Public EV chargers are popping up at all kinds of locations, including, of all places, gas stations. Convenience store chain Ricker Oil has installed nine DC fast chargers at locations in central Indiana. Ricker partnered with the Greater Indiana Clean Cities Coalition and Nissan, which offers two years of free public charging to LEAF buyers… Read more »
Charging station software developer EV Connect has signed a joint marketing and product agreement with GE’s Industrial Solutions business. GE will be a preferred charging station supplier of EV Connect, and EV Connect will be a preferred management provider for GE charging stations. EV Connect gains a perpetual license to access the GE WattStation Connect… Read more »
Elon Musk is at it again, dropping hints about something really cool to be launched in a month’s time. “Major new Tesla product line — not a car — will be unveiled at our Hawthorne Design Studio on Thurs 8pm, April 30,” tweeted the Iron Man this week. Now begins another round of the Tesla… Read more »
The 2016 Chevrolet Malibu will be offered in a hybrid version that uses an adaptation of GM’s Voltec plug-in hybrid system. This will be the third generation of Malibu Hybrids, but the previous two had only a “mild hybrid” system that assists the gas engine. The new ‘bu is a “strong hybrid,” and can drive… Read more »
Volkswagen has acquired a 5% stake in US battery startup QuantumScape, with an option to buy more, and it is evaluating the company’s solid-state battery tech with an eye to using it in VW’s next generation of EVs. Last November, Volkswagen Group CEO Martin Winterkorn said he saw “great potential” in solid-state batteries, which potentially… Read more »
XALT Energy has signed a multi-year contract, valued at over $1.0 billion, with Hybrid Kinetic Group of China to supply lithium titanate batteries for electric buses in China. Production is expected to begin during the third quarter of 2015. Dr. Yung Yeung, Chairman of HK Group, said, “XALT’s high quality and cost-competitive battery products fit… Read more »
British Columbia has announced the renewal of its Clean Energy Vehicle (CEV) incentive program, effective April 1 (via Green Car Reports). The CEV program, which expired in the spring of 2014 after exhausting its original $12-million budget, offers point-of-purchase rebates of up to $5,000 Canadian ($4,000 US) for battery EVs and $6,000 Canadian ($4,800 US)… Read more »
Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) made headlines in February when it asked California regulators for permission to build 25,000 public charging stations, which would be the largest charging network in the country. However, not everyone is thrilled with this plan. Consumer Watchdog has petitioned the California Public Utilities Commission to reject the PG&E proposal, saying… Read more »
China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) recently published modified rules for electric vehicle manufacturing, and is expected to start issuing licenses for EV manufacturing later this year, the Beijing-based Economic Observer reports. Sources said that no more than 10 companies will be eligible to apply for licenses, and the government is likely to award… Read more »
How will low oil prices affect the growth in vehicle electrification? It’s a question we’ve heard a lot since the price of crude began to plummet about six months ago. A few studies have come out recently that find cheap oil has little or no effect on PEV sales. It seems that either buyers don’t… Read more »
