EV startup Faraday Future’s carmaking prowess has yet to be tested, but it has already revealed some impressive marketing talent. After milking several months of mystery, the company unveiled its FFZERO1 supercar concept at the recent CES in Las Vegas. The event was one of the hottest tickets at a show that has reinvented itself… Read more »
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Zero Motorcycles was forced to abandon DC fast charging option in 2013, Interoperability testing is needed
Editor’s note: After this article appeared in print, we received some feedback suggesting that the thesis is not clear enough. So, we’d like to point out a few things at the beginning. Today’s DC Fast Charging installations are very reliable. If you buy a production EV, such as a Nissan LEAF or BMW i3, it is unlikely that you will… Read more »
Can Tanktwo redefine the battery pack with big data?
A Finnish-American start-up with ambitious goals wants to change how we think about batteries. The concept of an EV that supports the quick removal and replacement of a discharged battery pack was all the rage about 5 years ago. Since then, however, various systems have been attempted and subsequently abandoned by companies like BetterPlace, Renault,… Read more »
DINA consortium develops standards for EV diagnosis and repair
A consortium led by the Bosch Group aims to establish standards for the diagnosis and repair of high-voltage systems in EVs. The DINA group, which also includes several German automotive firms and research institutes, has developed a standardized diagnostic system designed to enable service techs to clearly identify defects in an electrical powertrain, from the… Read more »
DOE offers $56 million in funding for transportation technology research
In January, the DOE is expected to make around $56 million in new funding available for transportation-related R&D projects. The Vehicle Technologies Program Wide Funding Opportunity Announcement describes how organizations can apply for grants to support the development of such vehicle technologies as advanced batteries, power electronics and electric motors. Areas of Interest include: EV… Read more »
Navitas to develop second-gen Li-ion batteries for military vehicles
Navitas Systems, a provider of energy storage products and power electronics, has won a $7.2 million contract to develop next-generation lithium-ion batteries for military vehicles. As new power-hungry electronics proliferate, the US Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center (TARDEC) has been working with Navitas to develop prototype 24 V lithium-ion batteries in the… Read more »
Karma announces supply agreement with BMW
Karma Automotive (formerly Fisker) has announced that BMW will supply a wide range of hybrid and EV components, including high-voltage battery charging systems, for Karma’s new vehicle that’s now in development. Karma will integrate BMW components into its flagship PHEV, which it plans to re-launch in 2016. The company says it already a next generation… Read more »
Daimler uses smart EV battery packs in German electricity balancing market
Daimler, together with partners The Mobility House and GETEC, has built what it says is the world’s largest second-life battery storage unit. The stationary storage unit is to go into service at the beginning of 2016 at the site of REMONDIS, a recycling, service and water company in the German town of Lünen. It uses… Read more »
Under new Chinese owners, A123 finds promising niche in micro-hybrid market
Most Charged readers will certainly remember A123, the company that was founded in 2001 on the basis of promising battery technology developed at MIT; received a $249-million grant from the DOE and $100 million in tax breaks from the state of Michigan; raised $380 million in a 2009 IPO; made a bad bet on Fisker… Read more »
Toshiba’s new motor control IC
Toshiba has begun mass production of a system regulator IC with monitoring function for motor control systems in electric and hybrid vehicles. The new IC (TB9042FTG) has a strengthened monitoring function to reduce potential system failures. TB9042FTG provides a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) communication function to avoid microcontroller (MCU) failures. The system regulator IC and… Read more »