A new white paper from Navigant Research forecasts global EV sales of over 346,000 units in 2014. Navigant sees expansion at the higher end of the market, as Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes, Saab, and Volvo introduce new plug-in models; and in the middle, with new offerings from Kia, Mahindra, Skoda, and Volkswagen. “Electric Vehicles: 10… Read more »
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BMW’s new EVs get you to your destination ASAP – even if you have to take the train
BMW’s new i3 and i8 take vehicle connectivity to a new level with the ConnectedDrive feature, which BMW describes as a travelling companion that can play the role of “travel guide, entertainer or guardian angel.” Thanks to BMW partner INRIX, which is based in Washington State, ConnectedDrive incorporates real-time traffic conditions, and can even plan… Read more »
New paper: US policies to support plug-ins are ineffective
Governments around the world are taking many different measures to encourage the adoption of plug-in vehicles, but it’s far from clear which of these policies will prove to make sense in the long run. A new paper published in Energy Policy argues that current US policies are inefficient and ineffective. One of the main culprits… Read more »
A new roadmap for plugging EVs into California’s electrical grid
As EVs proliferate, the challenges of integrating them with the electrical grid will grow in importance. While an increase in peak demand is a concern, pessimists’ predictions that an influx of EVs will “overwhelm the grid” are vastly overblown. In fact, with some intelligent planning, EV batteries could be a valuable resource that improves the… Read more »
The most interesting part of the 2014 Cadillac ELR is the software
We often hear automotive engineers talk about the need for a better understanding of the components of an EV. Some have said that there is an inherent inefficiency in many systems because the parts – like the battery cells, motors and inverters – have historically been developed independently of each other and then integrated together…. Read more »
Charging pains in Europe’s EV capital
Norway has quickly become the world’s EV trendsetter. In April, the LEAF was the second-best selling model in the country, and had sold over 4,500 units. In September, Tesla’s Model S became the top-selling car. In fact, EVs have long been popular in the Scandinavian country – the current total of 15,000 EVs also includes… Read more »
Maxwell and SK to jointly develop ultracap/battery combo
Ultracapacitors (aka ultracaps or supercapacitors) are the toast of the town, thanks to their rapid charge and discharge capabilities, tolerance of extreme temperature conditions and long operational life. However, their killer application may be as partners with lithium-ion batteries, which offer higher energy density. Maxwell Technologies (Nasdaq: MXWL), a manufacturer of ultracapacitor-based energy storage products,… Read more »
Honda joins V2G demo project
Honda has joined a demonstration project for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology aimed at providing energy storage to the electrical grid while providing a financial incentive to EV drivers. Partners in the ev2g project include: the University of Delaware; NRG Energy; BMW, which is providing 15 MINI Es; Milbank Manufacturing, which is providing charging stations based on… Read more »
Nissan carries out vehicle-to-building field test
Nissan has completed a successful early field test of a system designed to allow companies to use employee EVs to regulate and reduce their electricity bills. Vehicle-To-Building technology allows up to six LEAFs to be connected to a building’s power supply. At peak hours, the building draws power from the cars, then, during off-peak hours… Read more »
BMW announces 360º Electric package for BMW i drivers
Upgrading from a legacy vehicle to an EV involves a few lifestyle changes. BMW’s 360º Electric is a portfolio of consumer-oriented products and services designed to smooth the transition and overcome some of the perceived barriers to going electric. BMW’s MINI E and ActiveE field trials have given it a wealth of data about EV… Read more »