One of the many ways in which current EVs differ from legacy vehicles is that they don’t shift gears. While modern ICE vehicles sport 8- and 9-speed automatics, 7-speed manuals and continuously variable transmissions, which help to improve fuel efficiency, most EVs get by with a simple single-speed gearbox. Conventional wisdom is that, because electric… Read more »
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Nissan launches major new ad campaigns for LEAF
When EV detractors point out that many of the 22 plug-in models now on sale in the US are selling in minuscule numbers, EVangelists retort that the makers of these unloved vehicles have done little or no advertising to promote them. It’s probably no coincidence that Nissan, the builder of the best-selling LEAF, is one… Read more »
Volkswagen buys piece of solid-state battery startup
Volkswagen has bought a five-percent stake in battery startup QuantumScape. Confidential sources told Bloomberg that the Volkswagen Group plans to complete tests of QuantumScape’s technology by mid-2015, and is considering using it in VW, Porsche and Audi vehicles. Closely-held QuantumScape, founded in 2010 by former Stanford University researchers, is working on solid-state batteries, which it… Read more »
Hitachi supplies inverters and DC/DC converters for Mercedes PHEVs
Hitachi Automotive Systems has begun to supply Daimler with compact, high-output inverters and DC/DC converters for use in the Mercedes S500 and S550 plug-in hybrids, which recently went on sale in Germany. Hitachi developed a third-generation inverter that is 40% smaller and offers higher output than the previous version, and a high-output DC/DC converter with… Read more »
November plug-in sales: LEAF (still) leads, Ford falters, Toyota tanks, smart surges
The US auto industry had another banner month, and plug-ins were present at the party, though perhaps not first in line at the punchbowl. PEV sales were down a tick from October, but eked out a gain compared to November 2013. Year-to-date sales have now surpassed 2013’s total, and it appears that annual sales will… Read more »
Tesla describes details of factory upgrade
Tesla has released a blog post and video with some details about what was accomplished during the recent factory shutdown. The main goal was to increase capacity – Tesla expects to build about 35,000 cars this year, and to scale that up to 50,000 per year by the end of 2015. During the production pause,… Read more »
OXIS Energy achieves specific energy of 300 Wh/kg with lithium-sulfur cell
OXIS has developed its largest lithium-sulfur cell to date, achieving specific energy in excess of 300 Wh/kg. The company has also increased cell capacity to 25 Ah, a twelve-fold improvement in 18 months. OXIS predicts that it will achieve a cell capacity of 33 Ah by mid-2015. The OXIS scientific team expects to achieve its… Read more »
Do luxury models make more sense as EVs than small cars?
Contrary to popular belief, the small, practical city car is not necessarily the best candidate for electrification. Battery costs will keep EVs more expensive than legacy vehicles for some time to come, and many drivers won’t recoup the higher purchase price in fuel savings in a reasonable number of years. In a new article, John… Read more »
New video goes inside Chevy Volt battery lab
GM has released a wealth of information about the new and improved Voltec electric-drive system that will power the 2016 Volt. A new video from CNN takes us inside a GM plant for a quick look at some of the Volt’s innards. Under the watchful eyes of the pros, presenter Peter Valdes-Dapena says it takes… Read more »
October plug-in sales: LEAF, Volt still lead, BMW coming up strong
The US auto industry had a good month, as automakers reported their strongest October sales in a decade. Most of the action was in gas-guzzling pickups and SUVs – alas, plug-in sales were down compared to last October, for the first time in 46 months of EV sales. Annual sales are still on track to handily… Read more »