Falken Tire Europe, the European affiliate of the Japanese tire manufacturer Sumitomo Rubber, has launched a new summer tire with optimized rolling resistance. The new Ecorun A-A is designed to save fuel and offer good braking performance in wet conditions. Falken used its 4D Nano Design to develop a tire compound that delivers exceptional performance… Read more »
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Danish Parker project developing V2G standards
A Danish-led consortium aims to advance the technology of EV grid integration. Partners in the Parker project include automakers Nissan, Mitsubishi and PSA, as well as the Technical University of Denmark and several electric utilities. EVs can theoretically help to stabilize the electrical grid by charging their batteries when there is surplus power, and returning… Read more »
Battery prelithiation shortens costly formation time
Before a lithium-ion battery is installed in a vehicle, it must undergo a lengthy process called formation, in which it is charged and discharged to control the initial chemical reactions with lithium. Many of these reactions are irreversible and permanently decrease the battery’s available energy. The process requires expensive lithium to be part of the… Read more »
Toshiba wireless charger completes year-long field testing with electric buses
Toshiba, in cooperation with Waseda University, has completed a year-long field test of electric buses equipped with its wireless rapid rechargeable battery system. In the test, a small and a medium-size bus, both customized to run on Toshiba’s SCiB batteries (the medium-size bus used a 52.9 kWh battery pack), provided regular service between All Nippon… Read more »
California Air Resources Board votes unanimously to stand by clean car standards
The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has voted unanimously to reaffirm the state’s clean car standards, setting up a confrontation with the regime in Washington. The Board’s decision comes after years of detailed analysis by ARB staff, culminating in a Midterm Review which concluded that the standards can be met on time, using known technologies,… Read more »
Motiv Power Systems approved as Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier for electric powertrains
Motiv Power Systems has earned a valuable vote of confidence from Ford – the California manufacturer of electric powertrains is now a Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier (QVM). Members of the QVM program can modify vehicles for commercial customers while keeping the original manufacturer’s warranty in force. With the new eQVM designation, Ford has expanded its… Read more »
Honda developing dynamic charging system that works at speeds up to 96 mph
At the upcoming SAE World Congress Experience, a team from Honda R&D will present a paper entitled “Study of High Power Dynamic Charging System,” which describes their work on a dynamic charging system that uses high power to charge a moving EV, with the goal of realizing an unlimited vehicle range. The current study is… Read more »
FDK and Fujitsu develop novel cathode material for solid-state batteries
FDK and Fujitsu Laboratories have jointly developed lithium cobalt pyrophosphate (Li2CoP2O7) as a cathode material for solid-state lithium-ion batteries. The new material can operate at charge/discharge voltages of more than 5 V, which is beyond the limits of current lithium batteries. The energy of a battery is a function of its voltage and capacity, so an… Read more »
Detroit Electric signs deal to manufacture electric SUVs in China
Detroit Electric, maker of the the SP:01 limited-edition electric two-seater, has formed a three-way joint venture with China Smarter Energy Group (CSE) and the China Yixing Environmental Technology Industrial Park Development Corporation (ES&TP) to manufacture electric SUVs in China. The new company, Emperor Electric Car, has a total investment of around $1.8 billion, and will… Read more »
Southwest Research Institute consortium conducts independent battery benchmarking
Comparing the spec sheets from different parts manufacturers is tricky business for engineers in any industry. However, the advanced battery market seems to be uniquely challenged in this regard. As Tesla CEO Elon Musk often points out, when it comes to batteries, the BS factor is outrageous. Even if you assume that every vendor provides… Read more »