This “neo-retro” three-wheeler from Estonian startup Nobe may or may not end up being produced, but its striking design is getting a lot of positive attention. Motor 1 calls it “cute, adorable, and nostalgic,” and compares it to classic Morgan three-wheelers. The Nobe 100 is a tiny city car that can turn on a dime… Read more »
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How to protect circuits in battery management systems
Sponsored by Littelfuse By Carlos Castro, Global Director Marketing Automotive Electronics, Littelfuse, Inc. As hybrid and electric vehicles roll closer to battery power drive systems with 48V or higher, the lithium-ion battery in a closed system is the clear leader for power. Lithium-ion gets high marks in cost, energy efficiency, temperature performance, power-to-weight ratio and lifecycle…. Read more »
Robert Bollinger is building unique EVs, and a one-of-a-kind EV company
Bollinger Motors is not following the typical EV startup formula. Instead of building a luxury sedan, it’s building a rough and ready work truck. It has no strategy to evolve into a mass-market automaker, but intends to find a niche as a low-volume brand. As far as we know, the company has no former Tesla… Read more »
Top circuit protection requirements to consider when designing an automotive battery pack
Littelfuse helps the auto industry navigate new electrical engineering challenges When engineers design a battery pack, they tend to focus first on its core functionality and value proposition. For a high-end energy storage device, those core attributes are typically things like total pack energy density, cost minimization, packaging efficiency, peak power and state-of-the-art thermal management…. Read more »
A closer look at film capacitors
Plastic film capacitors relentlessly continue to take over many of the duties in EV power electronics that were once performed by the venerable aluminum electrolytic type, mainly because film capacitors exhibit much lower losses and have a much longer operational lifespan, especially at ambient temperatures in the 75-85° C range. The tradeoff is that film… Read more »
US energy regulators issue a new storage rule with important implications for EVs
In March, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a rule requiring regional electrical grid operators to revise their regulations pertaining to energy storage and how storage resources might participate in electricity markets. Okay, it sounds a bit wonky, but FERC’s decision is an important policy shift that could have a big impact on EVs…. Read more »
Tesla hopes to improve Model 3 braking distance to earn a thumbs-up from Consumer Reports
Talk about shortening timelines in the auto industry – when Consumer Reports reported that it had found Model 3’s stopping distance to be unacceptably long, Tesla CEO Elon Musk responded within hours, promising to look into the matter and do whatever it takes to improve braking performance. CR announced that it would not award Model… Read more »
Musk says Tesla Semi may have a 600-mile range
Now that the furor over Elon Musk’s rudeness to those poor little stock analysts has faded, let’s look at some of the interesting information that was revealed on Tesla’s quarterly earnings call. One of several tantalizing tidbits dropped by Musk: he expects the production version of the Tesla Semi to have a 600-mile range. When… Read more »
Tesla responds to Munro’s Model 3 teardown findings
The most interesting Tesla news in recent months (at least for those who are more interested in the company’s cars than the antics of its CEO or the gyrations of its stock) was Munro & Associates’ teardown of a Model 3. Automotive expert (a real one) Sandy Munro praised Model 3’s electronics and battery technology… Read more »
A closer look at contactors
Contactors may not be the sexiest component in an EV, but they are critical both for safety and general functioning. Basically a heavier-duty version of the relay, a contactor is used to switch power to any of the loads supplied by the traction battery in an EV. The motor drive, the heating and cooling systems,… Read more »