Panasonic’s lithium-ion battery division is seeing a dramatic turnaround, mostly thanks to healthy sales of Tesla’s Model S, according to Lux Research. In the second quarter of 2013, the Li-ion division made about $40 million in profits, compared to a loss of $20 million in Q2 2012. Panasonic plans to invest $200 million over the… Read more »
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Plug-in fleets: small challenges, huge savings
Four plug-in truck companies talk to fleet managers about electrification opportunities Plug-in vehicles are different. Aside from the obvious changes in technology, they present a different financial model for corporate number crunchers. This means some challenges for those pitching EVs and PHEVs to fleet operators. Fortunately for the EV industry and the fleets of the… Read more »
Plug In America research: Tesla Roadster battery longevity exceeds projections
By Tom Saxton, Chief Science Officer, Plug In America Many current and prospective electric vehicle owners are curious to better understand battery pack longevity. There’s plenty of technical data on how batteries lose capacity with use, but a lot of that testing subjects the batteries to extreme and rapid charge/discharge cycles, very unlike the much gentler use… Read more »
NOHMs Technologies establishes Li-S battery manufacturing facility in Kentucky
NOHMs Technologies, a lithium-sulfur battery spin-off from Cornell University, will locate a new research, manufacturing and product development facility in Lexington, Kentucky. The company will use the Kentucky-Argonne Battery Manufacturing Research and Development Center, a partnership of the Argonne National Laboratory, the state and the Universities of Kentucky and Louisville. Ford, Hitachi and Toyota are some… Read more »
Advanced battery testing and development hub opens in Indiana
The Battery Innovation Center (BIC), a hub for advanced battery testing and development, opened this week in Newberry, Indiana. The 32,000-square-foot facility will serve as a center for research and development, prototyping and contract manufacturing for industrial, academic and military customers. BIC members include corporate, academic and government entities such as AeroVironment, Eaton, Purdue University… Read more »
LEAFs to provide emergency power and grid stabilization at highway rest areas
Nissan plans to donate 47 LEAFs and LEAF-to-Home power supply systems to roadside rest area stations (called michi-no-eki) in all of Japan’s 47 prefectures. The idea is that each LEAF, paired with a LEAF-to-Home power supply system, can be used as a backup power source in emergency situations, and will also help stabilize the electrical… Read more »
Electric car sharing takes off in Paris, stalls in Berlin
Some see car sharing as a killer app for EVs – users make short journeys, return the cars to central locations, and pay per trip, so they don’t have to worry about high up-front costs. Others are more skeptical, pointing out that some customers are non-car owners who want to use shared cars to get… Read more »
Next-generation Prius Plug-in to have more electric range, wireless charging
With the entire collection of 23 Toyota and Lexus hybrid models as a backdrop, Toyota Managing Officer Satoshi Ogiso delivered an inspiring overview of the past, present and future of the Prius family at the “2013 Toyota Hybrid World Tour event in Michigan. Ogiso was one of the engineers who began developing hybrid technology at… Read more »
VW presents two new electric models at Frankfurt auto show
A “paradigm shift” toward sustainable mobility has begun, according to Volkswagen, and its new e-up! and e-Golf “have the potential to irreversibly charge up the electric car segment.” VW will present two new four-door EVs at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt, which takes place September 10-22. The five-seat front-wheel drive e-Golf features an 85… Read more »
Samsung SDI to supply batteries to Tesla?
Tesla is looking to diversify its supply of lithium-ion batteries, and is close to an agreement with Korean firm Samsung SDI, the Korea Herald reported, citing unidentified industry sources (an SDI official has denied the report). “We understand SDI and Tesla are undergoing last-minute tests before the Korean company starts to supply its batteries,” said… Read more »