Quintessential car guy Bob Lutz, the father of the Chevy Volt and one-time Tesla admirer turned harsh critic, had some bad news for an audience of engineers at SAE International’s recent annual meeting in Detroit. Once vehicle autonomy reaches its logical conclusion, humans will be reduced to passengers in standardized, soulless automated vehicles. People who… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "DOE"
Tesla Autopilot goes mano a mano with Cadillac Super Cruise
Automakers around the world are hustling to develop vehicle autonomy features. Tesla will soon have a crop of competitors for its Autopilot driver assistance system. So far however, Cadillac is the only automaker that’s brought a system to market: Super Cruise, which debuted this year on the CT6 luxury sedan. Dan Edmunds and Jason Kavanagh,… Read more »
A closer look at contactors
Contactors may not be the sexiest component in an EV, but they are critical both for safety and general functioning. Basically a heavier-duty version of the relay, a contactor is used to switch power to any of the loads supplied by the traction battery in an EV. The motor drive, the heating and cooling systems,… Read more »
Auto consultant Munro gives Model 3 thumbs-down for build quality, thumbs-up for electronics and handling
Sandy Munro takes cars apart for a living. Specifically, Munro & Associates, the Detroit consulting firm of which he is the CEO, performs teardowns. Munro and his team dismantle cars and analyze each part in minute detail (what’s it made of, what supplier made it, and how much did it cost?) and write up their… Read more »
A look at Lucid Motors: Q&A with CTO Peter Rawlinson
The legacy automakers are slowly and methodically developing new EVs, with various levels of enthusiasm, but the most ambitious plans for new vehicles are coming from a handful of EV startups. Most of these pioneers of the new auto industry share a formula: deep-pocketed investors (many from China), former Tesla employees on staff, and plans… Read more »
What’s the current state of wireless EV charging?
By Lisa Jerram, principal research analyst overseeing Navigant Research’s Transportation Efficiencies program Wireless charging is becoming more mainstream among consumer electronics – witness the proliferation of wireless chargers at CES 2018 – but it is not just for smartphones and fitness bands. Automakers are working in earnest to offer wireless charging options for their… Read more »
PNNL research finds that optimal salt concentration increases battery life
Researchers at the DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have discovered that the “special sauce” of batteries is all about the salt concentration. By getting the right amount of salt right where they want it, they’ve demonstrated that a lithium-metal battery can undergo about seven times more charge/discharge cycles than batteries with conventional electrolytes. Finding an electrolyte solution… Read more »
AxleTech is turning heavy-duty vehicles into EVs
Photo: AxleTech e4000 Electric Axle Sponsored by AxleTech Today, AxleTech is absolutely, positively, but not exclusively, electric. And, they’ve rebranded themselves. The 100-year old company – which traces its roots back to the original Rockwell International – has, for most of its history, provided advanced powertrain systems, axles, brakes, components and aftermarket parts for heavy-duty and defense… Read more »
Market penetration of stop-start systems for light trucks doubled in 2017
Stop-start systems, which have been used in hybrid vehicles for almost 20 years, are now becoming common features on non-hybrid vehicles as well. According to the DOE, the market penetration of stop-start systems in non-hybrid passenger cars grew from 9.1% in 2016 to 14.2% in 2017, while their use in light trucks nearly doubled, reaching… Read more »
Fastned and ABB unveils new generation of 350 kW charging stations
Dutch charging company Fastned has unveiled a new generation of DC fast charging stations, developed by ABB, that support charging levels of up to 350 kW. The first of the 350 kW stations is located at a service area on the A8 highway near Amsterdam. The new stations can charge an EV to 500 km… Read more »
