Sometimes kids can’t wait to be grown-ups, but growth takes time. An acorn doesn’t become an oak tree overnight. Electric vehicles are a growth industry, and many people in that industry would like to see explosive expansion, rather than the slow and steady gains that have characterized the market for years. Yet even slow progress… Read more »
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Proterra electric bus delivers 258 miles of range in testing
A Proterra Catalyst XR (extended range) electric bus drove 258 miles on a single charge in a recent test. The bus used in the test has 8 NMC Li-ion battery packs, with a total energy capacity of 257 kWh. The Catalyst XR can also be configured with 10 packs, which Proterra predicts will achieve 300… Read more »
2016 LEAF offers 107 miles of range
Responding to the consistent consumer clamor for more range, Nissan has equipped the 2016 LEAF with an optional 30 kWh battery pack that provides an EPA-estimated range of 107 miles – a 27% increase over the current 24 kWh pack. The LEAF comes in three trim levels, and the new battery is standard on the… Read more »
UK extends Plug-in Car Grant program
The UK government has announced that the current Plug-in Car Grant scheme, which offers rebates of up to £5,000 ($7,800) to EV buyers, will be extended until at least February 2016. The government previously said that the grant program would be reevaluated once 50,000 plug-in vehicles had been sold, a milestone that is now expected… Read more »
Another Chinese-backed startup announces plans for an electric supercar
New EV companies are cropping up like dendrites on a lithium metal anode. The latest startup to emerge from stealth mode is called NextEV. Like many of the current crop (see Faraday Future, Atieva, Fisker, Leshi), NextEV is backed by Chinese investors, and is not affiliated with a traditional automaker, although it has recruited execs… Read more »
August plug-in sales slow as LEAF, Volt and Model S jockey for the lead
There’s little good news for EV-lovers this month. August US plug-in sales of 8,972 were essentially unchanged from July, and were even further behind August 2014’s figure of 12,172. There were no major position changes – most of the leading models posted minor declines or increases. The bright spots at the moment are outside the… Read more »
Study: EV tax credits go mostly to high-income households
A new study from the Energy Institute at Haas, University of California, Berkeley, has reached an unsurprising conclusion: the benefits of federal tax credits tend to go mostly to higher-income households. Researchers Severin Borenstein and Lucas Davis found that 60% of the $18 billion in US federal clean energy tax credits issued between 2006 and… Read more »
Lux Research: LG Chem threatens Panasonic’s position as world’s top EV battery supplier
Japanese giant Panasonic is by far the largest automotive batter supplier at the moment, with a 39% market share. According to a new report from Lux Research, it will probably hang onto that position, increasing its share to 51% as EV batteries grow to a $30-billion market by 2020. However, there’s a real possibility that… Read more »
NASA awards grants for advanced battery technologies
There are a number of synergies between space travel and electromobility (just ask Elon Musk). Both pursuits require energy storage devices with high energy density, stringent safety standards, and the ability to operate in high-vibration, extreme-temperature environments. Developing improved battery technology is a high priority at NASA, and the agency is making significant investments in… Read more »
Analyst predicts Tesla will eat Uber’s lunch, doubling stock price
Does Tesla have a secret plan to disrupt yet another industry, maybe one that even Tesla doesn’t know about yet? Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas is convinced of it, and believes that the potential profits will cause the TSLA stock price to double. On a recent media conference call, Jonas asked Elon Musk about Uber’s… Read more »