The legacy automakers are slowly and methodically developing new EVs, with various levels of enthusiasm, but the most ambitious plans for new vehicles are coming from a handful of EV startups. Most of these pioneers of the new auto industry share a formula: deep-pocketed investors (many from China), former Tesla employees on staff, and plans… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "tesla lg chem"
BMW takes steps to ensure more responsible production of cobalt
And the dirty little secret of EVs is…cobalt. The metallic element is used in significant quantities in EV batteries. Unfortunately, about half the world’s cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a war-torn land in which working conditions are bad, and child labor is common. In 2014, as many as 40,000 children worked… Read more »
Southwest Research Institute consortium conducts independent battery benchmarking
Comparing the spec sheets from different parts manufacturers is tricky business for engineers in any industry. However, the advanced battery market seems to be uniquely challenged in this regard. As Tesla CEO Elon Musk often points out, when it comes to batteries, the BS factor is outrageous. Even if you assume that every vendor provides… Read more »
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV: The era of long-range, mid-priced EVs is here
The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV will surely be remembered as a milestone model in automotive history – and hopefully for more than just the hype that heralded it. For several years, the punditocracy has been saying that the “killer app” that would bring electromobility to a “tipping point” and build that all-important “critical mass” would… Read more »
Faraday Future reveals production-ready FF 91, announces over 64,000 reservations
Faraday Future (FF), the intriguing EV startup that employs several alumni of Tesla and other automotive and tech giants, revealed its first production vehicle, called FF 91, at a press event prior to the recent CES trade show. FF 91 features a monocoque vehicle structure that integrates the chassis and body, and a multi-motor setup… Read more »
EVs aplenty at Paris Motor Show
Electricity was en vogue at the recent Paris Motor Show. Few automakers had any new ICE vehicles (isn’t that an oxymoron anyway?), but there were updates to several production EVs, and a couple of promising concepts, on display. The Renault Zoe, Europe’s best-selling plug-in vehicle, has gotten a substantial battery upgrade. An available 41 kWh… Read more »
Oilprice.com says lithium is poised for more price spikes
Some call lithium “white gold,” but in fact, lately the light metal has been beating gold in appreciation, becoming the hottest metal of 2016 for commodities traders. Although lithium’s price rise has slowed in recent months, the fundamentals suggest strong potential for long-term growth, according to James Stafford of Oilprice.com. “There is no doubt as… Read more »
Musk: Panasonic will be exclusive battery supplier for Model 3
Tesla has a long-standing relationship with Panasonic, as a battery supplier and a partner in the Gigafactory. So EV-savvy ears perked up at news that the California carmaker had met with a trio of Korean battery-builders. In fact, Reuters reported that Samsung SDI was “making progress” in talks with Tesla to supply batteries for Model… Read more »
Hyundai joins the plug-in club with the 2016 Sonata PHEV
Around the world, automakers are facing ever-tightening emissions regulations, and they understand very well that improving the efficiency of their internal-combustion engines isn’t going to be enough to bring them into compliance. Each OEM has crafted its own strategy to reduce the average emissions of its fleet. Hyundai has opted for an “all-in strategy,” developing… Read more »
Carlos Ghosn talks EVs: Governments may be leading now, but consumers will follow
There’s been a lot of talk lately about whether automakers that aren’t named Tesla are truly committed to zero-emission vehicles. Yes, they’re building EVs, but many observers believe that this has more to do with government regulations than customer demand – a controversial article in The Detroit News recently made this point. At the North… Read more »
