Researchers from Hokkaido University and colleagues in Japan and Taiwan have improved the ability to transform wasted heat into usable electricity by narrowing the space through which spread electrons move, according to a new study published in Nature Communications. Currently, more than 60 percent of the energy produced by fossil fuels is lost as waste… Read more »
German automotive supplier ZF has unveiled a new Axle Hybrid concept which uses an electrified Automated Manual Transmission (eAMT). This system combines ZF’s traditional electric axle drive system (eVD) with its automated manual transmission (AMT). The eAMT eliminates tractive force interruption and features AWD capabilities. “With eAMT, ZF has developed a fully-fledged plug-in hybrid drive for front-transverse vehicles,”… Read more »
Power management company Eaton aims to take advantage of increasing demand for EV technologies with the creation of its new eMobility business, which will focus on intelligent power electronics, power systems, power distribution and circuit protection. Eaton’s existing line of electrified products includes DC/DC converters, PDUs, hybrid and EV transmissions, and high-voltage fuses. The company… Read more »
Tesla has reached an agreement with the Shanghai government to build the company’s much-anticipated Chinese Gigafactory. And none too soon – last week, in response to new US tariffs, China increased the import duty on American-made cars to 40 percent, forcing Tesla to raise prices by as much as $30,000. “We expect construction to begin… Read more »
Thermal paste is essential for preventing overheating and short circuits during battery operation. Unfortunately, its application is one of the slowest processes in battery pack production, as potting material is highly viscous and abrasive. Scheugenpflug, a provider of adhesive bonding, dispensing and potting solutions, has developed a new dispensing solution for thermal potting material that… Read more »
Drivetrain technology supplier Dana (NYSE: DAN) has announced a joint venture with TM4, a subsidiary of Hydro-Québec. TM4 will become Dana’s source for electric motors, power inverters, and control systems, and Dana will become a majority shareholder of TM4 in exchange for $165 million Canadian ($127 million US). TM4 manufactures EV motors, power inverters, and… Read more »
Bel Power Solutions and Protection‘s newest DC-DC converter, the 0RQB-30Y05L, offers high-amperage and high-voltage power conversion for demanding railway and industrial applications. These include communication and control systems such as TCMS, passenger information systems, onboard WLAN, Ethernet switches and door control. The converter can be used for embedded computing applications as well. The compact 0RQB-30Y05L… Read more »
Researchers from the University of Maryland and the DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a cathode material containing iron trifluoride (FeF3) that they say could triple the energy density of Li-ion batteries. Their research was published in Nature Communications. “Compared to the large capacity of the commercial graphite anodes used in lithium-ion batteries, the capacity of the cathodes is… Read more »
GM and Honda have agreed to develop new battery chemistry components in order to hasten their plans for future all-electric vehicles. They seek to improve power density, packaging size, and charging capabilities for their up-and-coming EVs. Honda intends to source the new modules from GM in the future. This is not their first partnership; they… Read more »
Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL) is on a serious roll – China’s biggest battery builder issued a successful IPO on the Shenzhen stock exchange earlier this month, and has been announcing new supply contracts left and right – Daimler, Honda, Nissan/Renault, SAAB successor NEVS and EV startup Byton are now customers, and there are rumors… Read more »