Tesla’s third-quarter shareholder letter was a mixed bag: profits are up, but mainly due to sales of California ZEV credits; Model S deliveries are right on track; and the Model X will be delayed once again. Tesla reported a small third-quarter profit of $3 million, using non-GAAP figures, which include healthy sales of Zero Emission… Read more »
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October plug-in sales: LEAF, Volt still lead, BMW coming up strong
The US auto industry had a good month, as automakers reported their strongest October sales in a decade. Most of the action was in gas-guzzling pickups and SUVs – alas, plug-in sales were down compared to last October, for the first time in 46 months of EV sales. Annual sales are still on track to handily… Read more »
Next-gen battery pack testing: AeroVironment launches the AV-900 EX
In the late 1980s, General Motors contracted with the California-based firm AeroVironment to develop the Impact electric concept car. It was the prototype that evolved into the infamous EV1 production car. While designing the Impact, AeroVironment needed the ability to test large-format battery packs for automotive applications. However, at that time, essentially no one else… Read more »
Simulation of battery pack cooling systems: measure twice, cut once
The experts at Mentor Graphics walk us through the simulation and analysis of a battery pack cooling system. In the business of battery pack design, one of the main considerations is cooling. The pack must have a uniform and stable temperature for the batteries to perform adequately during worst-case conditions. Even within a single cell,… Read more »
2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive
After a gradual build-up, Daimler’s automotive brands are now showing their stuff in the EV arenas of three continents. Stateside, the spotlight lands on the new, competitively priced Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive. Daimler AG, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), hasn’t been the most visible mover or shaker in electric mobility up to this… Read more »
Freudenberg Group’s new line of Li-ion battery separators
The separator is a critical component of a battery. It provides a barrier between the anode and the cathode while enabling the exchange of ionic charge carriers from one side to the other. For over 40 years, the Freudenberg Group has been producing separators for nickel-based batteries, such as the nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) cells widely… Read more »
Every inch an EV: Tesla’s Model S redefines the automobile (new book excerpt)
This article is an excerpt from Tesla Motors: How Elon Musk and Company Made Electric Cars Cool, and Sparked the Next Tech Revolution by Charged Senior Editor Charles Morris. This 270-page book is a comprehensive history of Tesla, told by the entrepreneurs who made it happen, as well as an assessment of the company’s lasting influence… Read more »
Scientists increase manufacturing speed of electrode foils by 3x, promising lower costs
Researchers around the world are working on improving various aspects of battery performance – capacity, charging speed, usable life. Scientists at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are focusing on the speed with which they can be manufactured, which has a direct effect on costs. The researchers have increased the manufacturing speed of electrode foils… Read more »
Elon Musk: Wall Street Journal article is incorrect
Any time an EV-maker announces something new, the mainstream press tends to report it as “an effort to boost disappointing sales,” or words to that effect. But when the company in question is Tesla, such assertions aren’t likely to go unchallenged. This week, Tesla announced a deal with US Bank that will allow it to… Read more »
Automakers say they plan to go head-to-head with Tesla
Lately it seems that almost every EV-related headline has to include a reference to Tesla, however tenuous. However, there may be some substance to this week’s news, as four major automakers have at least hinted at plans to directly challenge Tesla with new high-end EV models. In a recent conference call with Wall Street analysts,… Read more »