GM has agreed to recognize California’s authority to set vehicle emissions standards under the Clean Air Act. Well, isn’t that magnanimous of the company, to allow the state government to pass its own laws? For those of you who’ve just joined us: In 2017, major automakers asked the incoming US president to water down federal… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "magna"
What’s going on with Lordstown, Fisker and Foxconn?
Lordstown Motors already has a colorful history, beginning with a heartwarming tale of a shuttered factory retooled to build electric trucks. Sister company Workhorse was at the center of a tragedy in which a plan for the US Postal Service to electrify its ancient fleet of delivery vehicles fell apart. Last October, the company rode… Read more »
Lamborghini’s ‘lectrification roadmap points to an EV by 2030
The latest news from Italy should put a final end to the cracks about “glorified golf carts.” Lamborghini has unveiled a roadmap to electrification, dubbed Cor Tauri (the name refers to a star in the Taurus constellation, which inspired the automaker’s bull logo). “Throughout the product electrification process, Lamborghini will focus continually on identifying technologies… Read more »
A closer look at axial flux motors
In Issue 49, we reviewed some of the more promising advancements in materials and construction techniques for EV traction motors, one of which—the axial flux design—will be the focus of this article. Despite being characterized as an advanced construction technique, the axial flux design is actually one of the oldest ways of constructing a motor—it’s… Read more »
REE Automotive opens Engineering Centre of Excellence in the UK
Israel-based REE Automotive has established a new development facility in the UK. The company’s Engineering Centre of Excellence is located at MIRA Technology Park in the Midlands of England. MIRA Technology Park is home to some 35 global OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers and other automotive technology companies. “A key driver in our decision to establish… Read more »
Sony’s concept EV embarrasses legacy automakers
The surprise star of the CES tech show seems to be a concept EV from Sony. Yes, that Sony. Is everyone going to get into the EV game now? Who’s next, a vacuum cleaner company? The electric, autonomous, connected automobile is a new frontier for electronics companies, and Sony’s VISION-S is a showcase for a… Read more »
2019 Jaguar I-PACE: An apex brand pounces on the electric crossover scene
Believe it or not, we may have a BEV SUV turf war on our hands. Many of the major automakers have announced plans to produce all-electric crossovers, including Mercedes, Volvo, Hyundai, Kia and Volkswagen – not to mention the onslaught startups like SF Motors, Faraday Future, Byton and Rivian. The all-electric Audi e-tron SUV is… Read more »
Auto consultant Munro gives Model 3 thumbs-down for build quality, thumbs-up for electronics and handling
Sandy Munro takes cars apart for a living. Specifically, Munro & Associates, the Detroit consulting firm of which he is the CEO, performs teardowns. Munro and his team dismantle cars and analyze each part in minute detail (what’s it made of, what supplier made it, and how much did it cost?) and write up their… Read more »
Predicting the properties of lightweight carbon fiber composites
Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics represent a promising lightweight replacement for heavy steel. However, for carbon fiber to be widely adopted, new, more economical composites need to be developed. Unfortunately, carbon fiber properties are difficult to model, as they depend on complex features such as fiber loading, length distribution and orientation. Now researchers at the DOE’s Pacific… Read more »
Former Tesla production head offers insourcing insights
For years, automakers have been steadily outsourcing more and more of their manufacturing. Modern vehicles are assembled from parts made by suppliers all over the world, and in some cases, even the final assembly is done under contract by companies such as Magna and Valmet. Tesla has reversed this trend to a certain extent –… Read more »