It seems that not everyone is enchanted by Tesla’s plans to install 40 to 50 Supercharger stations in Germany by the end of 2014. Carmaker Daimler and parts supplier Robert Bosch recently criticized the American company for pursuing its own proprietary DC charging standard. “The future lies in standardization. As with gas stations, we need… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "Plug & Charge"
Seattle-Tacoma Airport electrifies ground support equipment
Airport ground support equipment (GSE) such as baggage tugs, bag ramps and pushback vehicles represents a category of vehicles that’s ripe for electrification. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has taken a major step towards converting its GSE, a project that’s projected to save $2.8 million in fuel costs and 10,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year…. Read more »
Brammo Empulse bares all! See the racy technical details in this new video.
Anyone who’s curious about the inner workings of a high-performance electric motorcycle should check out this new video from Brammo. Director of Product Development Brian Wismann uses a cutaway of a 2013 Empulse to give a grand tour of its components. From the 10 Amp/hour lithium-ion battery cells, grouped into 7 modules of 36 cells… Read more »
Smoggy Paris enforces alternate driving days (but not for EVs)
Nothing focuses the official mind on electric vehicles quite like a thick blanket of nasty grey smog. It’s no coincidence that the two places on Earth with the most aggressive pro-EV policies – California and China – are places with serious air pollution problems. Does this mean that the City of Lights will be the… Read more »
Volkswagen Group announces plans for 40 more electrified models
The Volkswagen Group plans to electrify more than 40 models over the next few years. Speaking at the Geneva Motor Show, VW Chairman Dr. Martin Winterkorn said that Europe’s largest automaker has increased its R&D expenditure to the record value of €10.2 billion, with the lion’s share going to “green” technologies. VW’s modular Baukästen (assembly… Read more »
Navigant: Wireless charging equipment sales will exceed 300,000 units by 2022
According to Navigant Research, the prospects for wireless EV charging have taken off in the last 12 months, as several major automakers plan to bring wireless systems to market, and a significant portion of the industry believes that wireless technology represents the future of charging. In a new report, Wireless Charging Systems for Electric Vehicles,… Read more »
Kia Soul EV to use new SK Innovation battery cells
Kia’s new Soul EV will use lithium-ion polymer battery cells supplied by SK Innovation, the result of a three-year joint development program between the two companies. The SK pack has 192 cells in eight modules, for a total capacity of 27 kWh. It boasts an impressive energy density of 200 Wh/kg, and is expected to… Read more »
BMW and SGL to double carbon fiber production
BMW and its partner, the SGL Group, plan to invest more than €100 million ($137 million) to double their joint production of carbon fiber to 6,000 metric tons a year, according to German news outlet Handelsblatt. BMW’s new i3 and i8 plug-ins make greater use of lightweight, super-strong carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) than any… Read more »
Echo Automotive offers aftermarket PHEV powertrains for Ford and GM vans
Echo Automotive, a developer of aftermarket plug-in hybrid powertrains, plans to extend its EchoDrive system to GM 2500 and 3500 vans, including the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana, model years 2010-2014. EchoDrive is already available for Ford E-Series vans – orders are currently being accepted and production is scheduled to begin later this year. Production… Read more »
London minicab company abandons plan to deploy BYD EVs
London’s second-largest minicab operator has pulled the plug on a plan to put 50 electric taxis into service in the capital. Green Tomato Cars, which already operates a fleet of 500 Prius hybrids, signed a deal with Chinese EV maker BYD in 2012 to purchase 50 of BYD’s E6 EVs. Alas, this week Green Tomato… Read more »