Reporting on the charging industry is a tough gig. It’s incredibly nuanced. Every question we ask the experts leads to three more questions. It turns out that when you take hardware, software, networks, protocols and panels, then mix in some public funding, you get endless opinions. We’ll attempt to clarify two issues in the thick… Read more »
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EVs in paradise: plug-ins and island markets
Islands make perfect EV habitats. Driving distances are generally short, and the need to ship supplies from the mainland keeps gas prices high. Also, islands around the world face a lot of environmental challenges, and many island economies depend on tourism, so the level of green consciousness tends to be high. Island governments around the… Read more »
A new LEAF, localized manufacturing, and a focus on infrastructure
With a longer range and a lower price, the 2013 Nissan LEAF screams upgrade, but it’s only one small aspect of the company’s aggressive EV strategy. Proprietary, localized manufacturing and improved infrastructure also play key roles in Nissan’s plan for world domination electrification. Sometime back in the 60s, Mr or Mrs Ghosn must have put… Read more »
Ultracapacitors creep into automotive
Maxwell looks to leverage its early ultracapacitor experience into a ubiquitous, low-cost, high-volume complement to batteries. Power sources like internal combustion engines and advanced battery packs work great as continuous suppliers of energy. But during the highest peak loads, both sacrifice efficiency attempting to meet the power delivery demands. And pushing these devices to their… Read more »
Erik Spek on battery abuse testing, improving safety, and developing standards
(This article originally appeared in Charged Issue 7 – MAR/APR 2013) Q&A with Erik Spek: The Chief Engineer at TÜV SÜD Canada on battery abuse testing, improving safety, and developing standards. When analyzing the current state of lithium-ion technology, it helps to look back at the development of the nickel metal hydride battery (NiMH). Some argued that hybrid automotive… Read more »
Break out the Champagne: 100,000 plug-ins have been sold in the US
Is it a milestone in automotive history, or just an odometer moment? Who cares? Let’s celebrate! According to the latest estimates, the 100,000th plug-in vehicle was sold in the US some time this week. This total includes only “highway-capable” vehicles, not “neighborhood electric vehicles,” which number over 60,000 in California alone. The first of the… Read more »
ANSI releases version 2.0 of EV Standardization Roadmap
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has released version 2.0 of its Standardization Roadmap for Electric Vehicles. This lengthy tome seems to address every conceivable standard that has to do with EVs, and it makes a dense but interesting read. The Roadmap tracks progress to implement recommendations made in version 1.0, released in April 2012,… Read more »
It’s in the details: Digatron Firing Circuits’ new stop-start testing rig
Digatron Firing Circuits’ new stop-start testing rig examines the limitations of lead-acid batteries and the inadequacy of traditional static tests. As the battery in a stop-start system ages, the fuel efficiency advantages are curtailed. It’s a real problem found in some first-generation systems, and has led many to question the methodology used in urban-efficiency tests…. Read more »
Researchers discover memory effect in Li-ion batteries
Scientists at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and the Toyota Central R&D Labs have reported a memory effect in lithium-iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries that appears after only one cycle of partial charge and discharge. Memory effects are well known to users of nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal-hydride batteries. If these batteries are recharged repeatedly after being only partially… Read more »
ABB launches new 20 kW DC fast charger for the Americas
Initial shipments will support the CHAdeMO fast-charging standard, and SAE/Combined Charging System units will be available later this year.