Search Results Found For: "DOE "

Echo Automotive aims for the plug-in fleet sweet spot

The commercial fleet market is one of the most exciting frontiers in the electromobility revolution, not only because of the enormous potential for fuel savings, but because it offers opportunities for a smaller company, which can hope to carve out a lucrative niche developing a powertrain solution, without the need to build the sort of… Read more »

Is Toyota still interested in battery EVs after all?

Recently, the EV press, including Charged, has been reporting that Toyota seems to be placing all its chips on fuel cells, and abandoning efforts to develop battery-electric vehicles. However, comments by Elon Musk at Tesla’s first-quarter shareholders’ meeting imply that there may be more to the story. In answer to a question about competition from… Read more »

The Buckeye Bullet: A student-built EV that’s racing towards 400 mph

As it stands today, Ohio State’s Buckeye Bullet 1 holds the US record speed for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) at 314.958 mph, its Venturi Buckeye Bullet 2 holds the world record for hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles at 302.877 mph, and the Venturi Buckeye Bullet 2.5 holds the world record for BEVs at 307.666 mph. … Read more »

BC Hydro pushes for a timely fast charger rollout

BC Hydro is the electricity supplier for about 95 percent of the Canadian province of British Columbia. It’s government-owned and vertically integrated, meaning that the company owns and operates everything from production and transmission to distribution to customers. The company’s 30 hydroelectric facilities meet 78 percent of its electricity requirements, with the balance coming from… Read more »

Daimler switching battery suppliers again?

Does Daimler have a coherent electric-vehicle strategy? Its battery supply chain is literally all over the map, and this week’s announcement that the company may close a German battery plant that it was boasting about a month ago has the EV press puzzled. The first generation of Daimler’s smart fortwo electric drive, which is selling… Read more »

Pratt & Whitney exec: Electric aircraft would require technological miracles

A Pratt & Whitney executive has explained something that even the most fanatical e-vangelist can see: full-size commercial airliners are not likely to become EVs any time soon. In a question-and-answer session with reporters this week, Alan Epstein, P&W’s VP of Technology and Environment, said that the company has investigated electric aircraft and determined that… Read more »

Google reveals prototype self-driving car with no steering wheel or pedals

After several years of exploring self-driving technology, Google has revealed its own prototype vehicle, which has no need of a steering wheel or accelerator pedal. Google has been testing its self-driving systems in Lexus SUVs, but Sergey Brin said the company decided to change gears after some experiments, which convinced engineers that it wasn’t practical… Read more »

GM makes 401 EV charging stations available to employees

General Motors has installed 401 electric vehicle charging stations at its US production and business locations, in response to employee demand. Most are located at GM’s large engineering and corporate facilities in Michigan, where employee EV ownership is growing steadily. Charging is available free to GM employees and visitors. More than 20 percent of the… Read more »

California Energy Commission awards $6 million for EV charging and V2G projects

The California Energy Commission has approved three alternative fuel infrastructure projects totaling more than $6 million. The investments, which were funded through the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP), include: EV charging: Ten grants totaling more than $3.5 million for 181 EV charging stations to be installed along California highway corridors, and… Read more »