Global automotive supplier DENSO is beginning a ten-month field test of its wireless battery charging system in Toyota City, Japan. The test is intended to identify any potential operational issues and look at ways to enhance the convenience of wireless charging. For the test, DENSO has equipped a delivery truck with a power receiver that… Read more »
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Auto sales, including plug-ins, freeze up in January
After a stellar 2013, overall auto sales took a big dip in January, and plug-ins were no exception to the trend. Auto sales slid 3% as snow and ice kept people away from dealerships. Total plug-in sales were little more than half of December’s (but still more than in January 2013). The LEAF was firmly… Read more »
Fuel cells vs batteries for vehicle powertrains
Jeffrey Wishart, a Senior Project Engineer at Intertek, conducts research and development on products and services in the areas of energy, the environment, and advanced transportation. In addition to his supervisory position at Intertek, Dr. Wishart worked for several years at ETEC LABS (the research and consulting division of ECOtality) and at a utility company… Read more »
YASA Motors secures 5 million pounds in funding
UK-based YASA Motors has secured an additional £5 million in funding. The new equity finance has been raised from a combination of existing and new investors, and will be used to increase production capacity and to expand the company’s commercial activities. YASA manufactures a highly differentiated axial flux electric motor and generator based on its… Read more »
United Auto Workers union comes calling at Tesla factory
Tesla, the classic auto industry outsider, may soon be dealing with an issue that has defined Detroit for decades. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the United Auto Workers has set up an organizing committee at Tesla’s Fremont factory. UAW President Bob King also said in August that union representatives had met with CEO Elon… Read more »
December plugin sales: LEAF has best month ever, but Volt wins top spot for 2013
It was a banner year for plug-in vehicles, as 2013 sales (94,019) almost doubled 2012’s figure (52,581), and several new models made strong debuts – US buyers now have a choice of 16 mainstream plug-in models, compared to 9 at the end of last year. Overall US auto sales are up 8% in 2013, according… Read more »
California gives Tesla tax break on new machinery
The state of California has granted Tesla a $34.7-million tax break on a batch of new manufacturing equipment valued at around $415 million. California is one of the few states that taxes the purchase of manufacturing equipment, but it sometimes offers exemptions to clean-tech companies. Tesla received a similar deal in 2010 when it bought… Read more »
WiTricity to provide wireless charging technology for Prius Plug-In
The Prius Plug-In is going wireless, and WiTricity will be providing its resonant power transfer technology. This week, the Massachusetts-based MIT spinout announced an intellectual property license agreement with Toyota, which has been an investor in WiTricity since 2011. Toyota announced plans to add wireless charging to the Prius line in August. “We have heard… Read more »
November sales: LEAF edges into lead, Prius falls back
It’s a nail-biting battle for the lead in the plug-in sales race. The Nissan LEAF barely edged into the lead for November, selling 2,003 units – one more than in October. Sales of the world’s most popular pure EV have already more than doubled 2012’s figure. The 2014 LEAF is in production now and should… Read more »
2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid: Where will it fit into the market?
In a sense, every new entry into the plug-in vehicle market competes with all the others in the field – after all, there are still just a handful available nationwide. However, while the press tends to pit plug-ins against each other for juicy headlines, like “Volt vs LEAF,” there are very few direct head-to-head matchups… Read more »