Tesla isn’t the only company that can play the patent-opening game. Ford has announced that it will make its portfolio of over 650 electrification-related patents available to competing automakers. Unlike Tesla, which has implied that it will allow others to use technology “in good faith” free of charge (and Toyota, which plans to make some… Read more »
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LG Chem Power CEO: We’re the Li-ion leader for PEVs because of material science
Q&A with LG Chem Power’s CEO: Dr. Prabhakar Patil on how the company became a Li-ion battery front-runner, the economics of building batteries, and why it spends little energy on what comes after lithium. Among Tier 1 automotive suppliers of lithium-ion cells, LG Chem is off to a clear lead, based on the number of announced… Read more »
New PlugShare Data tool offers comprehensive EV infrastructure analytics
In the past five years, the amount of public PEV charging infrastructure in the US has skyrocketed to over 25,000 charging stations. In June 2010, that number was fewer than 1,000. That’s when the PlugShare team first began mapping EV chargers, allowing its app users to share tips and tricks about their favorite places to… Read more »
Tesla acquires Michigan tool-and-die manufacturer
Tesla reached another corporate milestone this week, making its first acquisition, Michigan tool and die manufacturer Riviera Tool. The company will be renamed the Tesla Tool and Die Factory, and most of the 100 employees are expected to stay on, the Detroit News reported. “This acquisition enables Tesla to bring additional capabilities in-house, streamlining production… Read more »
Denmark’s CLEVER charging network expands to Sweden
CLEVER, a Danish “Electric Mobility Operator” that’s owned by five utilities, is opening a subsidiary in Sweden, with the Swedish energy company Öresundskraft as majority shareholder. “With five years of experience as an operator of both electric vehicles and charging in Denmark, the company is now ready to scale up, and transfer our knowledge and… Read more »
Indian government launches major EV incentive program
India’s government has announced a goal of putting 6-7 million electric and hybrid vehicles on the road by 2020, and proposes to invest an estimated 14,000 crore ($2.2 billion) over a period of 5 years in subsidies and other incentives. The Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India (FAME) program will… Read more »
GM ends production of 2015 Volt, retools for next-gen model
GM has suspended production of the Volt at its Detroit-Hamtramck plant in order to get ready for the revamped 2016 Volt, which is to go on sale in the second half of this year. The company plans to invest a total of $343 million to retool for its lineup of next-generation hybrid vehicles. The production… Read more »
March plug-in sales: Tesla grabs lead, Fiat surprises, Kia and Cadillac disappoint
There are several interesting developments to report on the EV sales front this month – an overall increase, a lead change, and a sales surge in the most unexpected of quarters. Total plug-in sales for the month were 10,341, a healthy recovery from February’s slump, and a 7% increase over the March 2014 numbers. Interestingly,… Read more »
Indiana gas station chain installs DC fast chargers (UPDATED)
Public EV chargers are popping up at all kinds of locations, including, of all places, gas stations. Convenience store chain Ricker Oil has installed nine DC fast chargers at locations in central Indiana. Ricker partnered with the Greater Indiana Clean Cities Coalition and Nissan, which offers two years of free public charging to LEAF buyers… Read more »
Illinois suspends its $4,000 rebate program for plug-in vehicles
Illinois consumers who purchased a new plug-in vehicle in 2014, or later, will not receive a $4,000 rebate from the state. That is the message from the Illinois Green Fleet rebate program, which announced the suspension of the rebate last week. The Illinois Alternate Fuels Rebate Program started in 1998 and over $14 million in rebates have been… Read more »