Remember that petition that circulated a year ago, asking the White House to intervene in the War of the Car Lots, and allow Tesla to sell its vehicles directly to consumers? An answer finally came this week and, as expected, it merely states that the federal government has no authority in the matter. The official response,… Read more »
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Q&A with Ian Wright: The CEO of Wrightspeed on Tesla, gas turbines and electric trucks
Ian Wright is originally from New Zealand. He came to California in 1993, where he happened to be a neighbor of Tesla founder Martin Eberhard. He worked with optical switching systems at a company called Altamar Networks until it went out of business, then decided he wanted to start his own company. Eberhard and his… Read more »
Powerful and clean: Volvo’s new XC90 PHEV
Volvo’s new XC90 SUV, to be launched later this year, claims to be the world’s most powerful and cleanest SUV. The all-wheel-drive seven-seater will offer a range of powertrain options, of which the top of the line will be the “Twin Engine” PHEV. A two-liter, four-cylinder supercharged and turbocharged Drive-E gasoline engine powers the front… Read more »
For a better battery, hit the beach!
Who knew? The miracle material that could enable a game-changing battery breakthrough is (drumroll, please)…beach sand. Researchers at the University of California Riverside have created a lithium-ion battery that outperforms the current industry standard by three times, using a nanoscale silicon dioxide anode. “This is the holy grail – a low cost, non-toxic, environmentally friendly… Read more »
ChargePoint public chargers are more numerous than McDonald’s
One of the top reasons people cite for not buying an EV is a lack of charging stations. But as the number of public chargers explodes, that’s looking more and more like a lack of information. In fact, there are a lot of public charging stations out there, especially in the more EV-savvy regions of… Read more »
A closer look at the semiconductor switch
In this article I’ll be giving an overview of that most important of power electronics components: the semiconductor switch. I’ll first address what a switch is, and then delve into some of the more important compromises and shortcomings that exist in real-world switches that engineers must contend with when designing chargers, motor controllers, DC-DC converters… Read more »
Will Nissan’s No Charge to Charge program drive LEAF sales?
Image above courtesy of WSDOT/Flickr Nissan and NRG eVgo have pioneered a multi-network consortium to make topping up the bestselling EV a considerable re-LEAF. When Nissan last graced the Charged cover (March/April 2013 issue), the company was picking itself up and dusting itself off. Its LEAF had taken a shellacking in the press after the… Read more »
Motiv Power Systems raises $7.3 million to produce electric truck powertrains
California-based Motiv Power Systems has raised $7.3 million in growth capital from investors led by Colorado’s Magness Investment Group. The funding comes as the second Motiv-equipped all-electric school bus is delivered to Kings Canyon Unified School District. Motiv’s electric Powertrain Control System (ePCS) is designed to electrify any truck or bus chassis with a variety… Read more »
Nissan announces price for replacement LEAF battery
Nissan LEAF owners can now purchase a replacement battery pack. The price is $5,499 (with the return of the original battery pack, which is required and valued at $1,000), plus tax and the dealer’s fee for installation, which is estimated to take about 3 hours. For 2011 and 2012 LEAF models, a $225 installation kit is also… Read more »
Continental introduces new tire optimized for hybrids
In 2011, Continental introduced the Conti.eContact, a tire optimized for electric vehicles, with lower rolling resistance translating into increased range. Now the company has further refined the design to meet the needs of hybrid models. The Conti.eContact is available in six sizes for 17 and 18-inch rims. The rolling resistance of the new Conti.eContact for hybrids is… Read more »
