Rising above the waters of the Mittelland Canal in Wolfsburg, Germany, four iconic smokestacks cut through an otherwise sparse skyline. These are the most recognizable – and among the last – vestiges of the original Volkswagen factory from 1938. Symbolically, however, the smokestacks represent much more than the symbols of a power plant that –… Read more »
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The EV Show: a roundup of the month’s EV conversion news
The electrical gurus at EV West have started a monthly youtube show about EVs. On The EV Show, Hosts Michael Bream and Eric Hutchison (with Ono the shop dog in the background adding an occasional “woof”) cover a wide variety of news from the EV world, with an emphasis on conversions. This is no mere… Read more »
German automakers (still) planning to challenge Tesla
Elon Musk hopes Tesla’s success will inspire other automakers to get serious about EVs. The latest buzz in the automotive press is that he may get his wish, as German luxury brands are rumored to be working on their own EVs to compete with the boys from Silicon Valley. Automobile magazine reported earlier this month… Read more »
Automakers: lead-acid batteries are still necessary
While lithium-ion is the chemistry of choice for EV batteries, almost every ICE vehicle made today still uses the ancient lead-acid battery technology for its 12-Volt starter battery (Porsche and a couple of other makers of high-performance cars offer lithium-ion starter batteries). Auto OEMs and battery providers want to preserve the leaded status quo. In… Read more »
Volkswagen buys piece of solid-state battery startup
Volkswagen has bought a five-percent stake in battery startup QuantumScape. Confidential sources told Bloomberg that the Volkswagen Group plans to complete tests of QuantumScape’s technology by mid-2015, and is considering using it in VW, Porsche and Audi vehicles. Closely-held QuantumScape, founded in 2010 by former Stanford University researchers, is working on solid-state batteries, which it… Read more »
November plug-in sales: LEAF (still) leads, Ford falters, Toyota tanks, smart surges
The US auto industry had another banner month, and plug-ins were present at the party, though perhaps not first in line at the punchbowl. PEV sales were down a tick from October, but eked out a gain compared to November 2013. Year-to-date sales have now surpassed 2013’s total, and it appears that annual sales will… Read more »
Do luxury models make more sense as EVs than small cars?
Contrary to popular belief, the small, practical city car is not necessarily the best candidate for electrification. Battery costs will keep EVs more expensive than legacy vehicles for some time to come, and many drivers won’t recoup the higher purchase price in fuel savings in a reasonable number of years. In a new article, John… Read more »
Voltabox begins building Li-ion battery packs in Texas
Three Li-ion battery chemistries, the speed of its software and hardware systems configuration and the automotive legacy of Voltabox make this newly-landed American spin-off company a player in the realm of rechargeable batteries for public transit and heavy industrial vehicles. Austin, Texas is known for many things: music festivals, barbequed ribs, the Texas Longhorns, filmmaker… Read more »
Automakers say they plan to go head-to-head with Tesla
Lately it seems that almost every EV-related headline has to include a reference to Tesla, however tenuous. However, there may be some substance to this week’s news, as four major automakers have at least hinted at plans to directly challenge Tesla with new high-end EV models. In a recent conference call with Wall Street analysts,… Read more »
Will European drivers warm to hybrids?
Hybrids, with or without plugs, are comparatively rare on European roads, but Automotive News believes that’s about to change, as EU limits on CO2 emissions become stricter, forcing Continental automakers to electrify. German and French automakers dominate the market in Europe, and diesels have long been their chosen solution, accounting for half of new-car sales… Read more »