Modern automobiles are complex beasts, with numerous subsidiary systems that consume energy. In an EV, more energy consumption means reduced range, so it can be well worthwhile to study more efficient ways to power the various accessories. One of these accessory systems is assisted steering, which reduces the physical effort required for the driver to… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "range energy"
Proterra’s new TerraVolt XR battery enables ranges of up to 180 miles
City bus systems around the world are going electric, and South Carolina-based manufacturer Proterra is at the forefront of this silent revolution. The company’s latest product is the TerraVolt XR extended-range battery, which allows Proterra buses to be configured with ranges of up to 180 miles. The combination of Proterra’s TerraFlex energy system and Catalyst… Read more »
QUANTiNO concept with low-voltage flow battery has 620-mile range, 124 mph top speed
Liechtenstein-based nanoFlowcell AG has taken a different approach to battery design. Its vehicles use a flow battery system which works like a combination of a battery and a fuel cell, using liquid electrolytes kept in two tanks and pumped through the cell. At the heart of the system is a membrane that separates two differing chemistries. A… Read more »
ARPA-E offers funding for novel energy-related research
If you’re working on an outside-the-box technology that’s a little hard to explain, there may be hope of getting government research funding after all. ARPA-E has issued a $125-million open Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to support “disruptive new technologies in all areas of energy research and development.” Unlike most of the agency’s FOAs, OPEN 2015… Read more »
EVs, renewables & energy storage: The unstoppable trio of energy’s future
The ripples of disruption: Q&A with Mike Calise The concept of disruption is often discussed in the fields of semiconductors, the internet, data, computers and software. But what about the energy industry? The world has been largely generating and consuming energy the same way for over a century. Charged talked to Mike Calise, Head of Electric… Read more »
New software uses big data to calculate a more accurate estimate of remaining range
Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed new software that promises a better way to estimate the remaining range of an EV. The system requires drivers to plug in their destination and automatically pulls in data on several variables to predict energy use. The team described their work in a paper, Big-Data Framework for… Read more »
Swedish company to develop fuel cell range extender
The Swedish Energy Agency has awarded Volvo Group spinout PowerCell 7 million kronor ($964,000) to develop a fuel cell system for use in a modular range extender system for EVs. PowerCell, together with its partners in the MoRE Zero consortium, will develop a scalable fuel cell system on the order of 20-25 kW, which will… Read more »
Concept EV uses LEXAN windows to boost range
The relentless quest to build lighter vehicles is driven by the need to reduce emissions, but it sometimes produces other benefits as well. A German-based consortium including BMW and Daimler has built a concept EV with all-plastic windows that not only demonstrates gains in energy efficiency and range, but also delivers improved acceleration, vehicle handling… Read more »
New design combines traction motor with AC compressor, saving space and energy
Scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) have invented a 2-in-1 electric motor that integrates the vehicle’s traction motor with the air conditioning compressor, saving both space and energy. “The biggest challenge with electric cars in tropical megacities is the range that they can travel on a charge, because their… Read more »
Sakti3 demonstrates impressive energy density with solid-state battery cells
For a few years, battery insiders have been talking about a startup company called Sakti3. The University of Michigan spin-out has received millions in funding from backers including Khosla Ventures and GM Ventures. Until recently, the company has been pretty secretive, but this week CEO Ann Marie Sastry told Scientific American that the company’s prototype… Read more »