Have GM and Ford given up on EVs, as many would have us believe? Well, not this week. GM just hired a renowned battery expert as VP of Batteries, and Ford CEO Jim Farley announced that his company has been quietly working on a low-cost platform for smaller EVs for the last two years. “We… Read more »
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Voltage surge and transient suppression in EV chargers
Anything powered by an external source of electricity needs to be protected from voltage transients and surges, as it is not a question of whether such hazards will occur, but rather how often they will occur (and of what severity they will be). As might be expected, there are internationally agreed-upon regulations for surge and… Read more »
The heavy-duty electric truck market could break out in 2024
Electrifying heavy-duty trucks is essential if we’re to fight climate change and air pollution, but the pace of the transition has been painfully slow—many, many pilots, but few truly large-scale orders. For example, shipping giant Schneider acquired 92 Freightliner eCascadias in 2023—a good start, but only that, considering that the company currently operates over 10,000… Read more »
How to protect an EV’s on-board charger from transient grid surges
Sponsored by Littelfuse. The automotive environment is one of the most severe environments for electronics. Today’s vehicle designs proliferate with sensitive electronics, including electronic controls, infotainment, sensing, battery packs, battery management, electric vehicle powertrains, and on-board chargers. In addition to the heat, voltage transients, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) in the automotive environment, the on-board charger… Read more »
6K Energy wins $50-million DOE grant for PlusCAM battery material production plant in Tennessee
6K Energy, a provider of critical materials for lithium-ion batteries, has won a $50-million grant from the DOE’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains for its PlusCAM battery material production plant located in Jackson, Tennessee. The company will apply the 50 big ones to the estimated $200-million construction cost for the factory. The PlusCAM… Read more »
Dynexus uses pattern recognition to make a powerful battery health measurement technique even better
Measuring battery health and safety continuously is an important challenge—lithium-ion batteries can experience several challenges over their lifetimes such as unintended capacity loss, short circuits and thermal runaway. In 2011, Idaho National Laboratory researchers developed a new technology for measuring battery health and safety. By sending multiple waves of electrical current simultaneously through a battery,… Read more »
Over $500 million investment in US EV charger plants announced since 2021
As regular Charged readers know, the US Inflation Reduction Act has spurred a tidal wave of investment in battery plants, as well as mines and processing facilities for critical battery minerals. EVSE manufacturers have also been joining the party (or “lining up at the trough,” as a fiscal conservative might put it). The DOE’s Vehicle… Read more »
No complaints at Volvo—EV sales soar in October
The legacy automakers had a truly scary October. Ford and GM, both of which had seemed to be manfully slogging forward with electrification, have scaled back their EV plans, moaning that they can’t make a profit on EVs. (It’s not just American companies—VW and Mercedes are wavering too.) Their can’t-do jeremiads are aimed at politicians,… Read more »
Get an offer for any used EV battery pack on Redwood Materials new pricing portal
Redwood Materials, the EV battery recycling firm headed by Tesla alum JB Straubel, has created a new web portal that’s designed to enable auto recyclers to quickly and easily get an offer for a used EV battery pack. A registered supplier can enter the vehicle year/make/model, VIN, or Battery Part Number, and describe the battery’s… Read more »
GM agrees to unionize EV battery plants. Will other US automakers follow suit?
The United Autoworkers’ strike doubtless has multiple causes, but the transition to EVs is certainly one bone of contention. EVs are simpler machines than legacy vehicles, and many expect this to translate into less demand for human labor. A wave of new battery plants will surely create new jobs, but some fear that automakers will… Read more »