Volkswagen execs have been talking some smack about Tesla. “Anything Tesla can do, we can surpass,” CEO Herbert Diess said in May. VW is working on its first native EV (that is, the first one not adapted from an ICE vehicle), code-named the ID Concept, and it has released specs comparable to those of Tesla’s… Read more »
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Polestar to become Volvo’s electrified performance brand
Polestar, Volvo’s performance car subsidiary, is to be transformed into a new brand for electrified vehicles. Thomas Ingenlath, Senior VP of Design at Volvo, will assume the position of CEO at Polestar. “Thomas heading up the Polestar organization shows our commitment to establishing a truly differentiated stand-alone brand within the Volvo Car Group,” said Håkan… Read more »
ZF showcases mSTARS electric axle system for hybrids or EVs
German automotive supplier ZF is using a plug-in concept vehicle called Vision Zero to showcase a number of new safety and zero-emissions technologies. The entire propulsion system is housed in a space-saving modular rear axle system called mSTARS (modular Semi-Trailing Arm Rear Suspension). mSTARS is designed to make it easier to electrify existing production vehicle… Read more »
Analyst predicts Tesla will have a near-monopoly in EVs
As Tesla soars and the legacy automakers waffle, a classic disruption scenario, unthinkable only a couple of years ago, seems ever more likely. The latest to reach this conclusion is analyst Alexander Haissl of Hamburg’s Berenberg Bank, who predicts in a recent report that Tesla will end up with a near-monopoly of the EV market…. Read more »
Deutsche Post partners with Ford to manufacture Transit-based electric delivery van
Deutsche Post subsidiary StreetScooter and Ford have formed a partnership to manufacture electric delivery vehicles. StreetScooter has already developed a small electric van with a 20.4 kWh battery pack, a 30 kW motor and a top speed of 50 mph. Deutsche Post now has 2,500 StreetScooters in operation throughout Germany, and is also beginning to… Read more »
Two thumbs up for the Chevy Bolt EV
Here at Charged, we usually write about technical matters and industry trends, and leave the car reviews to others. However, after spending a week with the Chevy Bolt EV, I am moved to write not just a review, but a rave. I’ve driven pretty much every EV that’s widely available in the US, and there’s… Read more »
Efficient Drivetrains to provide plug-in bus powertrains to 4 Chinese OEMs
Four separate Chinese OEMs have selected a plug-in hybrid drivetrain made by Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. (EDI) to integrate into their 8- and 12-meter buses. EDI will supply its EDI PowerDrive 6000 system, along with the EDI PowerSuite vehicle control software, to Shaanxi Automotive; Ankai; Xiamen Jinlong; and Yaxing Motors. Government regulations in China are driving… Read more »
Alta Motors says its electric dirt bike has world-class energy density
Alta Motors claims that its dirt bikes have a battery pack with energy density that’s among the highest of any production vehicle. With help from Scheugenpflug’s custom production equipment and Wevo-Chemie materials, the motorcycle builder says its thermal design was the key to achieving that. Seven years ago, a group of motorcycle and off-road dirt… Read more »
Panasonic shifts focus to automotive tech
The coming restructuring of the auto industry will yield winners and losers. New opportunities will open up for battery-makers and copper producers, but the hottest sector of all may be “auto tech,” which includes not only powertrain electronics such as motor controllers, inverters and chargers, but also self-driving hardware and software, and customer-facing components such… Read more »
The US is generating plenty of power, ready and waiting for EVs
DOE’s Electricity Advisory Committee meets for the first time since the new administration took office. On March 29 and 30, the DOE’s Electricity Advisory Committee (EAC) held its first meeting of 2017. The EAC has 31 members from across the country, representing all aspects of the electricity sector. Its focus includes generation, grid security, and… Read more »