Eight of the top global automakers are collaborating with the Electric Power Research Institute, 15 utility companies and Sumitomo Electric to develop a two-way communication platform that would allow plug-in vehicles from all participating manufacturers to communicate with power grids via the cloud. The new technology, which was demonstrated this week, enables utilities to send… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "Plug & Charge"
PHEV versions of Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima coming next year
Hyundai Motor Group plans to produce plug-in hybrid versions of the Hyundai Sonata, pictured above, and next-generation Kia K5 (known as the Optima, pictured below, in the US). RELATED: Kia announces pricing for Soul EV “We will roll out a plug-in hybrid model of Sonata and K5 next year,” said R&D Vice Chairman Yang Woong-Chul. “Since we… Read more »
Los Angeles County deploys 82 new public charging stations
Los Angeles County has deployed 82 Schneider Electric EVlink charging stations at 34 locations, including hospitals, sheriff stations and the Los Angeles Civic Center. During the first year of the pilot program, charging will be free for up to four hours. “There has been tremendous progress by car makers to socialize buying of electric vehicles,… Read more »
Wrightspeed secures order of 25 powertrains from FedEx
Wrightspeed, the electric powertrain startup led by Tesla co-founder Ian Wright, has just landed its biggest fish to date: an order of 25 powertrains from giant fleet operator Federal Express. The company has tested Wrightspeed’s technology in two of its trucks and decided to take the next step. Financial details of the deal are confidential,… Read more »
British Columbia public EV charging stations see rapid growth in usage
A growing number of drivers are plugging into British Columbia’s public EV charging stations. Powertech Labs, a subsidiary of local utility BC Hydro, tracks 350 of BC’s 550 public chargers, and reports that the number of charging sessions at those stations doubled between August 2013 and August 2014. “Over 40,000 charging sessions were reported in… Read more »
Will European drivers warm to hybrids?
Hybrids, with or without plugs, are comparatively rare on European roads, but Automotive News believes that’s about to change, as EU limits on CO2 emissions become stricter, forcing Continental automakers to electrify. German and French automakers dominate the market in Europe, and diesels have long been their chosen solution, accounting for half of new-car sales… Read more »
They all make EVs – but which carmakers want to sell them?
Almost every major carmaker now has at least one plug-in vehicle for sale. However, several of these vehicles were produced mainly to appease the California Air Resources Board, and their makers have shown little interest in actively marketing them. Savvy car buyers are aware of this, and make their choices accordingly – no one wants… Read more »
Can Tesla crack open Japan’s auto market?
Japan has long been at the forefront of the electromobility revolution. It’s the home of the historic Toyota Prius and the world’s best-selling EV, the Nissan LEAF. As an island nation that imports almost all of its oil, Japan has compelling reasons to electrify, and its government has worked hard to do so, providing significant… Read more »
Germany to offer free EV parking, bus lane access
The German cabinet is backing a bill to let municipalities offer drivers of plug-in vehicles incentives such as free parking and the right to use bus lanes. Germany’s goal is to have a million electric vehicles auf der strasse by 2020 (as of the beginning of 2014, there were about 21,000). “Electric cars will get… Read more »
French city launches car-sharing service with tiny Toyota EVs
The City of Grenoble, France has launched a unique car-sharing service featuring ultra-compact EVs and close integration into the local public transport system. Cité lib by Ha:mo (for Harmonious Mobility), which is patterned after a system that Toyota has been piloting in Japan, opens October 1 for a three-year trial period. Toyota is providing 70… Read more »