Automotive tech specialist Continental has introduced several thermal management (TM) technologies for increasing EV efficiency during summer and winter. This portfolio includes sensors, BLDC-driven pumps, hydraulics and valves. The company also produces smart lines and hoses paired with special sealing solutions. Continental claims that its systems can increase EV range by up to 25% in… Read more »
UQM has launched a new line of PowerPhase HD2 electric motor inverters. The system is half the weight of previous models (16 kg with a volume of 14 liters) and is rated for 950 A, up to 750 V and 250 kW. It is designed for medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles and is set to… Read more »
Wildcat Discovery Technologies is working with the Tianmu Lake Advanced Energy Storage Technology Institute (TIES) in a new multi-year project geared towards the development and optimization of high energy-density lithium-ion batteries. Wildcat will use its high-speed testing capabilities to provide TIES with as much data as possible. In turn, TIES’s team (headed by Professor Hong Li),… Read more »
There’s a new breed of EV in testing at an undisclosed location in Europe. Elaphe Propulsion, an EU-based manufacturer of in-wheel electric propulsion systems, has built a prototype vehicle, based on an Audi R8 space-frame chassis, that uses no dedicated space on the car for the powertrain. Elaphe’s configuration squeezes the motors into the existing… Read more »
Sponsored by Elkem Silicones Heat dissipation is critical for the electronics and batteries to function for their intended lifetime and reach the desired levels of performance and reliability in EV applications. Without proper thermal management, lithium-ion batteries can overheat during charging or discharging. There can also be a non-uniform temperature distribution within the battery packs which… Read more »
Power electronics and motor specialist AVID Technology has recently won several new contracts totaling £50 million per year. The largest contract is a £34-million deal to develop an integrated EV system for a Tier 1 automotive supplier. Others include a £3.5-million contract to develop and supply customized electric cooling pumps and a 5-year, £5-million deal to provide… Read more »
BMW has been taking its share of criticism in the EV press lately, because of its lack of new plug-in models, and because it seems to the biggest loser from Tesla’s gains in the luxury sedan segment. But don’t count the Bavarians out just yet. The i3 is as popular as ever, especially in Europe… Read more »
Cummins (NYSE: CMI) unveiled the PowerDrive, a suite of plug-in hybrid powertrain solutions spanning light, medium and heavy-duty applications, at the recent IAA Commercial Vehicle Show. The Cummins PowerDrive offers both parallel and series capabilities. It replaces the conventional transmission and switches in real time between two hybrid and two pure electric modes, optimizing the… Read more »
One of China’s top producers of lithium has agreed to supply a fifth of its lithium hydroxide production to Tesla’s battery suppliers. The agreement with Jiangxi-based Ganfeng Lithium runs from 2018 to 2020, and could be extended by three years. EV-makers have been scrambling to secure supplies of lithium for the past couple of years…. Read more »
Scientists from the University of Waterloo have devised several new electrochemical processes which greatly increase the lifespan and stability of lithium-oxygen batteries. On paper, Li-O2 batteries have high energy densities and low weights. However, they also have internal reactions (involving superoxides and peroxides) that slowly corrode their carbon cathodes. The superoxide also destroys organic electrolytes in the… Read more »