At the recent Electrification Experience symposium in California, GM and ABB demonstrated a “community energy storage system” made from five used Chevy Volt batteries. The unit is designed to provide 25 kW of power for two hours, enough to power 3 to 5 average American homes (a few dozen of these babies would come… Read more »
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The promise of the Prius Plug-in
On the march toward widespread adoption of 100+ MPGe plug-in vehicles, the Prius Plug-in could take the most significant step. “When you think of hybrids, you think of Prius.” So says Geri Yoza, National Manager for Advanced Technology Vehicles, Product Planning Department at Toyota. Of course, that would be the standard company line at Toyota,… Read more »
Fleet of 50 BYD electric minicabs to start trials in London
Chinese automaker BYD and London minicab operator greentomatocars have signed a memorandum of understanding calling for BYD to supply 50 e6 electric vehicles to greentomatocars, which operates about 300 minicabs in Cool Britannia’s capital (“minicabs” are ordinary cars used as cabs, as opposed to the city’s famous diesel-powered black taxicabs). The new zero-emission taxis are… Read more »
A123 finally runs out of juice and files for bankruptcy
Battery maker A123 Systems announced that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and agreed to sell its automotive business assets to Johnson Controls. Once considered a promising startup with innovative technology, the company took a huge hit in March, when it was forced to recall a batch of defective batteries destined for Fisker’s Karma… Read more »
AllCell uses phase change materials to prevent Li-ion thermal runaway propagation
AllCell Technologies received a new US patent covering the use of phase change materials (PCM) to prevent thermal runaway propagation in electrochemical devices such as lithium-ion batteries. AllCell has developed a proprietary composite material composed of a conductive matrix impregnated with various PCMs that extends the cycle life of lithium-ion cells and can prevent the… Read more »
Find your niche: Balqon Corporation targets short haul drayage tractors
Electric vehicles (EVs) have their partisans and detractors. Supporters see the be-all and end-all transportation solution, while opponents argue the technology is too young. Somewhere between the two extremes lies the truth: today’s commercially available EVs have strengths and weaknesses compared to internal combustion engine (ICEs). The strong points include lower operating costs and lack… Read more »
Fisker to fix fans found at fault for fire
The company’s engineers, working with an independent fire expert, determined that a cooling fan had an internal fault that caused it to fail, overheat and start a slow-burning fire.
Advancing Inverters
Topping the list of EV inhibitors are cost and consumer perception of long-term reliability of the vehicle. After batteries, power electronics contribute the greatest cost to EVs, when compared to a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. Additionally, inverters and converters are among the most stressed powertrain components. Increasing inverter performance, reliability, and lifetime –… Read more »
A123 Systems saved by the Chinese
Wanxiang Group will provide a bridge loan of $75 million or so, and eventually invest up to $450 million in A123, which would give it an ownership stake of about 80% in the company.
McKinsey analysis predicts Li-ion pack prices could fall to $160/kWh by 2025
The paper breaks the price of battery packs down into more than 40 underlying drivers, and suggests that three factors could accelerate the decline in Li-ion prices.