A straightforward look at the EVSE market from the charging pioneers at ClipperCreek In a charging station industry filled with multinational conglomerates and 100-year-old automotive suppliers, the independent company ClipperCreek stands out. Relatively speaking, it has had a long history in the EVSE industry – a history that has shaped some definite views of the… Read more »
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EnerG2 boasts of battery breakthrough
Seattle-based EnerG2 has announced improvements to its line of lithium-ion batteries that it says significantly boost capacity and power performance. The company’s new product blends carbon and silicon, including electrochemically active hard carbon. According to the company, its silicon-carbon solution provides a fivefold improvement in cycle life while maintaining a dramatic improvement in energy density… Read more »
DOE announces $50 million for vehicle R&D funding, releases plug-in progress report
The DOE will award $49.4 million in new funding for projects that accelerate research and development of new vehicle technologies. The announcement identifies 13 areas of interest, of which 7 are described as “critical technologies” to meet the EV Everywhere Grand Challenge, which has a goal of making EVs more affordable and convenient to own… Read more »
Trademark troubles settled, Tesla expects China to contribute a third of global growth
With a troublesome trademark issue settled, Tesla is moving full speed ahead with plans to expand its sales in China, and expects Chinese sales to contribute one third of global sales growth this year. Veronica Wu, VP of Tesla’s China operations, told Reuters that a Chinese court had ruled against a local trademark troll who… Read more »
Former Secretary of Energy Steven Chu joins board of Amprius
Dr. Steven Chu, a Nobel Prize winner in Physics and the former US Secretary of Energy, has joined the Board of Directors of Amprius, a developer of lithium-ion batteries with operations in California and China. Amprius, co-founded by Stanford Professor Yi Cui, introduced its first generation of batteries in May 2013, and it is now… Read more »
Nissan e-NV200 begins real world tests in Washington DC
FedEx Express will begin testing Nissan’s e-NV200 electric cargo vehicle under real-world conditions in Washington DC. The companies have conducted similar e-NV200 tests with fleets in Japan, Singapore, the UK and Brazil, but this test will be the e-NV200’s North American debut. The front-wheel drive e-NV200 has a powertrain based on the LEAF, and the… Read more »
LG Chem secures international patents for its safety-reinforced battery separator
LG Chem, the world’s largest lithium-ion battery maker, has obtained a patent for its safety-reinforced separator (SRS) in Europe and Japan. The company already has patents for the technology in South Korea, the US and China. The separator is an important component of lithium-ion polymer batteries, separating the negative and positive poles to prevent internal… Read more »
DC fast charging billing models and encouraging efficient usage
By Tom Saxton, Chief Science Officer, Plug In America With over 160,000 170,000 plug-in vehicles on the road in the US, an increasing number of drivers are depending on public charging to extend the useful range of their vehicles, both for extended trips in large metro areas and for even longer road trips. At the same time, there is… Read more »
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV selling smartly in Europe
Mitsubishi seems to be in no hurry to bring its Outlander PHEV to the US, but the new plug-in SUV has gotten off to a splendid start in Europe. MMC launched the new model in the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Switzerland last October, and has already booked over 12,000 orders. It had delivered over 8,000 units by… Read more »
DOE offers $10 million in research funding for batteries, motors and power electronics
If you’ve got an idea for cheaper, lighter, safer or more durable batteries or electric powertrain components, you may be eligible for a piece of a new $10 million pot of research funding. The DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) has issued an Incubator Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for projects that address any of several “areas… Read more »