Lithium-ion chemistries are increasingly replacing lead-acid automotive batteries, especially in start-stop and energy recuperation systems, and they are even making inroads into starter battery applications. Electronics such as Freescale Semiconductor’s battery cell controllers are used to manage risks such as overcharge, overheating and internal short circuits. Now Freescale has introduced the MC33772 3- to 6-cell… Read more »
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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 »
Greenlots partners with BMW to install public chargers in Singapore
Since BMW’s i3 went on sale in the island nation of Singapore in July 2014, the Bavarian automaker has been investing in charging infrastructure. In partnership with charging network operator Greenlots and CapitaLand, a major Asian real estate developer, BMW installed public charging stations at five strategic locations in Singapore’s Central Business District. Now the… Read more »
Solid-state battery innovator Seeo acquired by Bosch
Giant German automotive supplier Bosch has announced that it will acquire the Silicon Valley startup Seeo, a pioneer in solid-state battery technology. Seeo’s cell design combines a solid lithium metal anode with a conventional porous lithium iron phosphate cathode and Seeo’s proprietary DryLite solid polymer electrolyte. Seeo says its cells achieve specific energy of around… Read more »
New study: EVs powered by natural gas reduce emissions by 40% compared to gasoline
It’s a fair question: Do EVs powered by grid electricity result in lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than legacy ICE vehicles? On average, yes they do, according to studies by the Union of Concerned Scientists, the University of Minnesota, and Carnegie Mellon University. However, regional differences in the energy mix mean that EVs are much… 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 »
EV charging and distributed energy sources meet in the cloud
EV charging solution provider eMotorWerks has incorporated OSIsoft’s PI System within its cloud-based Smart[Grid] charging platform. The collaboration aims to streamline data flows between EV charging networks and providers of energy resources on the grid. OSIsoft’s PI System aggregates data from electrical utilities, Independent Service Operators (ISOs) and Regional Transmission Operators (RTOs), while eMotorWerks’ JuiceNet… Read more »
Automakers push back against Michigan’s proposed EV fees
Faced with the fact that improved fuel efficiency is translating into lower gas tax receipts, several states have instituted, or are considering, special fees on electrified vehicles. A fee proposal currently making its way through the Michigan legislature has drawn opposition from an automakers’ trade group. In a recent letter to Michigan Senate Majority Leader… Read more »
New independent EV builder makes the scene
The difficulty of starting up a car company, and the unlikelihood of anyone duplicating Tesla’s success, are so well known as to require no repetition here. Suffice it to say that Faraday Future’s recent colorfully-worded announcement that it intends to bring a new EV to the market has been greeted with predictable skepticism. However, the… Read more »
Gaining traction at last: Efacec instals over 600 DC fast chargers worldwide
If we’ve heard it once, we’ve heard it a thousand times: EVs and charging infrastructure present a chicken-and-egg problem. This thesis has been the topic of countless EV industry conference panels over the past decade. In recent years, many experts have attempted to declare the issue settled. Back in January 2013, European Union Climate Commissioner… Read more »