Daimler R&D chief Thomas Weber talked EVs in an interview this week with Automotive News Europe’s German sister Automobilwoche. Weber believes the upcoming Mercedes B class Electric Drive will be a worthy competitor for the BMW i3: “In all the key criteria, this vehicle will be at least as competitive as our competitors’ models. With… Read more »
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BMW i3: The launch of many firsts
When you’re writing about the dawn of a new industry, “firsts” and “milestones” come along so often that they may start to lose their novelty. However, the BMW i3, which was officially “launched” in July, and is scheduled to go on sale next year, boasts an impressive number of innovations that has the EV press… Read more »
Plug-in fleets: small challenges, huge savings
Four plug-in truck companies talk to fleet managers about electrification opportunities Plug-in vehicles are different. Aside from the obvious changes in technology, they present a different financial model for corporate number crunchers. This means some challenges for those pitching EVs and PHEVs to fleet operators. Fortunately for the EV industry and the fleets of the… Read more »
Plug In America research: Tesla Roadster battery longevity exceeds projections
By Tom Saxton, Chief Science Officer, Plug In America Many current and prospective electric vehicle owners are curious to better understand battery pack longevity. There’s plenty of technical data on how batteries lose capacity with use, but a lot of that testing subjects the batteries to extreme and rapid charge/discharge cycles, very unlike the much gentler use… Read more »
GM uses ultrasonic welding to build ELR battery packs
Ultrasonic welding is one of many high-tech manufacturing processes that GM uses to produce its EVs, including the Chevy Volt and the new Cadillac ELR electric luxury coupe. The technique employs a pair of tools called an anvil and horn to apply rapid mechanical vibrations to the battery’s copper and aluminum electrodes. This creates heat… Read more »
Musk expands on Tesla’s Q2 financial report
Last evening, Tesla Motors announced its Q2 2013 financial results, and afterward, Chairman & CEO Elon Musk and CFO Deepak Ahuja took questions from journalists and analysts for about an hour. As expected, Musk did most of the talking, and covered a lot of ground concerning Tesla’s future production plans and international expansion. On… Read more »
Peugeot evaluates Nickel-Zinc batteries for stop-start vehicles
PowerGenix, a developer of Nickel-Zinc (NiZn) batteries, announced that it has entered into an innovation contract with PSA Peugeot Citroen Automobiles. Peugeot will conduct an evaluation of NiZn batteries as a replacement for lead-acid in stop-start vehicles. Stop-start technology is one of the most cost-effective and efficient means of optimizing fuel economy. Current estimates put… Read more »
VIDEO: Another peek inside Tesla’s Fremont factory
Another video from WIRED lets us look in on Tesla’s factory in Fremont, California, where the future of the American automobile industry is being assembled. This video is much like the one WIRED released a couple of weeks ago, but true Tesla fans can never get enough. The huge factory was built by NUMMI, a… Read more »
Wildcat Discovery Technologies’ new cathode materials
We first told you about Wildcat Discovery Technologies back in the October/November 2012 issue of Charged. It is a venture-backed start-up in Southern California that has developed proprietary methods for rapidly synthesizing energy-storage materials. The company boasts that one of its busy scientists can produce 400 to 500 different battery materials at the same time… Read more »
A reluctant gem: The FIAT 500e EV
The cute, cuddly FIAT 500e EV may have been born only out of regulatory necessity. So what happens if it becomes the best-reviewed new EV in its class? The bar is raised; the game changes. Maybe Chrysler will even concede that it should sell it outside of the Golden State. Summertime in Sonoma County… Read more »