Volvo Penta has joined forces with terminal tractor manufacturer TICO to develop electric terminal truck prototypes. Terminal tractors, also known as yard goats, are used to move cargo in ports, distribution centers, and rail terminals. They are considered an ideal application for EVs. “TICO has always been at the forefront of bringing alternative powertrain solutions… Read more »
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Measuring technology provides the key for series production in e-mobility
Sponsored by Zeiss Volkswagen and ZEISS are working together to solve challenges The Volkswagen components plant in Salzgitter manufactures important components for the APP 310, an electric drive which will make electromobility accessible to a wide range of customers starting this year. The drive’s innovative hairpin stator concept presented entirely new challenges for quality assurance…. Read more »
Gatik deploys electric autonomous, middle-mile box trucks
Gatik’s mission is to deliver goods using autonomous vehicles. With a fleet of light- and medium-duty trucks, it focuses on short-haul B2B logistics for the retail industry. The company has an existing partnership with Walmart, for which it operates multi-temperature box trucks on autonomous short runs. Now Gatik, which has offices in Palo Alto and… Read more »
High-voltage EV battery packs: benefits and challenges. More voltage, more better?
In 2020, Porsche delivered just over 20,000 units of its luxury Taycan EV—the first vehicle from a major automaker to sport an 800 V (nominal) battery, which is more than double the voltage of its competitors (and firmly into light-rail and switchyard locomotive territory, actually). It appears that many other EVs will soon follow in… Read more »
Is aviation the best application yet for hydrogen fuel cells?
Q&A with ZeroAvia CEO Passenger cars are well on their way to going electric, and the path to a big market share for heavy-duty EVs such as buses and delivery trucks is becoming clearer. However, aviation remains a new frontier for zero emissions. There are several new powertrain options, and none has yet proven itself… Read more »
Who’s behind the current wave of hype about hydrogen?
Hydrogen fuel cells are controversial—several automakers, including Daimler, Honda, GM and Volkswagen, have abandoned the technology, while Toyota continues to pursue it. Hydrogen opponents cite its inefficiency relative to batteries, and question the wisdom of building a complex and costly new infrastructure. On the other hand, many believe that hydrogen may have a role to… Read more »
Proterra and Komatsu collaborate to develop all-electric construction equipment
Commercial EV manufacturer Proterra has announced a partnership with construction equipment builder Komatsu to develop a battery-electric middle-class hydraulic excavator. The collaboration represents Proterra’s entry into the off-road vehicle market, and the company’s first Proterra Powered construction equipment. Komatsu will use Proterra’s battery systems to develop a proof-of-concept electric excavator this year, and expects to… Read more »
Octillion debuts new EV battery leasing plan
Octillion Power Systems has announced a new demo program that allows fleet customers to lease batteries when they purchase vehicles. Under the program, participating fleet operators will be allowed to source batteries through a five-year lease-to-own program, with no up-front payment. “The program is designed to ensure that fleets feel prepared to make the switch… Read more »
2020 EV Charging Infrastructure Best-in-Test: Rating the DC fast charging user experience
If EVs are to replace fossil-fuel vehicles, they need to be able to make long highway trips, which means that DC fast charging needs to be reliable, convenient, affordable and ubiquitous. However, as Charged and other media have often reported, we’re still in the early days of public EV charging, and the user experience often… Read more »
A closer look at the DC Link
The term DC link has traditionally referred to the junction between two power conversion stages where an energy storage element (almost always a capacitor) acts as a buffer for each. A classic example is the capacitor placed between the rectifier and the voltage source inverter in a mains-supplied variable frequency drive (see Fig. 1). This… Read more »