Tesla isn’t the only company that can play the patent-opening game. Ford has announced that it will make its portfolio of over 650 electrification-related patents available to competing automakers. Unlike Tesla, which has implied that it will allow others to use technology “in good faith” free of charge (and Toyota, which plans to make some… Read more »
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Uber adds PHEVs to its fleet in China
It’s a logical convergence of three tech trends: Uber, EVs and China. The pioneering ride-sharing service, which has already been testing EVs in Chicago and Prague, has announced that it will add ten PHEVs to its fleet in the Chinese city of Wuhan. The new car service, called UberGREEN, will use Guangzhou Automobile’s Trumpchi GA5… Read more »
California BMW dealer opens EV-only showroom
As Tesla realized from the beginning, trying to sell EVs alongside legacy vehicles could be a losing proposition. Dealerships that also sell gas-burning cars have incentives to steer customers away from plug-ins and toward their proven sellers. For an automaker that actually wants to sell its electric models, it may make more sense to establish separate, EV-only dealerships… Read more »
Qualcomm and Daimler collaborate on connected cars
Qualcomm Technologies and Daimler have announced a strategic collaboration focused on connectivity. In the first phase, the companies will focus on 3G/4G connectivity and the Qualcomm Halo Wireless Electric Vehicle Charging (WEVC) technology. Qualcomm’s Wireless Power Transfer 2.0 program not only provides the ability to charge EVs and PHEVs without having to physically plug them… Read more »
Nissan and BMW to build EV charging station network in South Africa
Nissan and BMW have agreed to jointly build a national grid of public charging stations in South Africa. The stations will feature DC fast chargers compatible with both the CCS2 standard used by BMW’s plug-in models and the CHAdeMO standard used by the Nissan LEAF. Some stations will also include Level 2 chargers. “Our introduction… Read more »
Pennsylvania renews EV rebate program
What the EV gods taketh away in Georgia, they reneweth in Pennsylvania. The Keystone State’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced the continuation of the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Rebate Program, which provides rebates of up to $2,000 to buyers of plug-in vehicles. Under the program, which is supported by a gross receipts tax on… Read more »
LG Chem inks battery deal with Great Wall
Korean battery-maker LG Chem has made a deal with China’s Great Wall Motor to supply lithium-ion batteries for the carmaker’s upcoming plug-in hybrid SUVs, which are scheduled to go into production in 2017. LG Chem has extended its cooperation with Chinese carmakers in recent years, and with the Great Wall deal, the company says that… Read more »
Tesla to adapt to Chinese charging standards – as soon as they exist
Tesla has announced that it will fully support China’s charging standards, modifying its vehicles to ensure that they are compatible. This is surely a wise and necessary policy, as concerns about charging infrastructure are widely considered to be the main reason that EV sales in the world’s largest auto market have been slow to take… 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 »
LG Chem Power CEO: We’re the Li-ion leader for PEVs because of material science
Q&A with LG Chem Power’s CEO: Dr. Prabhakar Patil on how the company became a Li-ion battery front-runner, the economics of building batteries, and why it spends little energy on what comes after lithium. Among Tier 1 automotive suppliers of lithium-ion cells, LG Chem is off to a clear lead, based on the number of announced… Read more »