At a recent event for investors, Tesla revealed some tantalizing details about its Nevada factory, which is now producing battery cells. The company is now calling the massive manufactory Gigafactory 1 (GF1), a hint of hopes to build similar facilities in Europe and/or China. Tesla has long planned to make this a fossil fuel-free facility…. Read more »
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BMW’s plug-in models surpassing sales expectations, especially in Europe
BMW is having a banner year. Sales for July, and for the first half of 2016, set new records. While that isn’t surprising – automakers around the world are logging record sales – the interesting bit is that sales of BMW’s electrified models are exceeding expectations, especially in Europe. In Western Europe in July, 4%… Read more »
Complete Coach Works offers a remanufactured electric bus for the cost of a new diesel
Urban transit buses represent a prime opportunity for electrification. Their typical duty cycles allow them to be conveniently recharged at terminals, and the savings on fuel and maintenance can be enormous. Furthermore, cities around the world are revitalizing and beautifying their downtown districts, so getting rid of noise and diesel smoke is a welcome benefit…. Read more »
Does Tesla’s Gigafactory have water worries?
Tesla’s Gigafactory, now under construction in northern Nevada, is expected to offer some 6,000 manufacturing jobs, which will be welcome in a state whose economy is dependent on gambling and tourism. Most are enthusiastic about the new development, but there are questions about whether local resources and infrastructure will be adequate. As always in this… Read more »
Used Li-ion batteries: remanufacture, repurpose or recycle?
Some fine day, as second- and third-generation EVs take over the roads, there will be loads of used lithium-ion batteries kicking around. According to a new report by the Mineta National Transit Research Consortium (MNTRC), by 2035 there will be between 1.3 million and 6.7 million post-vehicle batteries across the US, “enough batteries to justify… Read more »
Phinergy CEO on aluminum-air batteries and 1,000-mile range-extended EVs
Along with its industry giant partner Alcoa, Israeli startup Phinergy says it has aluminum-air batteries for EVs in the can. More than 550 feet over the National Mall in Washington, DC, the single most significant piece of American aluminum triangulates a point between the White House, the US Capitol, and the Lincoln Memorial. It is… Read more »
Tesla Gigafactory takes shape, stock soars, short-sellers weep
Let’s all shed a crocodile tear or two for the poor Tesla short-sellers. Their faces (and their balance sheets) turned an even deeper shade of red this week, as TSLA shares powered through the $200 mark without tapping the brakes, on the way to $260 and beyond. A series of positive news items has driven… Read more »
BMW i3: The launch of many firsts
When you’re writing about the dawn of a new industry, “firsts” and “milestones” come along so often that they may start to lose their novelty. However, the BMW i3, which was officially “launched” in July, and is scheduled to go on sale next year, boasts an impressive number of innovations that has the EV press… Read more »
Batteries2020 seeks to increase lifespan and energy density of Li-ion batteries
An 8.4-million-euro ($11-million) European research project called Batteries2020 aims to increase the lifespan and energy density of large-format automotive Li-ion batteries. The project is scheduled to run through September 2016, by which time the group’s goal is to have a commercialization-ready product that achieves a 4,000-cycle lifetime at 80% depth of discharge, and an energy… Read more »
New study: using aluminum instead of steel can reduce the cost of an EV
Automakers are devoting a lot of effort to making cars lighter these days, and the quest is especially critical for builders of electric vehicles, as less weight can translate into more range…or lower cost. A German research institute called FKA has done a new study, at the behest of a pair of aluminum trade groups,… Read more »