Qualcomm has made a strategic investment in Amionx, a specialist in safe battery technology. Qualcomm President Derek Aberle will join the Amionx board of directors. Amionx has patented a technology called Safe Core that acts like a circuit breaker to prevent Li-ion batteries from triggering a fire or explosion. Safe Core is designed to protect… Read more »
in November 2016, after six years of procrastination, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released rules requiring electrified vehicles to emit sounds to help protect pedestrians. The “quiet car” standard fulfills a law that Congress approved in 2010. Much of the impetus for the rules came from the National Federation for the Blind. Now,… Read more »
Charging network operator ChargePoint has become the exclusive operator of GE’s EV charging network, adding some 1,800 commercial and 8,000 residential charging spots to its network. The agreement includes support for both residential and commercial DuraStations and WattStations. ChargePoint will maintain GE’s existing software and commercial charging network, and GE will continue to fulfill its… Read more »
Volvo Cars has announced that, beginning in 2019, every one of its models will have an electric motor, making it the first legacy automaker to phase out ICE-only vehicles. In the future, Volvo will offer only three powertrains: pure electric, plug-in hybrid, and mild hybrid, which uses a battery to store energy from regen, or… Read more »
After a slow start, Tesla’s sales are starting to take off in the world’s largest auto market. The company sold 10,400 vehicles in China in 2016 – triple the previous year’s figure – and sales for the first three months of 2017 have put it on track to double that this year. China represented around… Read more »
Elaphe Propulsion Technologies has built a demonstrator vehicle that it claims is the highest-performing in-wheel-powered car ever. The modified BMW X6 uses 4 Elaphe L1500 gearless electric motors mounted inside the wheels. It delivers over 440 kW (590 hp) of power, and over 6,000 Nm (4,425 lb·ft) of direct-drive torque. The 5,300-pound vehicle can reach… Read more »
In addition to its Superchargers, Tesla has been installing Level 2 Destination Chargers at locations such as hotels and restaurants – over 5,000 so far. Tesla installs the chargers for free, and the host covers the electric bill. In the US, Tesla chargers use a proprietary connector, so theoretically only Tesla vehicles can use them…. Read more »
Adding EV charging stations to streetlights is an interesting idea – it can save money, because the electrical lines are already in place, and it can enable smart features that deliver increased efficiency. The City of Lancaster, California has launched a demonstration project that will integrate chargers into five streetlights in the trendy downtown district…. Read more »
Australia-based Tritium has won a tender to provide 52 Veefil-UT fast chargers for German power distribution company Stromnetz Hamburg. The chargers, which support both CHAdeMO and CCS fast charging standards, have been adapted in partnership with Stromnetz to comply with German regulations and retain their signature small footprint. Each will feature an 11 kW AC… Read more »
Here at Charged, we usually write about technical matters and industry trends, and leave the car reviews to others. However, after spending a week with the Chevy Bolt EV, I am moved to write not just a review, but a rave. I’ve driven pretty much every EV that’s widely available in the US, and there’s… Read more »
