The 2016 Chevrolet Volt is a tour de force of engineering, a substantial step forward over its predecessor (see our cover story in the current issue of Charged). However, some EV industry observers fear that unless GM follows up on the technical improvements with some meaningful marketing, an area in which EV-makers have fallen short… Read more »
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2016 Chevy Volt: GM’s top electrification engineers on designing the all-new EREV
When the Chevrolet Volt was launched at the end of 2010, I must confess that I gave it little chance of success. It seemed like an awkward compromise – buyers who wanted to go electric would surely prefer a pure EV, and buyers who weren’t ready to take that plunge had every reason to stick… Read more »
Tesla Model 3 will debut in March, preorders start then
For better or for worse, Elon Musk has confirmed a reveal date for the much-anticipated Model 3. “35k price, unveil in March, preorders start then,” he tweeted. Of course, as every car buff knows, the “unveiling” of a new model happens a long time before cars are actually ready for delivery, and in Tesla’s case,… Read more »
Plug-in sales slow in June, but Tesla exceeds estimates
For the second month in a row, total plug-in sales fell short of last year’s figures. Overall US sales were 10,365 in June, 10% lower than May, and 16% lower than June 2014. The good news is that worldwide sales have shattered last year’s numbers every month so far this year. After a slow start,… Read more »
LG Chem Power CEO: We’re the Li-ion leader for PEVs because of material science
Q&A with LG Chem Power’s CEO: Dr. Prabhakar Patil on how the company became a Li-ion battery front-runner, the economics of building batteries, and why it spends little energy on what comes after lithium. Among Tier 1 automotive suppliers of lithium-ion cells, LG Chem is off to a clear lead, based on the number of announced… Read more »
GM ends production of 2015 Volt, retools for next-gen model
GM has suspended production of the Volt at its Detroit-Hamtramck plant in order to get ready for the revamped 2016 Volt, which is to go on sale in the second half of this year. The company plans to invest a total of $343 million to retool for its lineup of next-generation hybrid vehicles. The production… Read more »
GM Exec: Low oil prices won’t stop our plans for electrification, MPG targets make it inevitable
How will low oil prices affect the growth in vehicle electrification? It’s a question we’ve heard a lot since the price of crude began to plummet about six months ago. A few studies have come out recently that find cheap oil has little or no effect on PEV sales. It seems that either buyers don’t… 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 »
February plug-in sales slow overall, but BMW i3 powers ahead
There are plenty of legitimate excuses: winter is always the slow season for auto sales; a couple of key vehicles are in rundown mode as buyers wait for a new and improved model; and, although logic tells us they shouldn’t, ultralow gas prices may be taking a bite out of demand for plug-ins. Be all… Read more »
Nissan CEO: We will continue to lead the EV market
As the next generation of EVs takes shape, the next couple of years are going to see some electrifying competition. No sooner had GM finished its sound-and-light show for the upcoming Bolt EV than Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn reminded us that a redesigned LEAF is due to come to market in about two years, with… Read more »