These days, the media insists on describing every future plug-in vehicle as a “Tesla competitor.” The latest putative challenger is not an automaker at all, but Apple, a company that has a lot in common with our favorite EV maker (including about 150 former employees). Reports that Apple has been bulking up on battery expertise… Read more »
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New study: Stickers showing total cost of ownership influence buyers to choose electrified vehicles
The EPA’s fuel economy labels on new cars are likely ineffective in pointing out the total savings of hybrid and plug-in cars over legacy vehicles, according to a new study by two University of Kansas professors. The research team conducted a 2013 online survey of 3,200 respondents in 32 US cities, and published their findings… Read more »
Japan has more EV charging points than gas stations
Worried about finding a place to plug in your EV? You needn’t be, at least if you live in Japan – Nissan recently made the surprising announcement that the number of power points in Japan has passed 40,000, more than the 34,000 gas stations in the country. “An important element of the continued market growth… Read more »
Eaton DC hyper charger charges at rates of up to one megawatt
Power management company Eaton has announced an addition to its EVSE product line. The DC hyper charger is designed to serve mass transit EVs such as buses, and is scalable from 250 kW to 1 MW charging rates. Eaton’s engineers collaborated with product testing firm Intertek to devise a testing regimen for the new charger…. Read more »
New security system protects grid-connected EVs from cyberattacks
EVs and the smart grid are a powerhouse combination that enables a host of useful capabilities. However, being connected also entails security risks. EVs present unique cybersecurity challenges, because they can be attacked both electronically and physically. In a paper published in the IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, Jianying Zhou and Aldar Chan… Read more »
Minnesota utilities offer off-peak electric rates as low as 3.3 cents/kWh
Xcel Energy, Minnesota’s largest power company, has asked state regulators to approve an off-peak EV charging rate of of 3.3 cents per kilowatt-hour, a 43 percent discount to the usual residential rate. “We are trying to provide more options for customers,” said Xcel exec Chris Clark. “This is really how we’re seeing the future. We… Read more »
Lux Research: Cheap oil’s impact on EV sales will be temporary
How much the latest plunge in oil prices will affect plug-in sales is anybody’s guess. Consumers have shown themselves to be pretty oblivious to history – when prices go down, the SUVs start flying off the lots. Will EVs be watching sadly from the sidelines? Lux Research is taking the long view. In “Just a… Read more »
Model S fan builds database of battery degradation data
Batteries do degrade over time, and unfortunately most EV models haven’t been on the road long enough to provide a lot of data, so there is still much to be learned about how quickly capacity loss takes place. Plug In America has conducted battery longevity studies for the Nissan LEAF and Tesla Roadster, and is… Read more »
New study: battery leasing and better public charging are the cure for EV buyers’ phobias
A new study identifies two psychological barriers that are holding back EV sales. One neurosis that we’re already familiar with is range anxiety. Another is resale anxiety, the concern that the price of used EVs will plummet, which sounds like a reasonable fear these days, as the automakers continue to improve their new offerings every… Read more »
Georgia’s EV tax credit on the chopping block
Chuck Martin, a Republican Georgia state representative has introduced a bill that would put an end to Georgia’s $5,000 state tax credit for EV purchases, which has been credited with making Atlanta the #2 market for plug-ins in the country. “Is it really good state policy to pay $50 million per year to let a select… Read more »