Plug-in vehicles are on a roll – as of this month, there are now a million on the world’s roads, according to an estimate by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). However, that’s still a tiny fraction of the two-billion-strong global vehicle fleet. EV adoption will have to ramp up quickly to have an… Read more »
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French chemical giant and utility join to create energy storage R&D lab
Arkema, a global chemical company, and SCE France, a subsidiary of Canadian electricity producer Hydro-Québec, plan to create a joint laboratory that will focus on developing a new generation of materials for the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries, in particular new electrolytes (solvents, lithium salts) and conduction agents (carbon nanotubes, conductive polymers). Arkema’s Kynar polyvinylidene fluoride… Read more »
British Columbia renews Clean Energy Vehicle incentive program
British Columbia has announced the renewal of its Clean Energy Vehicle (CEV) incentive program, effective April 1 (via Green Car Reports). The CEV program, which expired in the spring of 2014 after exhausting its original $12-million budget, offers point-of-purchase rebates of up to $5,000 Canadian ($4,000 US) for battery EVs and $6,000 Canadian ($4,800 US)… Read more »
TM4 introduces auxiliary power supply for EV accessories with CAN-based interface
TM4, a subsidiary of public utility Hydro-Québec, is active in the development of EV motors and power systems. Its latest product is the CO150-HVF, an auxiliary power supply for commercial vehicle applications. Based on the same platform as the company’s CO150 traction inverters, the CO150-HVF offers a CAN-based interface that allows dynamic control of frequency… Read more »
Johnson Matthey acquires Clariant’s lithium iron phosphate business
Specialty chemicals firm Clariant has agreed to sell its Energy Storage line of business to Johnson Matthey for $75 million. The division is the world’s largest producer of hydrothermal lithium iron phosphate (LFP), which is used in EVs and stationary battery applications. The transaction includes a manufacturing facility in Candiac, Québec, and an R&D center… Read more »
BYD electric bus delivers expected range in first phase of Canadian road trials
Canadian transit companies have completed the first phase of a ten-month trial of a 40-foot BYD battery-electric bus in Gatineau, Québec and Ottawa, Ontario. The evaluation was performed by the Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO) in conjunction with AVT, a consortium of Québec’s nine transit corporations that evaluates zero-emissions public transit technologies. The test… Read more »
BYD electric bus deals questioned after testing finds problems
Chinese EV-maker BYD has been in the news lately, selling its electric buses to transit authorities in cities around the world. Alas, the ride in a city bus, regardless of its powertrain, is seldom as smooth as one would wish. In March, the Long Beach Transit Board approved a $12.1 million contract to purchase 10… Read more »
Advancing Inverters
Topping the list of EV inhibitors are cost and consumer perception of long-term reliability of the vehicle. After batteries, power electronics contribute the greatest cost to EVs, when compared to a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. Additionally, inverters and converters are among the most stressed powertrain components. Increasing inverter performance, reliability, and lifetime –… Read more »
Fisker Karma goes on sale in Canada
Canadian lovers of low-carbon luxury will be pleased to hear that the Fisker Karma will soon be arriving at auto dealerships in three cities.