It’s not unheard-of for financial analysts to tear down a vehicle to get an accurate estimate of what it costs to produce. Back in 2015, a consulting firm took apart and reverse-engineered a BMW i3. More recently, a team from UBS disassembled a Chevy Bolt and published a cost analysis of the new EV. However,… Read more »
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EV tech explained: Why do EVs restrict the amount of battery capacity that can be used for driving?
All EVs that use lithium-ion batteries are designed so that their full capacity can’t be used in driving – a few kWh are always left over as a buffer. Sometimes you’ll find this figure in spec sheets, which might (for example) quote capacity as “60 kWh (55 usable)” or some such. What is the reason… Read more »
Hyundai launches Ioniq with three distinct powertrain choices: EV, PHEV and hybrid
In the short history of the modern EV industry, it’s been common for automakers to launch plug-in cars under a new brand or model – particularly those companies who are serious about selling EVs at scale. Or, at least the ones that want to appear serious about selling a lot of EVs. Even though Hyundai… Read more »
Canada awards $18 million for aluminum auto parts and better battery management
The government of Canada will award $18.2 million to two companies to promote lighter vehicles and better battery management. Auto parts manufacturer Astrex will receive up to $17 million to establish a facility that produces lightweight, high-strength aluminum components. Another $1.2 million will go to GBatteries Energy Canada of Ottawa, which will work with eCAMION… 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 »
New episode of Nova looks at the state of battery tech
As growing EV sales make the headlines, the general public is becoming more aware of the batteries they carry around in their pockets and laptop cases. A recent episode of PBS’s Nova, “Search for the Super Battery,” offers a digestible summary of some of the advances happening in the battery field. In an attempt to… Read more »
Arbin’s new battery testing equipment offers a glimpse into the future with ultra-high precision
Arbin accelerates testing of production Li-ion cells with ultra-high precision equipment. Automakers are a notoriously conservative bunch. They go to great lengths to test and validate new designs before putting them into production vehicles. And, thanks to their cautious ways, today’s vehicles are more reliable than ever. Recently, however, the addition of advanced Li-ion battery… Read more »
Johnson Matthey and 3M complete NMC patent license agreement
Johnson Matthey and 3M have entered into a patent license agreement that aims to expand the use of nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries. 3M has granted Johnson Matthey a license to several of its NMC-related technologies. Cathodes composed of nickel, manganese and cobalt offer a balance of power, energy, thermal stability and cost,… Read more »
Rimac Automobili invents the Croatian auto industry
Detroit is gradually losing its position as the epicenter of the auto industry. Nowadays, news of cutting-edge developments is more likely to come from Silicon Valley, Europe or China. The Eastern European nation of Croatia is pretty far from the centers of automotive power, but it’s here that a highly innovative firm called Rimac Automobili… Read more »