The LA Times recently ran a “now it can be told” article highlighting the various government subsidies and incentives that benefit Tesla and Elon Musk’s other companies, SolarCity and SpaceX – a total of about $4.9 billion by the Times’ reckoning. Certainly Tesla, like many other energy companies and automakers, has benefited from a wide… Read more »
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LG Chem Power CEO: We’re the Li-ion leader for PEVs because of material science
Q&A with LG Chem Power’s CEO: Dr. Prabhakar Patil on how the company became a Li-ion battery front-runner, the economics of building batteries, and why it spends little energy on what comes after lithium. Among Tier 1 automotive suppliers of lithium-ion cells, LG Chem is off to a clear lead, based on the number of announced… Read more »
TM4’s external rotor motor technology powers first electric bus in China
A new 18-meter battery-electric bus is now plying the streets of Beijing. The Foton Harmony City BJ6180 carries up to 143 passengers, and features a lightweight monocoque structure with low-floor access. The bus’s SUMO HD powertrain, built by TM4 Inc., is designed to interface with standard rear differentials with no need for an intermediate gearbox…. Read more »
Developer of gallium nitride power switching semiconductors raises $20 million
GaN Systems Inc., a developer of gallium nitride power switching semiconductors, has closed a $20-million Series C financing round. The company will use the new money to ramp up sales and marketing efforts and to continue expanding its manufacturing line. GaN Systems says its Island Technology results in devices that are smaller and more efficient… Read more »
PATHION’s superionic solid-state electrolytes point to more powerful and safer batteries
Solid-state electrolytes are the talk of the town these days. California-based PATHION has been working to commercialize solid electrolytes since its founding in 2012, building on its exclusive license from Los Alamos National Laboratories for a promising material called Lithium-Rich Anti-Perovskite (LiRAP). At the recent Materials Research Conference, PATHION presented two new superionic solid-state electrolytes built upon… Read more »
Thermal battery could heat and cool a vehicle without using electricity
EV heating and cooling presents a dilemma: how to keep a vehicle’s occupants comfortable without draining the battery? Engineers are working on various solutions, from heat pumps and adsorption chillers to passenger-focused AC and heat. A group of researchers from the University of Utah, HRL Laboratories and GM Global R&D has developed a novel approach… Read more »
Los Angeles mayor’s environmental plan calls for 1,000 new public chargers
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has set out his vision for the city’s environmental goals in an upbeat report entitled “the pLAn.” It covers a wide range of topics, from water conservation to energy-efficient buildings to renewable energy to recycling to public transit. Many of the goals are very modest, such as the call for… Read more »
Proterra wins $3 million grant for California electric bus manufacturing line
The California Energy Commission has awarded a $3 million grant to Proterra to fund the design, development and construction of a new electric bus manufacturing line. The project will also receive $5.4 million in private investment. The proposed facility, to be located in the San Gabriel Valley, is expected to be operational by the fourth… Read more »
VW may use solid-state battery in its next-generation EV
Volkswagen has acquired a 5% stake in US battery startup QuantumScape, with an option to buy more, and it is evaluating the company’s solid-state battery tech with an eye to using it in VW’s next generation of EVs. Last November, Volkswagen Group CEO Martin Winterkorn said he saw “great potential” in solid-state batteries, which potentially… Read more »
Is String Cell battery technology the future for EVs?
When it comes to finding a way to charge EVs more quickly, human ingenuity has come up with some pretty wide-ranging solutions, from battery-swapping to flow batteries that store energy in tanks of liquid electrolyte. The latest innovative idea comes from startup Tanktwo, and is called a String Battery. Tanktwo’s system replaces a vehicle’s battery pack with a container filled… Read more »