The European auto market is picking up – it grew by 6 percent in the first half of 2014 – and also changing rapidly. Out of the 24 segments tracked by Automotive News Europe, nine had leadership changes since last year. Can you guess which segment is the fastest-growing overall? That’s right, electric vehicle sales… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "Model 3"
Tesla bulks up Hong Kong operations
Tesla plans to double its Hong Kong workforce to over 100 people by the end of the year, and has hired a country director for the Chinese city. “Hong Kong could potentially be the place to showcase the success of electric vehicles to the rest of Asia,” said Veronica Wu, Tesla’s VP for China operations…. Read more »
Germany to offer free EV parking, bus lane access
The German cabinet is backing a bill to let municipalities offer drivers of plug-in vehicles incentives such as free parking and the right to use bus lanes. Germany’s goal is to have a million electric vehicles auf der strasse by 2020 (as of the beginning of 2014, there were about 21,000). “Electric cars will get… Read more »
Researchers develop battery fuel gauge that works across different chemistries
Every EV driver understands the importance of an accurate “fuel gauge.” Engineers working on the batteries of the future also need a reliable way to measure the state of charge (SOC), even in cases where they may be testing different battery chemistries. Researchers at the University of Connecticut have developed a chemistry-adaptive battery fuel gauge… Read more »
Ultracapacitors supercharge stop/start systems
Electrification is quietly sneaking into “conventional” vehicles, as more models incorporate stop/start technology. Navigant Research predicts that 54% of new vehicles worldwide will have stop/start capability by 2022. Different automakers are applying stop/start in very different ways. For energy storage, a stop/start system may use Li-ion batteries, advanced-glass-mat (AGM) lead-acid batteries, ultracapacitors (UCs), or some… Read more »
Efacec’s new light and compact DC charger
DC chargers are getting smaller and lighter, with commensurate cost savings. Portuguese electrical manufacturer Efacec has introduced its new QC24S, which provides fast charging for CCS-compatible EVs (VW, BMW, Daimler, GM). A CHAdeMO version is scheduled for launch by the end of this year. “This new product is a breakthrough and will be a huge… Read more »
iPhone contract manufacturer Foxconn invests $811 million in EV factory
The rumors have been flying since the Foxconn Technology Group’s June announcement that it plans to build an EV with a price tag of less than $15,000. The Taiwanese company builds iPhones for Apple and the touchscreen for the Tesla Model S. [Correction 1:00pm EDT 9/26/14: Despite widespread internet reports that Foxconn produces the Model… Read more »
BYD chief: Electric buses and PHEV consumer cars will lead the Chinese boom
The head of Chinese automaker BYD sees a major plug-in boom on the horizon, but has some definite ideas about the proper roles of PHEVs vis a vis pure EVs. Some would say the party has already started – BYD’s share price has nearly doubled this year, as the company delivered 6,600 units of its… Read more »
European EV sales – a very different selection from the US
The US and European auto markets differ in several significant ways, so it’s not surprising that the sales figures for the various plug-in models available look quite different across the water. One of the biggest differences is size. We Americans love our pickups and SUVs, while Europeans love cute little cars that would be laughed… Read more »
ClipperCreek upgrades power rating of its HCS-40 and CS-40 series charging stations
ClipperCreek has upgraded the power rating for its popular HCS-40 and CS-40 series EV charging stations from 30 amps to 32 amps continuous. “We are constantly developing new products to bring the next level of customer value to the market,” said ClipperCreek President and founder Jason France. “After an in-depth analysis, the ClipperCreek team determined… Read more »