Search Results Found For: "GM"

EV Safe Charge installation service connects the dots for EV buyers

Buying an EV can be a relatively simple task for those who have bought a vehicle in the past. Too often however, what goes unnoticed is the complexities involved in EV charger installations. Whether it is choosing the right manufacturer, finding a reliable electrician, or understanding compatibility and safety, installation for both businesses and consumers… Read more »

A redesigned Nissan LEAF arrives in 2018, joining the new generation of plug-ins

When some future author writes a book about the most influential cars in automotive history, the Nissan LEAF will be right up there with the Model T, the VW Beetle and the Tesla Model S. The LEAF was the first EV aimed at the mass market, and as of this writing, it remains the best-selling… Read more »

From rapid prototyping to EV production with Pi Innovo’s M560 OpenECU

When you see the name Pi Innovo, your first thought might be of the famous mathematical constant that begins with 3.14. If you read it too quickly, you might be reminded of Pinocchio, the delightful tale of a physically deformed puppet. But from now on, when you see Pi Innovo, here’s what you should think… Read more »

2017 plug-in sales up 26%, Tesla and Chevy on top

Plug-in sales have failed…to reach the milestone of 200,000 units. Total US sales for 2017 were 199,826 (according to InsideEVs), a 26% increase compared to 2016’s 158,614. Worldwide sales were well over a million. December saw the biggest US monthly sales in history, and was the 27th consecutive month that sales were greater than the… Read more »

Lithium-ion battery inspired by safety glass could reduce fire risk

Researchers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have developed a way to mitigate the risk of battery failure during automobile accidents by including slits along the electrodes. In “Limiting Internal Short-Circuit Damage by Electrode Partition for Impact-Tolerant Li-Ion Batteries,” published in the journal Joule, the research team explains how this technology could allow manufacturers… Read more »

Skeleton and Sumitomo partner to distribute graphene-based ultracapacitors

Ultracapacitor manufacturer Skeleton Technologies has signed a distribution agreement with Sumitomo Europe to provide energy storage solutions for the EV industry. Skeleton’s graphene-based ultracapacitors boast high power density, a recharge time of 2-3 seconds and more than one million life cycles. In EVs, ultracapacitors can be used in tandem with lithium-ion batteries, an arrangement that… Read more »

Automakers’ fight against fuel efficiency is nothing new

As the world’s transportation system begins to make the transition to electric power, automakers (except for one) are being dragged into the future kicking and screaming by governments. To anyone familiar with the companies’ history, this should come as no surprise. A new article from the Union of Concerned Scientists recounts the industry’s long history… Read more »

Volkswagen coordinates EV platform strategy with suppliers

Volkswagen’s Board of Management recently held what it called an MEB Supplier Summit to discuss its new Modular Electric Drive Kit (MEB), a platform that will be used for the company’s next generation of EVs, with key suppliers. “To date, more than 100 suppliers have already been nominated within the framework of our electric offensive,”… Read more »

Swiss researchers develop prototype solid-state sodium battery

Researchers from Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, and the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have built a prototype solid-state battery based on sodium as an alternative to lithium. The scientists described their research in the journal Energy and Environmental Science. Using metallic lithium as an anode material would theoretically increase energy… Read more »

Ford plans to launch 15 new electrified models in China

Global automakers are pushing their EV programs into high gear, announcing massive investments and lots of new electric models to be produced in the near future…in China. The Asian giant has the most aggressive electrification strategy of any major country -zero-emission vehicles must make up 10% of new car sales in 2019, and 12% in… Read more »