieces of equipment. The Connecticut-based company aims to offer “not just a plug, but a philosophy.” Juice Bar’s high-visibility commercial chargers were designed in collaboration with BMW Designworks, and incorporate an eye-catching LED-illuminated Juice Bar… Read more »
The sky’s the limit for electrified transportation. European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has a vision of a hybrid 80-90-seat regional airliner that would have high-density energy storage in the wings, and a kerosene or biofuel generator to quickly recharge the batteries on the ground or in flight. An electric-powered turboprop airliner could be operated at a… Read more »
Seldom does a week go by without an announcement of a promising new battery technology – but the road from the laboratory to the auto dealership is a long one, and there’s no knowing which of today’s breakthroughs might enable tomorrow’s mass-market EVs. This week’s news, from Power Japan Plus, almost sounds too good to… Read more »
Orange EV, a company based in Kansas City, has announced its new T-Series electric terminal truck. A terminal truck (we prefer the more colorful term “yard goat”) is a short-range tractor used in facilities such as container ports, rail yards and distribution centers to move trailers around as cargo is transferred from one mode of… Read more »
Polypore International (NYSE:PPO) has announced that its Celgard subsidiary has entered into a five-year supply agreement with Panasonic under which the Japanese battery behemoth will purchase Celgard brand separators to be used in its large-format lithium-ion batteries. Separators are critical components of a Li-ion battery, providing a barrier between the anode and the cathode while… Read more »
Ideal Power Inc. (NASDAQ: IPWR) has received a purchase order for ten of its 30 kW battery converters from Coritech Services, a provider of custom engineering solutions for EV charging. Coritech intends to install the converters in its bi-directional charging system for use in Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) applications for the Department of Defense (DoD). The US… Read more »
China-based EV maker BYD has had its ups and downs lately, as it negotiates deals to provide electric buses to several California transit authorities. Meanwhile, as various North American cities are testing 10 buses here, 25 there, the Chinese city of Hangzhou has just placed an order for 2,000. Like many parts of China, the… Read more »
