Search Results Found For: "Extreme E"

Study: Oregon EV industry worth $266 million

Portland State University’s Northwest Economic Research Center (NERC) has released a new report that examines Oregon’s rapidly growing electric vehicle industry. This traditionally green state saw the opportunities in EVs as early as 2009, and established a public-private partnership called Drive Oregon to support the nascent industry. Today Oregon boasts an impressive “EV cluster,” which… Read more »

Driving drivetrain development: Schaeffler North America’s VP and CTO on the future of electric drive

  Jeff Hemphill talks eAxles, two-speed transmissions, in-wheel motors and more.  For multinational companies with thousands of employees, collaborating can be a challenge. In 2011, the Schaeffler Group found that divisions from their three product brands – INA, LuK and FAG – were working on different electrification and renewable topics without really talking to each… Read more »

A closer look at regenerative braking

Regenerative braking (usually called regen for short) is simply the act of turning a motor into a generator, so that it slows down the load it was previously driving. Instead of converting momentum into heat with friction brakes, regen puts some of that energy back into the traction pack, not only saving wear on the… Read more »

Nissan buys back two Arizona LEAFs

Nissan announced that, “as a good will gesture,” it has bought two LEAFs back from Arizona owners, using a formula in the state’s “lemon law.” Apparently, the battery brouhaha that started back in May did not end with Nissan’s statement last week, in which the company acknowledged that the LEAF’s batteries may wear out faster… Read more »

Nissan on Arizona LEAFs’ battery capacity loss: That’s the deal.

Does the LEAF have a problem? It depends who you ask. According to a number of LEAF owners, their cars have battery problems. According to Nissan’s latest announcement, there is no problem. Seen from the EV media’s perspective, there’s a significant PR problem, and in this industry, those can be the hardest problems to recover… Read more »

Find your niche: Balqon Corporation targets short haul drayage tractors

Electric vehicles (EVs) have their partisans and detractors. Supporters see the be-all and end-all transportation solution, while opponents argue the technology is too young. Somewhere between the two extremes lies the truth: today’s commercially available EVs have strengths and weaknesses compared to internal combustion engine (ICEs). The strong points include lower operating costs and lack… Read more »

Advancing Inverters

Topping the list of EV inhibitors are cost and consumer perception of long-term reliability of the vehicle. After batteries, power electronics contribute the greatest cost to EVs, when compared to a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. Additionally, inverters and converters are among the most stressed powertrain components.  Increasing inverter performance, reliability, and lifetime –… Read more »