Four British-built pure electric buses went into service in London this week. The MetroCity single-deck buses were manufactured by Optare, part of the Hinduja Group, based in North Yorkshire, and will be operated on a trial basis on route H98 between Hayes and Hounslow. Manufacturer’s tests demonstrated that, while the initial cost of these vehicles… Read more »
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Swedish researchers: Carbon fiber can serve as both body panel and battery
It’s one of the dilemmas of EV design: It’s imperative to keep a vehicle’s weight as low as possible, but the most critical component – the battery – is necessarily quite heavy (and bulky). A little outside-the-box thinking yields an elegant solution – make the box the battery. In other words, design a battery material… Read more »
LG Chem secures international patents for its safety-reinforced battery separator
LG Chem, the world’s largest lithium-ion battery maker, has obtained a patent for its safety-reinforced separator (SRS) in Europe and Japan. The company already has patents for the technology in South Korea, the US and China. The separator is an important component of lithium-ion polymer batteries, separating the negative and positive poles to prevent internal… Read more »
Navigant names 10 trends in the EV market for 2014
A new white paper from Navigant Research forecasts global EV sales of over 346,000 units in 2014. Navigant sees expansion at the higher end of the market, as Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes, Saab, and Volvo introduce new plug-in models; and in the middle, with new offerings from Kia, Mahindra, Skoda, and Volkswagen. “Electric Vehicles: 10… Read more »
Tesla Model S achieves best safety rating of any car ever tested
They’re quieter, cleaner and more fun to drive. Now it’s becoming apparent that electric vehicles are safer, too. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has awarded the Tesla Model S a 5-star safety rating, not just overall, but in every subcategory, a distinction that only one percent of all cars tested by the feds… Read more »
In-wheel house: Protean Electric’s in-wheel drive system nears production
When Protean Electric begins production of its Protean Drive in-wheel electric drive system later this year, it could mark the stirring comeback of the wheel hub motor, a concept that’s been more than a century in the making. Electric wheel-hub motors date all the way back to 1884, and none other than Ferdinand Porsche used… Read more »
ABB announces flash charging electric bus pilot in Geneva
ABB has developed a new flash charging system for city buses, and is working with the city of Geneva’s public transport company and electric power utility SIG on a pilot project. The TOSA (Trolleybus Optimisation Système Alimentation) will be deployed for the first time on a 135-passenger electric bus. The system enables onboard batteries to… Read more »
Supercars, hybrids and EVs take the stage in Geneva
At Geneva’s enormous Palexpo convention center, it’s obvious we’re not in Detroit – there’s hardly a pickup truck in sight, and the wine and coffee are flowing freely. Reflecting Europe’s colorful collage of cultures, a vast variety of vehicles from hybrids to EVs to seven-figure super-sports cars are spinning on the turntables. Europe is just… Read more »
Fisker furloughs workers
Its production line idle since July, and its search for a suitor seemingly in limbo, Fisker Automotive put its US workforce of about 200 employees on furlough this week to cut costs.
Geely won’t bid for Fisker
China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group will not bid for a majority stake in Fisker Automotive, mainly due to the automaker’s obligations to the US government, Reuters reported, citing two confidential sources. Geely, the owner of Volvo, was expected to win the deal for the maker of the Karma, but the Chinese firm doesn’t care for… Read more »