There’s plenty of electrifying news emanating from Nissan these days. The 2016 LEAF features substantially improved range, and a completely new generation is rumored to be coming in 2018. Now Yoshi Shimoida, Nissan’s Deputy General Manager, EV and HEV Engineering Division, said the company will unveil an EV with a range extending engine in 2016…. Read more »
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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 »
Ford reveals ambitious electrification plans
For the past several months, we EV newshounds have suspected that Ford had plans for a new generation of plug-ins up its sleeve. Now the #2 US automaker is beginning to reveal its answer to electric rivals GM, Nissan, VW et al. Ford announced plans to invest a record $4.5 billion in electric tech over… Read more »
Researchers develop sodium-ion battery in 18650 format
Jules Verne recognized the potential of sodium batteries in 1869 – they powered the futuristic submarine of Captain Nemo, who found their “electro-motor strength” to be twice that of zinc batteries. Now scientists at the French research network RS2E have brought sodium batteries into the 21st century, producing the first sodium-ion battery in the industry-standard… Read more »
XG Sciences and Boston-Power join to develop silicon-graphene anode material
XG Sciences and Boston-Power have announced a joint development program aimed at customizing XG Sciences’ silicon-graphene anode materials for use in Boston-Power’s lithium-ion battery cell products. The program will focus on optimizing electrochemical and microstructural electrode performance, as well as developing electrode and battery manufacturing techniques using the two companies’ proprietary materials. MORE: Samsung invests in… Read more »
IEEE addresses need for better DC Fast Charging standards
Standards and certifications may seem less sexy than the latest sleek electric supercar, or controversy about emerging energy-storage technologies, but better standards and certifications, especially for DC Fast Charging, are critical. A common DC Fast Charging certification process for interoperability is sorely needed but, in part because the big automakers have funded most of the fast… Read more »
Researchers develop new silicon-sulfur-graphene electrode material
Researchers from the University of Waterloo and GM’s Global Research and Development Center have developed a new silicon-based anode material that they say could enable batteries with almost 10 times more energy density than today’s state of the art. In “Evidence of covalent synergy in silicon–sulfur–graphene yielding highly efficient and long-life lithium-ion batteries,” published in… Read more »
European Interoperability Centre aims to harmonize US and EU EV standards
Following the Transatlantic Economic Council’s decision to promote EV and smart grid interoperability, the European Commission has inaugurated the European Interoperability Centre. Together with its partner facility, the US Smart Grid Interoperability Center, the new lab’s mission is to ensure that the next generation of EVs and smart grids are fully interoperable, based on harmonized… Read more »
Is Nissan teasing details of 2nd generation LEAF?
Nissan recently invited a small group of journalists to its Advanced Technology Center in Atsugi, near Tokyo, ostensibly to show them the IDS concept vehicle now on display at the Tokyo Motor Show. However, Bertel Schmitt, an old Japan hand, soon surmised that the reporters were looking at “the future Nissan LEAF in drag,” and… Read more »
Tesla tweaks its battery chemistry: a closer look at silicon anode development
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 »