Airbus Group and Siemens have launched a joint project to explore the electrification of aviation. The goal is to demonstrate the technical feasibility of various hybrid/electric aircraft propulsion systems by 2020. The two giant companies plan to develop prototypes for propulsion systems with power classes ranging from a few hundred kilowatts up to 10 or… Read more »
Volkswagen’s Transparent Factory, which allows customers to watch their new vehicles being assembled, has been redesigned as a showcase for electromobility and digitalization. The site now features some 50 interactive exhibits, including a glass frame model of the e-Golf. Several of VW’s electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles are available for test drives. The exhibition is… Read more »
As Tesla develops the mass-market Model 3, it is simultaneously working on the Nevada Gigafactory that will produce the boatloads of batteries required. When the futuristic factory is finished in 2020, it is expected to produce more lithium-ion batteries than all the world’s other battery factories combined. When completed the 13-million-square-foot facility will have the… Read more »
Heavy vehicle manufacturer Cummins (NYSE: CMI) has been awarded a $4.5-million grant from the DOE to develop a Class 6 commercial PHEV. Class 6 vehicles weigh between 19,000 and 26,000 pounds fully loaded – examples include school buses and single-axle work trucks. The goal of the project is to reduce fuel consumption by at least… Read more »
Massachusetts-based battery technology developer CAMX Power has granted a license for its CAMX suite of CAM-7 cathode materials to chemical giant BASF. CAM-7 is a patented cathode material that features high-nickel compounds. According to the company, it features a discharge capacity over 200 mAh/g, and retains more than 80% of capacity at -20° C. It… Read more »
A new report by Mark Singer of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) aims to highlight what consumers think about plug-in vehicles, including pure EVs and PHEVs, and to gain some insights about what may be needed to encourage widespread adoption. The report, Consumer Views on Plug-in Electric Vehicles – National Benchmark Report, presents the… Read more »
GM has always been pretty good about showing us the details of its technology. Now it’s showing off the upcoming Bolt’s electric powertrain in a series of detailed photos. The Bolt represents the pinnacle of GM’s electric technology, and it’s particularly interesting to see how that has been steadily improving. We get an up-close look… Read more »
eMotorWerks specializes in intelligent smart-grid-enabled charging solutions. Its JuicePlug is a universal EVSE adapter that can convert an existing “dumb EVSE” into a smart one, with app- and web-based control. The latest additions to eMotorWerks’ product line are designed to allow portable EVSE to connect to the cloud, and to accommodate ever-higher charging levels. JuiceCord… Read more »
A new report commissioned by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) urges the UK government to make significant investments in building charging infrastructure and improving skills in the UK motor industry or risk missing out on the economic benefits of a fast-growing industry. The author of the report, Professor Jim Saker of Loughborough University,… Read more »
Delphi Automotive (NYSE: DLPH) has unveiled a new 48-volt mild hybrid vehicle solution. The company says it is working with two global automakers on the system, and it could go into production within 18 months. Delphi’s mild hybrid technology, which it showcased in a Honda Civic diesel, uses electrification to minimize the demand on the… Read more »
