The Obama administration, a reliable booster of electromobility, has announced a new package of measures aimed at helping to put more EVs on the road. While EVangelists may be disappointed that the package contains little in the way of new money or mandates, it will hopefully lay the groundwork for more cooperation among governments, private… Read more »
Daido Steel and Honda have collaborated to develop a hot deformed neodymium magnet that contains no heavy rare earth elements, but still delivers the high heat resistance and high magnetic performance required for a hybrid vehicle motor. Neodymium magnets are prized for use in electrified vehicle motors, as they have the highest magnetic force of… Read more »
Tesla has ended a buyback offer that guaranteed the resale value of its cars. A Tesla spokesperson said the program was discontinued “to keep interest rates as low as possible and offer a compelling lease and loan program to customers.” The aim of the program, which began in 2013, was presumably to reassure buyers who… Read more »
The Swiss city of Geneva plans to deploy 12 electric buses that use a high-power flash charging system provided by ABB. The city began a pilot of the system in 2013. The new e-buses will be built by Swiss manufacturer HESS, using several components from ABB, including integrated traction and auxiliary converters, roof-mounted battery units… Read more »
Evatran Group has formed a joint venture with Chinese auto parts manufacturer Zhejiang VIE to market the Plugless wireless EV charging system in China. Plugless is expected to be in series production and commercially available with a China-based OEM by 2017. The Plugless system went on sale in the US and Canada in 2014. It… Read more »
Chinese automakers are selling large numbers of EVs at home, but so far, none has managed to crack the US or European passenger car markets. That could change before long – Auto Express reports that Geely, which owns Volvo, is rumored to be close to launching a new brand aimed at Europe, and that both… Read more »
Semiconductor maker Infineon Technologies has agreed to acquire the Wolfspeed Power and RF division of LED manufacturer Cree, for $850 million. The deal also includes the related silicon carbide wafer substrate business. Wolfspeed specializes in silicon carbide-based power and gallium nitride-on-silicon carbide-based RF power solutions. The deal also includes related core competencies in wafer substrate… Read more »
Is it madness, or genius? Will it save civilization, or summon the Terminators? Either way, Tesla is determined to make the next ten years mighty interesting. With Model S in a vigorous prime and Model 3 gestating, Elon Musk’s first master plan is nearing completion. That plan, unveiled 10 years ago, is familiar to Charged… Read more »
Ports are major sources of air pollution, but fortunately they are also excellent candidates for electrification. The twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have been testing various types of electrified vehicles for several years. Now the Port of Los Angeles has launched the Green Omni Terminal Demonstration Project, a full-scale, real-time demonstration of… Read more »
The province of Ontario is working with 24 public- and private-sector partners to create a network of public EV charging stations. The plan calls for over 200 Level 3 and about 300 Level 2 charging stations. They will be located in cities, along highways, at workplaces and at various public places across the province. The… Read more »
