Search Results Found For: "Plug "

New study: Nighttime EV charging may increase carbon footprint (Updated)

The question of the “long tailpipe” is a fraught one: does an EV deliver lower carbon emissions than a legacy vehicle if the electricity comes from dirty coal? The latest study to address the issue comes from Carnegie Mellon University, and it includes a couple of surprising new findings. “Regional Variability and Uncertainty of Electric Vehicle… Read more »

Continental develops integrated powertrain for the Chinese market

Auto parts giant Continental has developed a new electric powertrain especially for the Chinese market. The basic design for the new drive was created at Continental’s locations in Berlin and Nuremberg, and the specific customer applications were developed at Continental’s plant in China, where the system is produced in cooperation with Chinese suppliers. The new… Read more »

Chinese auto parts giant invests $1.6 million in wireless charging pioneer Evatran

Evatran, the developer of the Plugless wireless Level 2 charging system, has received a strategic investment of $1.6 million from Zhejiang VIE, a Chinese Tier 1 auto parts supplier. The investment is the first phase of a partnership between the two companies to introduce wireless charging to China, potentially the world’s largest EV market. Evatran… Read more »

CARB invests $373 million in advanced vehicle technologies

The California Air Resources Board has approved a $373-million funding plan for fiscal year 2015-16 for investments in a wide range of vehicle technologies, from zero-emission heavy-duty trucks and buses to rebates for low- and zero-emission passenger vehicles. The budget for the annual Funding Plan for Low Carbon Transportation Investments and the Air Quality Improvement… Read more »

South Korean plan turns ordinary 220V outlets into charging stations

Ironically, South Korea, home to some of the world’s leading producers of Li-ion batteries including LG Chem and Samsung, still has a comparatively tiny EV market. Total plug-in sales in 2014 were 850, far below a tenth of 1% of total vehicle sales. Neighboring Japan has around 110,000 plug-in vehicles on the road, compared to around 1,800… Read more »

Tesla Superchargers may be too popular for their own good

Giving away free stuff can be a winning business strategy, but it can backfire if customers start gaming the system. At Tesla’s recent shareholders’ meeting, Elon Musk complained that some Model S owners living near the company’s free Superchargers are using them to charge up for everyday driving, rather than for road trips as Tesla… Read more »

ChargePoint’s new Express 100 24 kW DC fast charger

ChargePoint has introduced a new addition to its line of EV charging stations. The Express 100 is a compact 24 kW DC fast charger aimed at businesses such as retail locations, restaurants and convenience stores. Earlier this year, the company announced the Express 200, a 50 kW DC fast charger with a maximum charging rate… Read more »

Further With Ford: e-bikes and electric car sharing, but no news on a 200-mile EV

The annual Further With Ford conference is all about what the company is doing to stay relevant in a changing world. In this year’s keynote speech, CEO Mark Fields talked about what the company sees as some of today’s most important trends, and how they inspired several research projects that have now graduated to pilot… Read more »

Swiss and Finnish firms collaborate to build drivetrain for battery-electric ferry, city buses

Swiss battery manufacturer Leclanché (named for the inventor of the dry cell battery) and Finnish electric drivetrain specialist Visedo have partnered to deliver a powertrain for an electric ferryboat that will be built by Danish shipbuilder Søby Shipyard and put into service in June 2017 between the mainland and Ærø Island. The ferry will be… Read more »

Guangzhou Automobile Group to invest $322 million in factory for new energy vehicles

Guangzhou Automobile Group plans to invest 2 billion yuan ($322 million) in a factory in China that will exclusively build new energy vehicles (plug-ins, hybrids and FCVs). The new plant is scheduled to go online in 2018, and will have an annual production capacity of 100,000 vehicles. The location of the new factory has not… Read more »