One of the drawbacks of lithium-ion batteries is that they tend to suffer power loss in cold weather. At temperatures below freezing, charging is slower, regenerative braking is restricted and vehicle range can be reduced. Now researchers from Penn State and spin-off company EC Power have developed a battery that avoids these problems by self-heating… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "our next energy"
DOE announces $58 million in funding for advanced vehicle technologies
The DOE has announced a Funding Opportunity Announcement that makes $58 million available for the development of various types of automotive technology advancements. The DOE will fund cost-shared projects with private industry, national laboratories, and university teams. “Our work refining cars that are efficient, affordable and can plug into the grid will help propel us… Read more »
Panasonic will spend up to $1.6 billion on Tesla gigafactory
Panasonic has been involved with Tesla’s Gigafactory from the beginning of the project, but until now, it hasn’t said exactly how much it plans to invest. Now Panasonic President Kazuhiro Tsuga has told Marketwatch that the company will invest up to $1.6 billion, hoping to secure its future in automotive electronics. Sales to carmakers represented… Read more »
Chevy designed the Bolt with performance in mind (not just range and price)
In the eyes of the EV media at least, the Chevrolet Bolt EV, scheduled to go on sale later this year, is a historic vehicle. It’s the first to deliver the range and price point that pundits have been saying represent a “tipping point” for EV sales. However, GM designed the Bolt with more than… Read more »
Q&A with Tesla’s lead motor engineer (Full Interview)
The principal motor engineer at Tesla describes why modeling and optimization is so vital to its design process. Creating a start-of-the-art electric vehicle requires a deep understanding of all the components. More importantly, it requires a continual process of analysis and optimization of the components to push the limits of driving range, efficiency, performance and… Read more »
Tesla Model X: The all-electric crossover hits the road
Tesla was founded on a single profound insight: If you want to sell EVs, you have to sell them the way all other cars are sold – not on practicality, but on style and glamor. A related idea is summed up in Elon Musk’s oft-stated promise to build “not just the best electric cars, but… Read more »
Nissan to offer range-extended EV in 2016?
There’s plenty of electrifying news emanating from Nissan these days. The 2016 LEAF features substantially improved range, and a completely new generation is rumored to be coming in 2018. Now Yoshi Shimoida, Nissan’s Deputy General Manager, EV and HEV Engineering Division, said the company will unveil an EV with a range extending engine in 2016…. Read more »
Navitas to develop second-gen Li-ion batteries for military vehicles
Navitas Systems, a provider of energy storage products and power electronics, has won a $7.2 million contract to develop next-generation lithium-ion batteries for military vehicles. As new power-hungry electronics proliferate, the US Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center (TARDEC) has been working with Navitas to develop prototype 24 V lithium-ion batteries in the… Read more »
Ford reveals ambitious electrification plans
For the past several months, we EV newshounds have suspected that Ford had plans for a new generation of plug-ins up its sleeve. Now the #2 US automaker is beginning to reveal its answer to electric rivals GM, Nissan, VW et al. Ford announced plans to invest a record $4.5 billion in electric tech over… Read more »
Researchers develop sodium-ion battery in 18650 format
Jules Verne recognized the potential of sodium batteries in 1869 – they powered the futuristic submarine of Captain Nemo, who found their “electro-motor strength” to be twice that of zinc batteries. Now scientists at the French research network RS2E have brought sodium batteries into the 21st century, producing the first sodium-ion battery in the industry-standard… Read more »
