ABI Research forecasts that global EV revenue will quintuple by 2021, to reach $58 billion. Converging trends such as multimodal transport and ride-sharing will help to drive the rapid growth. “The role of vehicle electrification in urban areas is part of a broader smart mobility model that includes shared vehicles, charging options, and driverless electric… Read more »
Nissan and Eaton have partnered to introduce a residential energy storage unit that’s designed to enable customers to take advantage of time-of-use pricing, and to provide back-up power. The xStorage system is powered by twelve second-life Nissan EV battery modules, and will feature smartphone connectivity. Nissan Design Europe will contribute design expertise to ensure that… Read more »
France-based oil company Total is taking over international battery maker Saft. To the barricades! A Gallic conspiracy to buy up battery makers and buttress Big Bad Oil? Probably not. Saft builds a wide range of batteries for transportation (including stop-start technology), backup power, space and defense applications, but to the best of our knowledge, doesn’t… Read more »
Unlike a traditional ICE, which propels a drive shaft, a free piston engine linear generator (FPEG) is designed to generate electricity directly. Magnets attached to the piston move within a linear coil, converting kinetic energy to electrical energy. A team from Toyota Central R&D Labs presented a prototype FPEG to the SAE in 2014. Now… Read more »
Momentum Dynamics says it will deliver 200 kW wireless charging systems for the municipal bus market in 2016. According to CEO Andrew Daga, the company delivered 25 kW and 50 kW systems to partners in the automotive industry in 2015, and is planning to deliver two wireless systems to municipal agencies in Maryland and Washington… Read more »
Tesla’s ongoing crusade to be allowed to sell its vehicles directly to consumers recently suffered a setback in Connecticut, where a pro-Tesla bill failed for the second consecutive year. Tesla has a service facility in Milford, but consumers must purchase the cars in a neighboring state such as New York or Massachusetts. “I think the… Read more »
DC Fast Charging addresses the EV’s greatest drawback, allowing drivers to conveniently add range and making long road trips possible. That’s why fast chargers are popping up like mushrooms along major highways around the world, and the market’s rapid growth is bound to continue. But which manufacturers are supplying most of the hardware? Plugshare’s popular… Read more »
Over the past couple of decades, major automakers have built an ecosystem in which components of their cars are built by suppliers large and small around the world. This system has served them well, but it has several drawbacks that are becoming more apparent as cars become electric, autonomous and connected (Ian Wright eloquently described… Read more »
Charger manufacturer Circontrol has launched eHome BeON, an intelligent sensor that can regulate a home EV charger to avoid overloading the circuit. According to the company, “uncontrolled and random consumption” of devices such as home appliances during EV charging could cause “a blackout that can only be fixed by turning off one of the appliances… Read more »
Wolfspeed, a Cree company, has introduced a fully-qualified all-SiC commercial power module. The 62 mm module is designed to offer high efficiency and power density for high-current power electronics such as converters/inverters, motor drives and other EV components. According to Wolfspeed, the new module achieves efficiency of over 98%, allowing system designers to realize systems… Read more »
