German component maker ZF and Chinese battery supplier CATL have signed a partnership agreement to develop new aftermarket services. The agreement will include service networks, battery-related training, connectivity, recycling and reuse. ZF, which currently has more than 10,000 workshop partners in its global aftermarket, will be considered the preferred option in CATL’s service network expansion…. Read more »
ecovolta has launched a new generation of its evoTractionBattery traction battery, which it says offers specific energy of up to 172 Wh/kg. The battery packs, which are certified to automotive standards, are designed for commercial EVs, construction machines and boats. The new generation is available in 48- and 96-volt versions, and offers four different memory… Read more »
Arkema has opened the Christian Collette Center of Excellence, dedicated to batteries, at its Pierre-Bénite Research Center. The group also announced a 50% increase in Kynar PVDF fluoropolymer production capacity at its Pierre-Bénite site. These polymers are used as separator coatings or as cathode binders. Arkema supplies PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) for binders and separator coatings,… Read more »
TDK’s new high-voltage-resistant temperature sensors for connectors are designed to protect batteries operating at high voltages. The company designed these sensors to respond quickly, remain stable at high temperatures, and integrate directly into connectors. The company says its challenge in the design was finding a material with both high electrical insulation properties and strong thermal… Read more »
Mitsubishi has revealed a new fourth generation of its Outlander PHEV crossover SUV. Sales will commence in Japan in December, followed by Australia and New Zealand in the first half of 2022 and North America in the second half. The redesigned Outlander is built on a newly developed platform, and features several updates. The newly… Read more »
Liebherr, in partnership with KOSTAL, has released an automated connection system for battery pack module connectors. Compared with screwed and rigid busbars, plug connections with flexible cables offer easier assembly and disassembly, because the flexible lines can compensate for positioning tolerances of several millimeters in the battery modules. The contact parts are touch-protected to remove… Read more »
Over the years, we’ve seen many surveys of consumer sentiment about EVs, but this one feels different. E-mobility has been getting a lot of press lately, and consumers, auto dealers and automakers are a lot better informed than they were a year or two ago. In February 2021, CarGurus surveyed 1,097 automobile owners in the… Read more »
WAFIOS has introduced the SpeedFormer, a new approach to the production of hairpins for EV motors. SpeedFormer combines three bending techniques from conventional wire and tube bending machines into one system. One of the bending techniques has been used for decades in WAFIOS CNC spring and wire forming machines and has now been modified and… Read more »
In September, an international task force including representatives of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Charging Interface Initiative (CharIN) hosted a meeting of “leading OEMs, utilities, equipment manufacturers and suppliers” to test prototypes for a new charging system for heavy-duty vehicles: the Megawatt Charging System (MCS). The task force says the test, which… Read more »
The DOE has announced $59 million in new funding for research on advanced vehicle technologies, including advanced batteries, electric drive systems and materials for more efficient powertrains. Funding opportunities fall within six topic areas. Those directly related to EVs include: Solid State Batteries – Up to $12.5 million available for projects aimed at developing new solid electrolytes. Projects should address… Read more »