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 »
In-wheel house: Protean Electric’s in-wheel drive system nears production
When Protean Electric begins production of its Protean Drive in-wheel electric drive system later this year, it could mark the stirring comeback of the wheel hub motor, a concept that’s been more than a century in the making. Electric wheel-hub motors date all the way back to 1884, and none other than Ferdinand Porsche used… Read more »
EVs: the Holy Grail of multiphysics
Sandeep Sovani on the evolution of computer-based engineering simulations. Before actually creating any physical prototypes, engineers build a three-dimensional virtual model of a component, and can use computer simulations to test how the design will perform in the real world. Computer-based engineering simulation early in the development process allows them to refine and validate designs… Read more »
June EV sales: Volt and LEAF vie for the lead once again
Chevy, Nissan and Tesla are swapping paint at the head of the pack, as a couple of feisty little contenders get ready to enter the race. Plug-in automobiles posted their second best month of US sales so far this year, with almost 8,000 vehicles changing hands. The 2013 Chevrolet Volt retook the lead and then… Read more »
Unclean at Any Speed: constructive criticism or anti-EV hit job?
In a recent editorial in IEEE Spectrum, author and former GM employee Ozzie Zehner asserts that electric vehicles are not as environmentally friendly as boosters claim, and may even be browner than ICEs. “Dozens of think tanks and scientific organizations have ventured conclusions about the environmental friendliness of electric vehicles. Most are supportive, but a few… Read more »
Cadillac releases details of ELR suspension and steering systems
Cadillac’s new ELR electrified luxury coupe is built around the same basic powertrain as the popular Chevy Volt, but is designed to deliver a much more exciting driving experience. This week, Cadillac released some details of ELR’s advanced suspension and steering systems. “ELR’s methodical use of advanced suspension and steering technologies front and rear has… Read more »
BMW: lithium-air batteries will double EV range within four to five years
Most experts agree that the eventual dominance of electric vehicles depends on a big breakthrough in battery technology. With researchers around the globe feverishly working on such an advance, there’s no question (except among the most rabid EV-haters) that it will happen. If you ask when the big break will occur, however, you’ll find a… Read more »
Sign the White House petition to allow direct Tesla sales in all 50 states
A White House petition asks the federal government to intervene in the ongoing war between Tesla Motors and trade associations representing auto dealers, by blocking states from requiring that cars be sold only by third-party dealers. The Obama administration promises to review and respond to any citizen petition that garners 100,000 signatures within a month. The petition… Read more »
Tesla recalls some Model S vehicles to fix latch on passenger seat
Oh my God, a recall! Is this it for Tesla? Is this pie-in-the-sky liberal fantasy going to crash to the ground, taking trillions of taxpayer dollars and, perhaps, all of Western civilization, with it? Well, not this time, apparently. The recall concerns a mounting bracket for the left-hand latch of the second row seat, which… Read more »