Search Results Found For: "DOE "

Bel introduces 25 kW on-board charger for off-grid industrial and mining operations

Bel Power Solutions, a manufacturer of power management devices, is now manufacturing a 25 kW on-board battery charger for industrial, construction, and mining applications. The charger, known as the BCN25-700-8, converts 3-phase AC voltage to DC voltage. It measures 20.63” x 13.39” x 3.31” and weighs 42.77 pounds. The enclosure is made of aluminum alloy… Read more »

Fiat Chrysler to pay Tesla hundreds of millions for European emissions credits

Fiat Chrysler (FCA) has reached a deal with Tesla to count the California carmaker’s EVs as part of the FCA fleet in order to avoid paying fines for violating new European Union emissions rules. The Financial Times reported that the deal is worth “hundreds of millions of euros.” More stringent emissions standards will take effect… Read more »

The EV industry sees problems with California’s proposal to mandate credit card readers for public chargers

In California, there is a controversial plan to require credit card readers on all public charging stations, including retrofitting already installed units. California’s Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Open Access Act (Senate Bill 454, which passed in 2013) mandates open access to public charging stations – that is, a driver doesn’t have to be a member… Read more »

California proposes DC metering standards for fast chargers, companies ask for more time

There is a proposal on the table in California that has to do with setting standards for energy metering on DC fast charging stations. Basically, the state is looking to enact regulations on EV charging similar to those that already exist for gasoline sales – gas pumps are regularly certified to ensure that when you… Read more »

New book: the Dieselgate scandal was not an isolated incident, was not a secret, and is not over

The “Dieselgate scandal,” or as we like to call it, the “dirty diesel debacle,” was a catalytic event (pun intended). It led to some major changes at Volkswagen, and shook up the European auto market. However, only time will tell how much of this change will prove to be permanent. The Volkswagen Group has announced… Read more »

Fisker teases electric SUV

Fisker Inc., the company Henrik Fisker started after the failure of the former Fisker Automotive, has announced that it plans to build “an affordable SUV powered by an enhanced +80 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that pushes the limit – with a range of close to 300 miles.” Fisker’s ESUV will be available in a four-wheel… Read more »

Rice University adds red phosphorus to separators to foil dendrites

Rice University scientists have found that adding a layer of red phosphorus to separators in lithium metal batteries can signal when damaging dendrites threaten to create a short circuit. Rice University chemist James Tour made lithium metal test cells with a coat of red phosphorus on the separator, which keeps the anode and cathode electrodes… Read more »

Switzerland rolls out highway DC fast charging stations

Compared to other countries of Western Europe, Switzerland is an EV laggard. The government has set an aspirational goal of electrifying a third of the auto fleet by 2030, but every proposal to establish purchase incentives has been nixed by the powerful auto importers’ lobby. While a few of the Swiss cantons (the equivalent of… Read more »

ELANTAS increases electric motor longevity with nanoparticle-infused insulation

Protecting against dielectric fatigue Like the engines in conventional vehicles, the electric motors in EVs are designed for longevity, but every device will wear out eventually. While motors have many fewer moving parts than ICEs, they are under considerable electrical and mechanical stress. A properly designed electric motor should have a useful life that far… Read more »

2019 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid review: Subaru’s first PHEV offers its loyal customers a taste of zero-emission miles

Any new plug-in vehicle from a maker that hasn’t previously offered one is cause for excitement, even if volumes are low at first. So I approached my six-day test of the new plug-in Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid with anticipation. Sure, its rated 17-mile electric range is below the curve, but at least it’s a start –… Read more »