Mercedes-Benz has dribbled out a few more details about its eagerly-awaited B-Class Electric Drive, which is scheduled to arrive in eight US states this summer. The latest news: MSRP will be $41,450, almost exactly the same as that of the BMW i3. The Beemer, which went on sale in the US this month, appears to… Read more »
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The battery industry insiders: Q&A with the Bitrode Corporation
In many ways, the Bitrode Corporation has the ultimate inside scoop on the battery industry. Along with its parent company, Sovema, and sister division, Solith, the group has its hands all over battery development, manufacturing and testing. The companies supply equipment and support to many of the biggest names in automotive-grade battery manufacturing. Acquired by… Read more »
Report: The effects of fuel economy and emissions regulations on the automotive sector
By Jeffrey Wishart, a Senior Project Engineer at Intertek, conducts research and development on products and services in the areas of energy, the environment, and advanced transportation. In addition to his supervisory position at Intertek, Dr. Wishart worked for several years at ETEC LABS (the research and consulting division of ECOtality) and at a utility company… Read more »
ORNL researchers extend battery life with dual-function electrolyte
Researchers at the DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a unique battery chemistry that promises to greatly extend battery life by making the electrolyte serve two functions. In a study, Pushing the Theoretical Limit of Li-CFx Batteries: A Tale of Bi-functional Electrolyte, which was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, ORNL… Read more »
Audi presents PHEV concept with two electric motors and wireless charging
Audi is presenting a new concept PHEV at this week’s Beijing International Automobile Exhibition that showcases a number of cutting-edge technologies, including wireless charging. The Audi TT offroad concept is based on the modular transverse matrix (MQB), the Volkswagen Group’s common engine-mounting core, which allows a model to be produced with different drivetrains (legacy, hybrid… Read more »
FTC officials: States should allow Tesla direct sales
Officials from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have weighed in on the war between Tesla and the state auto dealers’ groups. They join several prominent politicians, a group of 70 economists and law professors, and over 133,000 citizens who signed a pro-Tesla petition in saying that state laws prohibiting the company’s direct sales model amount… Read more »
VW’s Chinese expansion plans include plenty of plug-ins
The Volkswagen Group is the latest automaker to trumpet a major push into the Chinese market, and electrification is very much a part of its strategy. The Porsche Panamera S E-hybrid is already in showrooms in China, the electric up! and e-Golf will be launched this year, and the Audi A3 e-tron and Golf GTE… Read more »
Nissan throws in some free charging with purchase of a LEAF
Nissan has announced the expansion of its No Charge to Charge promotion, which provides a certain amount of free public charging with the purchase or lease of a new LEAF. The offer does come with a couple of strings attached. It’s valid for two years from the purchase date, and free charging will be limited… Read more »
Silicon rally: EnerG2’s new silicon battery anode material
It seems that every time the hottest new smartphone or tablet comes out, one of the biggest points of contention among users is its battery life. The demands put on the batteries run them down faster than users would like, and the OEMs can’t simply increase the batteries’ size while still hitting their targets for… Read more »
FEV exhibits transmission designed for PHEVs
FEV is exhibiting a new transmission specially designed for plug-in hybrid powertrains at this week’s SAE World Congress in Detroit. According to FEV, engine downsizing for increased fuel efficiency has led to challenges for transmission developers, who must provide higher levels of capability in a smaller package. The company took a “clean sheet approach” to… Read more »