Industry observers already expect a new electric BMW, probably a small crossover EV called the i5, to appear sometime around late 2017. Now Automobile magazine has suggested that the 2018 model i5 will be followed by the i6, an electric sedan about the size of BMW’s best-selling 3 Series. Automobile says the i6 will be… Read more »
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FEV provides battery system for production PHEV
Aachen, Germany-based FEV has announced that its transmission and battery technology is being used in a PHEV that is now in series production. The unspecified vehicle has a 10 kWh battery pack and an electric range of about 30 miles. FEV was involved in developing the battery hardware and software from the development of the… Read more »
Efficient Drivetrains and XALT Energy announce supply agreement
Battery manufacturer XALT Energy (formerly Dow Kokam) has agreed to supply its NMC graphite Li-ion battery packs to Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. (EDI), for use in the company’s PHEV PowerDrive and electric power export solutions. Shipment of the initial order should be completed in the first quarter of 2016. EDI will use XALT’s first-generation battery system… Read more »
Jaguar returns to racing with Formula E team
Jaguar has a long and illustrious history in auto racing, but it got out of the sport in 2004, when its Formula One team was sold to Red Bull. It’s a sign of the electrifying times that the beloved British brand’s return to global motorsport will be as part of the FIA Formula E Championship…. Read more »
Texas Instruments introduces integrated battery monitor and protector
Texas Instruments (NASDAQ: TXN) has introduced what it calls the industry’s first integrated battery monitor and protector. The enticingly-named bq76PL455A-Q1 provides cell-voltage monitoring for large batteries with up to 256 cells in a series. The bq76PL455A-Q1 is designed to reveal a pack’s state of charge and state of health by precisely measuring cell voltage, and… Read more »
Nissan to offer range-extended EV in 2016?
There’s plenty of electrifying news emanating from Nissan these days. The 2016 LEAF features substantially improved range, and a completely new generation is rumored to be coming in 2018. Now Yoshi Shimoida, Nissan’s Deputy General Manager, EV and HEV Engineering Division, said the company will unveil an EV with a range extending engine in 2016…. Read more »
Kia announces five-year “green car road map,” releases details of Optima PHEV
Korean automaker Kia has announced plans to develop “a greatly increased range of environmentally friendly vehicles.” The brand’s “green car road map” is a five-year plan that calls for increased R&D into fuel-efficient technologies and new products. New investment by Hyundai Motor Group, Kia’s parent company, totals 11.3 trillion won ($10.2 billion). The first of… Read more »
Hyundai Sonata PHEV hits the showrooms
The Koreans are plugging in. The 2016 Hyundai Sonata PHEV, which made its debut at January’s Detroit auto show, arrives at “select dealerships” this week. The Sonata’s cousin, the Kia Optima, is also expected to appear in a plug-in version in the second half of 2016. The Korea Herald recently reported that Hyundai plans to… Read more »
UCLA study: HOV access for plug-in cars drives sales
One of the goodies that many governments offer to encourage EV sales is access to special highway lanes. In California at least, it seems that such policies are very effective. A new study conducted by UCLA’s Luskin Center for Innovation, with funding from the California Air Resources Board, has found that state legislation that opened… Read more »
Hyundai to launch new line of electrified vehicles
The Korea Herald reports that Hyundai plans to launch a new brand of electrified vehicles in January. The first model from the new brand – tentatively named AE – will be a hybrid, followed by PHEV and pure EV versions. According to the Herald, the five-door hatchback, envisioned as a competitor for the Toyota Prius,… Read more »