Search Results Found For: "black mass"

London Taxi opens plant to build plug-in taxis

The London Taxi Company (LTC) has opened a new plant to produce what it says is the world’s first purpose-built, mass-market plug-in taxi. LTC, a subsidiary of Chinese automaker Geely, has invested £300 million ($374 million) in the next-generation London taxi, which will be produced at the plant in Ansty, Coventry, and exported around the… Read more »

Prototype images of next-gen Nissan LEAF published by Motor Authority

The Nissan LEAF has earned a place of high honor in the plug-in pantheon. Until Tesla’s Model S started to take off, it was the unchallenged top seller among pure EVs, and it remains the only mid-priced EV to achieve anything resembling mass-market sales. However, the respected elder statesman has been overtaken by younger rivals…. Read more »

Is improved formation cycling the key to lower battery costs?

European conglomerate thyssenkrupp, BMW and several other firms and research institutions are collaborating on a project called EffiForm, which aims to make a detailed study of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer formation process in Li-ion batteries. While the ins and outs of forming an SEI layer may seem arcane, in fact there’s a highly practical… Read more »

The inevitability of electric buses

Electric transit buses enter the fast-follower market stage as the leaders work to remove the last barriers to adoption. Q&A with Proterra’s Ryan Popple and ABB’s Daan Nap on the state of the market and charging standards in North America and Europe. With each passing year, more decision makers are realizing that city buses are an… Read more »

EDI delivers extended-range EV drivetrains for some of the biggest vehicles on the road

Powerful plug-ins: Q&A with Efficient Drivetrains Inc. CEO Joerg Ferchau. In November 2014, US officials and electric utility executives stood in front of the White House to announce a new EV commitment from power companies. More than 70 investor-owned electric utilities have pledged to spend an estimated $50 million per year – $250 million over five… Read more »

This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate (book review)

This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate, by Naomi Klein, is a powerful, important book, meticulously researched and beautifully written. I also found it a very disturbing book, and in a way I wish I hadn’t read it. The thesis is that the kind of action required to avert climate catastrophe is incompatible with the… Read more »

Panasonic expects to be the sole manufacturer in Tesla Gigafactory

Tesla’s Gigafactory will be a game-changer for the automotive industry, and as Tesla’s main battery supplier, Panasonic will be a key participant. As prospects for the massive battery plant have brightened and dimmed, not only the EV press but the major news outlets have been following the saga with keen interest. The latest news is… Read more »

First look at the Energica Ego, an Italian electric superbike

Bringing four decades of racing heritage with it, Italian 3D-printed parts manufacturer CRP enters the world of electric street motorcycles with its high-performance superbike, the Energica Ego. Throughout Italy, racing pervades the culture. Within a 30-mile radius in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, you’ll find the headquarters of Maserati, Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Ducati, representing… Read more »

The new A123 looks a lot like the old A123: Q&A with Jeff Kessen

Start-ups are tough. The majority of them do not succeed, particularly those built around new technologies in burgeoning industries. Nowhere is this more evident than in the EV industry. Even with political support and government grants, many companies have miscalculated the market and the capital required to make it into the black.  In October 2012,… Read more »