Could Rivian emerge as “the next Tesla?” On the strength of its debut truck, that’s not an unreasonable question. If you want to attract attention, keeping a company in stealth mode for several years is a good way to do it. The startup carmaker Rivian was founded a decade ago by RJ Scaringe, but it… Read more »
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A closer look at minimizing AC charging losses: From the breaker to EV (Part 1)
It’s fairly well known by now that EVs cost far less per mile to drive than their closest ICE counterparts, and the main reason is simply that the EV drivetrain is far more efficient at converting its stored form of energy into motion. In the quest to improve efficiency even more, the focus tends to… Read more »
2023 Toyota bZ4X: Japan’s largest carmaker joins the EV race
Facing off against compact crossover EVs from Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Volkswagen, and of course Tesla, the Toyota badge on the nose of the bZ4X may be enough for many buyers. The 2023 Toyota bZ4X electric SUV made its public debut Wednesday at the Los Angeles auto show, one of several EVs unveiled at a… Read more »
A closer look at why heat pumps are dominating EV HVAC systems
Heating or cooling the interior cabin of an EV substantially affects the vehicle’s on-road efficiency, and the HVAC system often gets the proverbial “rented mule” treatment. In an ICE vehicle—particularly an underpowered one—there is a visceral reminder that running the AC, at least, costs something, since there is a palpable hit to acceleration whenever the… Read more »
Ford unveils big plans for an EV factory and 3 battery plants in Tennessee and Kentucky
Here at Charged, we don’t usually repeat superlative claims—“the first, the biggest, the fastest”—we leave those to the Guinness Book of Records. In this case, however, we’ll make an exception. Ford says its plan to build two new manufacturing complexes in Tennessee and Kentucky represents “the largest ever manufacturing investment at one time by any… Read more »
ABB charges into the future with Formula E
The global electric racing championship Formula E has been a huge success by any measure. Automakers like Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Nissan, and Jaguar have embraced the series, which is surely the world’s most prominent showcase for electric vehicle performance. Charged attended the New York City E-Prix in July, and spoke with several execs from EV infrastructure… Read more »
Sprint Power develops components for wireless charging trial for fleet vehicles
Sprint Power, a British firm that specializes in electrified propulsion systems, power electronics and battery systems, is leading a UK government-backed project that aims to demonstrate the suitability of wireless charging technology for fleet vehicles. Funding for the wireless charging project has been provided by Innovate UK, a public body designed to drive research and… Read more »
Electrify America to phase out new CHAdeMO installations from 2022
The charging standards war ended in 2020, when Nissan announced that it would abandon the CHAdeMO DC fast charging standard in favor of the competing CCS standard. The only new plug-in vehicle on sale in the US that still uses CHAdeMO is the low-volume Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. [Editor’s note: There’s also the 2021 LEAF, which… Read more »
2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5: First of an aggressive wave of new EVs
The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 should be taken very seriously when it goes on sale this fall. It will be a new and likely very competitive entry in what will soon become a crowded field of EVs in the popular “compact crossover” segment. It’s not the first such EV: the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Tesla Model… Read more »
Five companies produce almost all EV battery cells for the US market
Five companies (AESC, LG Chem, Panasonic, Samsung and SK Innovation) produced almost all the battery cells used in plug-in vehicles for the US market over the past decade. Total capacity produced was 75,933 MWh. Panasonic supplied 74% of all the cells, and a majority of these were installed in Tesla battery packs. A small percentage… Read more »