Search Results Found For: "Tesla"

EVs, renewables & energy storage: The unstoppable trio of energy’s future

The ripples of disruption: Q&A with Mike Calise The concept of disruption is often discussed in the fields of semiconductors, the internet, data, computers and software. But what about the energy industry? The world has been largely generating and consuming energy the same way for over a century. Charged talked to Mike Calise, Head of Electric… Read more »

DOE and electric utilities produce report on EV charging impact

A new report from the DOE describes the findings from six Smart Grid Investment Grant (SGIG) projects, in which electric utilities around the country evaluated operations and customer charging behaviors for home and public EV charging stations. The report, Evaluating Electric Vehicle Charging Impacts and Customer Charging Behaviors, is intended to help utilities determine how… Read more »

EV City Casebook highlights 50 big ideas driving EV adoption

Falling gas prices and changes in Congress got you feeling pessimistic about the future of EVs? Here are 50 reasons to celebrate the advent of the electric century. The second edition of the EV City Casebook highlights 50 “big ideas” that have the potential to turbocharge EV adoption around the world. Some of the big… Read more »

Are multispeed transmissions the future of EVs?

One of the many ways in which current EVs differ from legacy vehicles is that they don’t shift gears. While modern ICE vehicles sport 8- and 9-speed automatics, 7-speed manuals and continuously variable transmissions, which help to improve fuel efficiency, most EVs get by with a simple single-speed gearbox. Conventional wisdom is that, because electric… Read more »

Volkswagen buys piece of solid-state battery startup

Volkswagen has bought a five-percent stake in battery startup QuantumScape. Confidential sources told Bloomberg that the Volkswagen Group plans to complete tests of QuantumScape’s technology by mid-2015, and is considering using it in VW, Porsche and Audi vehicles. Closely-held QuantumScape, founded in 2010 by former Stanford University researchers, is working on solid-state batteries, which it… Read more »

November plug-in sales: LEAF (still) leads, Ford falters, Toyota tanks, smart surges

The US auto industry had another banner month, and plug-ins were present at the party, though perhaps not first in line at the punchbowl. PEV sales were down a tick from October, but eked out a gain compared to November 2013. Year-to-date sales have now surpassed 2013’s total, and it appears that annual sales will… Read more »

Washington state debates extending sales tax break for EVs

Washington Governor Jay Inslee wants to extend a sales tax break for EVs, explore giving them access to carpool lanes, and create incentives for builders to include high-speed charging in new projects. He outlined his ideas at a clean-energy conference in early November, and is expected to release specific proposals with his budget in December…. Read more »