Several small companies hope to electrify the commercial fleet vehicle market. Most of them are taking what they see as the path of least resistance – converting existing trucks to plug-in hybrids. However, a North Carolina-based firm with the evocative name EV Fleet is going all the way, betting that companies will opt for the… Read more »
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Lexus ad ridicules BMW i3
They’re at it again. As Toyota execs talk trash about electric powertrains, subsidiary Lexus has launched a second ad campaign (via Green Car Reports) that makes fun of EVs, touting pure hybrids as superior. In the latest five-minute video (perhaps an outtake from the new Dumb and Dumber movie), two groups of jokers set out on a… Read more »
Celgard to work with Panasonic on next-generation battery cells
Celgard, a subsidiary of Polypore International (NYSE: PPO) and Panasonic have agreed to work together to develop coated and uncoated Celgard brand separators for Panasonic’s next-generation cylindrical battery cells. Upon completion of the development effort, the two firms expect to form a long term supply agreement. A battery separator provides a barrier between the anode… Read more »
BMW’s fast charging strategy: Clarifying some nuanced announcements
Range anxiety: we’re not sure whether it’s a serious disease or a psychosomatic ailment, but it’s one of the most commonly-cited objections heard from potential EV buyers, and automakers take it quite seriously. All of the top EV-makers are investing heavily in public charging infrastructure in an effort to eradicate this dreaded malady. At the… Read more »
Industry experts discuss the fascinating road ahead for EV batteries
What’s really going on with batteries? A recent panel discussion from Autoline (via Green Car Reports) asked three experts – one from one of the world’s biggest battery concerns, one from a promising startup, and one academic – and they see great things ahead. Host John McElroy starts out the way all mainstream media stories on EVs do… Read more »
New CARB regulations deciphered by Transport Evolved Panel
Even voracious EV news junkies should be sated by a recent episode of the Transport Evolved Panel Talk Show, as electromobility experts Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield, Chelsea Sexton and John Voelcker hold forth for 90 minutes on the latest developments on the plug-in scene, including Michigan’s new anti-Tesla law, the UK’s sudden surge in plug-in sales, and the… Read more »
Do luxury models make more sense as EVs than small cars?
Contrary to popular belief, the small, practical city car is not necessarily the best candidate for electrification. Battery costs will keep EVs more expensive than legacy vehicles for some time to come, and many drivers won’t recoup the higher purchase price in fuel savings in a reasonable number of years. In a new article, John… Read more »
October plug-in sales: LEAF, Volt still lead, BMW coming up strong
The US auto industry had a good month, as automakers reported their strongest October sales in a decade. Most of the action was in gas-guzzling pickups and SUVs – alas, plug-in sales were down compared to last October, for the first time in 46 months of EV sales. Annual sales are still on track to handily… Read more »
CHARGED Electric Vehicles Magazine Issue 15
Subscribe Now Trouble viewing? Read the features inside here. Featuring: The Tech Next-gen battery pack testing: AeroVironment launches the AV-900 EX Simulation of battery pack cooling systems: Measure twice, cut once Voltabox begins building Li-ion battery packs in Texas Freudenberg Group’s new line of Li-ion battery separators The… Read more »
Elon Musk: Cooling, not power-to-weight ratio, is the challenge with AC induction motors
Elon Musk’s recent interview at the MIT AeroAstro Centennial Symposium made headlines for his warning against the careless development of artificial intelligence, which he likened to “summoning the demon.” However, while he didn’t say a lot about Tesla, he did make an interesting comment about the challenges of designing electric motors. A questioner asked (around… Read more »