One state may have found a workable compromise in the war of Tesla versus the auto dealers. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced last week that the belligerents reached an agreement that allows the EV-maker to keep its five company-owned stores in the state. “Today’s agreement reaffirms New York’s long-standing commitment to the dealer franchise… Read more »
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Sticky stuff could make Li-ion batteries cheaper and greener
Lithium-ion batteries typically include three components: active materials, conductive additives, and binders. A team of researchers at the University of Delaware recently discovered a sticky conductive material that could eliminate the need for binders. “The problem with the current technology is that the binders impair the electrochemical performance of the battery because of their insulating… Read more »
Mitsubishi shows two plug-in concepts in Geneva
Mitsubishi wasn’t looking quite as charged at this year’s Geneva Auto Salon. Last year, almost its entire display was devoted to plug-in technology, but this time around, the Outlander PHEV and i-MiEV had to share the stage with a wide assortment of legacy ICE models. However, the company did present two plug-in concepts (both of… Read more »
Volkswagen Group announces plans for 40 more electrified models
The Volkswagen Group plans to electrify more than 40 models over the next few years. Speaking at the Geneva Motor Show, VW Chairman Dr. Martin Winterkorn said that Europe’s largest automaker has increased its R&D expenditure to the record value of €10.2 billion, with the lion’s share going to “green” technologies. VW’s modular Baukästen (assembly… Read more »
February plug-in vehicle sales: LEAF leading, Volt vexing
Auto sales are still in their yearly winter hibernation, but February did see a respectable monthly increase, with 7,055 plug-ins sold, compared to 5,450 in January. The LEAF held its strong lead with 1,425 units, over double February 2013 sales. Next month will mark one full year that Nissan has been building LEAFs in the… Read more »
Creditors queue up with claims against bankrupt Fisker
Some 618 parties have filed claims against Fisker Automotive, which declared bankruptcy in November. The outstanding claims total $985.4 million, including about $594 million in unsecured claims, and $383 million in secured claims, according to the bankruptcy court. Wanxiang America has been approved by the court to purchase Fisker’s assets, including a former GM plant… Read more »
New microscopy system delivers real-time view of battery electrochemistry
You may not think about what’s going on inside the battery when you charge your EV, but the fate of the world may hang on the diminutive dramas taking place in there between the electrodes. Researchers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory have used a new microscopy technique to get perhaps the best glimpse yet… Read more »
Former Envia Systems execs drop their lawsuit
Things are looking a little brighter for battery startup Envia Systems, as three of the company’s former executives dropped a lawsuit with little explanation. The suit, which was filed last November, alleged that co-founder and CTO Sujeet Kumar created the company using intellectual property that he stole from his previous employer, a nanotech startup called… Read more »
Wanxiang wins auction, will pay $149 million for Fisker
(Updated 2/17/2014 – 11:30 am ET to correct/clarify details of the Fisker’s DOE loan.) China’s Wanxiang Group won an auction for the assets of bankrupt Fisker with a $149.2 million offer, beating out rival bidder Hybrid Tech Holdings. The courtroom drama lasted three days and went through 19 rounds of bidding. Fisker’s creditors were delighted with… Read more »
Musk and Straubel talk charging and new features at European town hall meetings
Tesla bigwigs Elon Musk and JB Straubel are on tour in Europe, having question and answer sessions with Tesla owners and fans. At the Amsterdam and Oslo meetings, they covered a number of interesting topics. Version 6.0 of the software, which is now in beta testing, and should be rolled out in a few weeks,… Read more »