Ultracapacitor manufacturer Skeleton Technologies has signed a distribution agreement with Sumitomo Europe to provide energy storage solutions for the EV industry. Skeleton’s graphene-based ultracapacitors boast high power density, a recharge time of 2-3 seconds and more than one million life cycles. In EVs, ultracapacitors can be used in tandem with lithium-ion batteries, an arrangement that… Read more »
Workhorse Group (NASDAQ:WKHS) has several electric irons in the fire, so to speak. It says it has pre-orders for over 5,000 units of its W-15 plug-in pickup truck (profiled in the May/June 2017 issue of Charged); it has an electric truck on the short list to be selected as the next delivery vehicle for the… Read more »
It’s a legitimate worry: Will charging hundreds of thousands – and eventually, millions – of EVs overwhelm existing electric grids? A new analysis of real-world data from California brings good news: So far, EVs are not anywhere near crashing the grid. Since 2012, California regulators have required the state’s three investor-owned utilities (Pacific Gas and… Read more »
Electric buses are in service in many North American and European cities, notably London, which has committed to eliminating pure diesel (non-hybrid) buses, and Los Angeles, which plans to make its fleet emissions-free by 2030. 12 major cities have pledged to buy only all-electric buses starting in 2025. However, these efforts pale in comparison to… Read more »
The DOE has announced up to $100 million in funding for new projects as part of ARPA‑E’s latest OPEN funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0001858). Areas of research covered by this FOA include all aspects of transportation, including electrification and energy efficiency. Under the Transportation Technical Category, subcategories include: electric motors; fuel cells; alternative vehicle designs such as… Read more »
A consortium of firms, supported by the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure, is working on a research project called FastCharge that aims to develop a charging system with significantly shortened charging times. German electrical engineering firm Phoenix Contact heads the consortium, which also includes BMW, Porsche, Siemens and charging operator Allego. The… Read more »
The BMW Group plans to consolidate its battery cell expertise at a new interdisciplinary competence center, which will open in early 2019. The company will invest a total of 200 million euros in the location over the next four years. Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony, BMW Board Member Klaus Fröhlich said, “We will be concentrating… Read more »
French power solution provider DBT has installed what it says are the first DC chargers in Lebanon, in partnership with local petroleum group MEDCO. DBT has opened two 50 kW tri-standard chargers in Beirut, and will soon install two more. The new fast chargers are compatible with all EV models available in Lebanon, and can… Read more »
Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. (EDI) has expanded its PowerDrive product family to include a heavy-duty offering suitable for Class 8 vehicles. EDI will offer its PowerDrive 8000 series as an electrification kit and developer support program for OEMs looking to quickly bring heavy-duty electrified vehicle offerings to market. EDI’s medium-duty PowerDrive 6000 and 7000 series products… Read more »
As the world’s transportation system begins to make the transition to electric power, automakers (except for one) are being dragged into the future kicking and screaming by governments. To anyone familiar with the companies’ history, this should come as no surprise. A new article from the Union of Concerned Scientists recounts the industry’s long history… Read more »
