Power management company Eaton has launched a new line of automotive-grade high-current power inductors for DC/DC converters, voltage regulators, battery-powered systems, multi-phase regulators and point of load modules. Automotive manufacturers require components that endure a wide temperature range, corrosive conditions, noise, electromagnetic interference (EMI) and shock. HCM1A inductors are compliant with AEC-Q200 Automotive Grade 1,… Read more »
New types of electrodes – positive and negative terminals – are considered essential for the development of a new generation of high energy-density batteries. As lithium-ion batteries begin to reach their capacity limits, many researchers are looking at lithium-sulfur as a solution. Sulfur is both lightweight and abundant, with a high theoretical energy capacity. However,… Read more »
Falken Tire Europe, the European affiliate of the Japanese tire manufacturer Sumitomo Rubber, has launched a new summer tire with optimized rolling resistance. The new Ecorun A-A is designed to save fuel and offer good braking performance in wet conditions. Falken used its 4D Nano Design to develop a tire compound that delivers exceptional performance… Read more »
A Danish-led consortium aims to advance the technology of EV grid integration. Partners in the Parker project include automakers Nissan, Mitsubishi and PSA, as well as the Technical University of Denmark and several electric utilities. EVs can theoretically help to stabilize the electrical grid by charging their batteries when there is surplus power, and returning… Read more »
Another milestone on the road to self-driving cars was reached this week as Tesla released a software update that apparently brings the capabilities of cars with Autopilot 2.0 to near-parity with those of the first-generation Autopilot suite. As aficionados know, Tesla vehicles built since October 2016 are equipped with second-generation Autopilot hardware (including eight cameras… Read more »
Toshiba’s latest addition to its SCiB line of lithium-ion batteries, the SIP series of modules for automated guided vehicles (AGVs), will be available in April. AGVs are mobile robots used to transport materials around factory floors, warehouses, hospitals and offices. Most current AGVs use lead batteries, which suffer from long charge times and short lifecycles…. Read more »
Before a lithium-ion battery is installed in a vehicle, it must undergo a lengthy process called formation, in which it is charged and discharged to control the initial chemical reactions with lithium. Many of these reactions are irreversible and permanently decrease the battery’s available energy. The process requires expensive lithium to be part of the… Read more »
Canada-based Mkango Resources has teamed with UK-based Metalysis to develop and commercialize novel rare earth metal alloys for use in 3D-printed permanent magnets. The two companies envisage a comprehensive R&D program, taking advantage of Mkango’s knowledge about the performance characteristics and demand outlook for rare earth magnets and Metalysis’s solid-state process, which it says can… Read more »
NH Research has released a higher-voltage, higher-power version of its single-channel 9210 series battery test system. The 9210 Series provided a 12 kW power module operating at 40, 120 or 600 Volts, which allowed paralleling with similar systems to increase the power. The new 9300 system provides a 100 kW power module with a software-selectable… Read more »
Tesla is on a serious roll this time. Both deliveries and production set new records in the first quarter of 2017, a promising sign for the Model 3 ramp-up. As the good news piles up, TSLA stock is soaring, making Tesla the most valuable American carmaker. According to a company press release, deliveries are up… Read more »
