When it comes to finding a way to charge EVs more quickly, human ingenuity has come up with some pretty wide-ranging solutions, from battery-swapping to flow batteries that store energy in tanks of liquid electrolyte. The latest innovative idea comes from startup Tanktwo, and is called a String Battery. Tanktwo’s system replaces a vehicle’s battery pack with a container filled… Read more »
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Does Tesla’s latest software update really end range anxiety?
The buildup was pretty big: earlier this week, Elon Musk’s tweeted that an upcoming software update for Model S would “end range anxiety.” The reality – announced at a press conference today – is neat, but perhaps not quite so game-changing. Software version 6.2, which is expected to be enabled in the next 10 days,… Read more »
The future of integrated inverters: Press-fit solderless interconnects and smarter design
Interplex, the complex assemblies expert, on power electronics, the automotive industry and the continuous drive for smarter design Power modules containing high-power insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) are at the core of most modern inverters. These modules are the electronic muscle of the system. They perform all the switching, and they generate all the heat. But… Read more »
Quick Charge Power: Tony Williams on his journey into the EVSE business
EV advocate to charging entrepreneur You may remember a little Nissan LEAF battery controversy that popped up a few years ago. Beginning in May 2012, a handful of LEAF owners located in Phoenix, Arizona started posting on forums that, according to the car’s dashboard display, their batteries were losing capacity much faster than they were expecting…. Read more »
Argonne National Labs hosts the Interoperability Olympics
At Argonne National Labs, the pursuit of greater compatibility between DC fast charger EVSE and EVs connected some dots between industry standards and industry stalwarts. America’s first national lab, Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), has always been steeped in the purpose of discovering and developing sustainable energy sources for promoting national security and prosperity. While the… Read more »
US-made e-bike raises $3.7 million: simple, practical and fun
Electric bicycles are already popular in Europe and China, and now a Malibu startup hopes to capture the imagination of US pedal pushers. The Sondors Electric Bike, launched this month through a crowdfunding campaign, has the makings of a cult classic. With an initial goal of $75,000, the Indiegogo campaign has generated over $3.7 million in contributions. The… Read more »
Quick Charge Power to offer CHAdeMO DC Fast Charging upgrade for Toyota RAV4 EV
Quick Charge Power, the EVSE company founded by well-known EV advocated Tony Williams, is developing kits for drivers who are looking for a serious charging upgrade. For EV owners without a DC Fast Charging option, Williams is building a CHAdeMO upgrade kit called JdeMO. The idea was inspired by Williams’s Toyota RAV4 EV, which was sold… Read more »
Beating the polysulfide shuttle to build a solid-state battery approaching theoretical capacity
The latest advance in lithium-sulfur technology comes courtesy of a research team from Samsung and the University of Rome, who have built a solid-state Li-S battery with a capacity (∼1600 mAhg−1) approaching the theoretical value and Coulombic efficiency approaching 99%. In a paper published in the Journal of The Electrochemical Society, the team concludes that… 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 »
Toyota tests silicon carbide power semiconductors in a hybrid Camry and fuel cell bus
Power semiconductors are key components of the power control units (PCUs) used in all types of vehicles with electric powertrains – EVs, hybrids and fuel cell vehicles. Current power semiconductors are leaky, accounting for around 20 percent of a vehicle’s electrical losses, so raising their efficiency could be a rewarding area of study. Toyota has… Read more »