In mid-July, Tesla Motors made a trio of Model S update announcements. The new options included a 70 kWh rear-wheel-drive base model, an upgrade for the high-end battery pack from 85 to 90 kWh (providing about a 6% increase in range), and Ludicrous mode, which offers a 10% improvement in the car’s 0 to 60… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "VW"
Silicon Valley’s Motiv helps electrify heavy-duty trucks, shuttles and buses
Sometimes kids can’t wait to be grown-ups, but growth takes time. An acorn doesn’t become an oak tree overnight. Electric vehicles are a growth industry, and many people in that industry would like to see explosive expansion, rather than the slow and steady gains that have characterized the market for years. Yet even slow progress… Read more »
Tesla Model X will probably qualify for the Hummer Tax Loophole. What does that mean?
Oh the irony! Could something called the Hummer Tax Loophole end up supercharging sales of Tesla’s new Model X? Section 179 of the federal tax code allows taxpayers to immediately deduct the cost of certain assets, including “heavy vehicles and equipment,” instead of depreciating them over time. Electrek reports that this became known as the… Read more »
August plug-in sales slow as LEAF, Volt and Model S jockey for the lead
There’s little good news for EV-lovers this month. August US plug-in sales of 8,972 were essentially unchanged from July, and were even further behind August 2014’s figure of 12,172. There were no major position changes – most of the leading models posted minor declines or increases. The bright spots at the moment are outside the… Read more »
Solid-state battery innovator Seeo acquired by Bosch
Giant German automotive supplier Bosch has announced that it will acquire the Silicon Valley startup Seeo, a pioneer in solid-state battery technology. Seeo’s cell design combines a solid lithium metal anode with a conventional porous lithium iron phosphate cathode and Seeo’s proprietary DryLite solid polymer electrolyte. Seeo says its cells achieve specific energy of around… Read more »
Lux Research: LG Chem threatens Panasonic’s position as world’s top EV battery supplier
Japanese giant Panasonic is by far the largest automotive batter supplier at the moment, with a 39% market share. According to a new report from Lux Research, it will probably hang onto that position, increasing its share to 51% as EV batteries grow to a $30-billion market by 2020. However, there’s a real possibility that… Read more »
Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to test seven hybrid fuel cell Class 8 trucks
The California Energy Commission (CEC) has approved a grant of $2.4 million to the South Coast Air Quality Management District to build and test seven hybrid fuel cell Class 8 trucks to transport cargo at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The goal of the project is to develop a vehicle architecture that… Read more »
Volkswagen names LG Electronics one of its FAST suppliers
The Volkswagen Group has nominated 44 of its suppliers to collaborate on a new strategic level under the Future Automotive Supply Tracks (FAST) initiative. One of the first batch of preferred suppliers is LG Electronics, which provides high-voltage batteries for the Group’s various plug-in vehicles. Volkswagen launched the FAST program in February with the aim… Read more »
3M licenses NMC patents to LG Chem
3M and LG Chem have formed a patent license agreement to allow the Korean battery-maker to use 3M’s formulation of nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries. NMC, valued for its balance of power, energy, thermal stability and low cost, has been the subject of some rivalry and at least one lawsuit…. Read more »
AllCell to supply solar-powered EV charging stations to Jordan
The Middle East is not the first region that comes to mind as an EV hotspot. However, the desert kingdom of Jordan has a plan to get charged. Jordan has eliminated import taxes on EVs. The city government of Amman, the capital, plans to buy 50 EVs for its fleet, and a city taxi operator… Read more »