The Switched Reluctance Motor, or SRM, is often discussed as a prime choice for the next-generation EV traction motor. It is simple, robust, and arguably the least expensive of all motor types to manufacture. However, SRMs are notoriously difficult to control, and prone to emitting significant amounts of vibration and acoustic noise. The good news… Read more »
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BYD sells 50 e6 EVs to San Diego ride-sharing fleet
San Diego-based ride-sharing service Opoli has agreed to buy 50 e6 EVs from China’s BYD Motors. The e6 electric crossover will join Opoli’s natural gas airport shuttles later this summer. Opoli, which launched its service in the San Diego area just a few weeks ago, is the first ride-share service permitted at the San Diego… Read more »
The 2016 Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine PHEV enters the US market with great promise
These days when most Americans think of Swedish engineering, they probably remember a frustrating experience with an Allen wrench and one too few pieces of particle board. But we didn’t always buy our Swedish creations under the same roof as our Swedish meatballs. Any American old enough to drink remembers a friend whose parents drove… Read more »
Railcar traction inverter with SiC power modules achieves 40% power savings
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, which has been testing a traction inverter made with silicon carbide (SiC), has announced that the component has demonstrated a savings in power consumption of around 40%. The traction inverter was installed in a 1000 series urban train in commercial service with a Japanese railroad, and was tested over a four-month period…. Read more »
EVs take first and second places at Pikes Peak Hill Climb
Once again, EVs made history at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, as driver Rhys Millen became the first to win the grueling challenge in an electric racer, with a time of 9:07.222, a new record for EVs. Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima took second place in the Rimac E-Runner, with 9.32.401 (bad weather forced race officials… Read more »
Evolute Drives seeks investors to commercialize hybrid/EV transmissions
The UK firm Evolute Drives is seeking investors to help commercialize its MSYS multi-speed transmission system for hybrids and EVs. According to Evolute, its MSYS transmission allows a vehicle’s traction motor to be smaller and more efficient by running it in a more power-efficient regime. Single-speed drives require the motors to have a high speed… Read more »
Guess which minivan maker may produce an all-wheel-drive plug-in?
Fiat Chrysler sometimes seems to be the most vocal holdout of the waning oil age. It’s about the only major automaker that offers no hybrid models, and CEO Sergio Marchionne is often depicted in the EV press as an anti-electric curmudgeon – he has stated that the company loses $10,000 on every unit of the Fiat… Read more »
VW Golf GTE concept plugs in and gets sporty
Volkswagen unveiled a concept Sport version of the Golf GTE PHEV at a recent festival in Austria. Featuring a carbon fiber body and a three-motor AWD system, the Golf GTE Sport does 60 in 4.3 seconds, boasts a top speed of 174 mph, and offers an electric range of 31 miles. The powertrain includes a 1.6-liter TSI… Read more »
FTC officials: States should allow consumers to choose how they buy cars
Federal Trade Commission officials have weighed in for a second time on the war between Tesla and the auto dealers. In an 11-page letter that is summarized in the Competition Matters blog, a trio of senior FTC staffers wrote that a recently-passed Michigan law, which strengthens the requirement that automakers sell only through third-party dealers,… Read more »
Developer of gallium nitride power switching semiconductors raises $20 million
GaN Systems Inc., a developer of gallium nitride power switching semiconductors, has closed a $20-million Series C financing round. The company will use the new money to ramp up sales and marketing efforts and to continue expanding its manufacturing line. GaN Systems says its Island Technology results in devices that are smaller and more efficient… Read more »