Hitachi Automotive Systems has begun to supply Daimler with compact, high-output inverters and DC/DC converters for use in the Mercedes S500 and S550 plug-in hybrids, which recently went on sale in Germany. Hitachi developed a third-generation inverter that is 40% smaller and offers higher output than the previous version, and a high-output DC/DC converter with… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "Plug & Charge"
Mitsubishi remains committed to the US, plans to introduce Outlander PHEV
Plug-in pundits have long been puzzled by the sorry sales of Mitsubishi’s i-MiEV. Starting at $22,995, it’s the cheapest EV in the US market, it’s available throughout the country, and it has sold well in Japan and Europe. Why hasn’t Mitsubishi managed to move more than a handful here? Some speculated that the Japanese automaker,… Read more »
Workplace charging takes off, boosts EV ownership
Workplace charging is exploding in popularity, and it’s encouraging more and more drivers to go electric. The DOE’s EV Everywhere Workplace Charging Challenge, a program that offers assistance to companies to provide charging to their employees, began in January 2013, and has since grown to 150 partners, which provide charging at over 300 work sites… Read more »
Renault-Nissan sells 200,000 EVs
The Renault-Nissan Alliance has sold its 200,000th EV, highlighting its dominant position in the pure EV market, with a 58% market share. Renault and Nissan EVs have driven approximately 4 billion kilometers, saving 200 million liters of fuel and 450 million kilograms of carbon dioxide. The flagship LEAF is the top-selling plug-in vehicle in the… Read more »
BMW unveils 3 Series PHEV prototype
BMW’s new 3 Series plug-in hybrid prototype combines a four-cylinder TwinPower Turbo gas engine from the new Efficient Dynamics engine family with an electric motor and power electronics based on the eDrive technology used in the i3 and i8. It’s designed to offer performance on a par with the legacy 3 Series six-cylinder model, with… Read more »
Wisconsin poised to impose annual fee on EVs and hybrids
As the average fuel economy of US vehicles increases, gas tax receipts around the country are declining, leaving less funding available for road construction and maintenance. In an effort to make up the shortfall, Wisconsin could join five other states in imposing a fee on fuel-efficient vehicles. The $50 annual charge, which would apply to… Read more »
EaglePicher awarded funding to produce Li-ion batteries for military applications
The US Department of Defense has awarded EaglePicher, a company with a long history in the defense industry, $22 million in funding for Phase II of the Lithium-Ion Battery for Military Applications (LIMA) project. The program’s goal is to assure the affordable production of items deemed essential for national defense. “This award assures EaglePicher will… Read more »
Utilities launch initiatives to electrify their vehicle fleets, encourage workplace charging
Utility industry bigwigs joined Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz at the White House to announce two initiatives to promote electric transportation technologies. More than 70 investor-owned electric utilities will increase investment by about $250 million over 5 years to add more electric vehicles to their fleets, starting in 2015. Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and the… Read more »
2016 Volt teaser images and charging improvements released
Chevrolet has been dribbling out details of the next-generation Volt ahead of its debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Last week the company released the details of some new charging features. “Chevrolet used the real-world experiences of today’s Volt owners to make the charging process simpler and more convenient in the next-generation Volt,” said… Read more »
The inside story of how Nevada won the Tesla Gigafactory site
Outsiders to the auto industry they may be, but Elon Musk and his merry band of Teslanauts are masters at working the system to get what they want. A recent article in Fortune tells the tale of how Tesla skillfully played the state tax-incentive game, and scored a sweet deal on its Gigafactory site in… Read more »