Layered lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2), a key component of lithium-ion batteries, has been synthesized at 300° C in 30 minutes by a team of researchers at Hokkaido University and Kobe University. Lithium cobalt oxide is used for the cathode in lithium-ion batteries and traditionally, the synthesis of this compound takes 10-20 hours to complete at… Read more…

Battery makers are scrambling to build North American supply chains, and at the same time they’re increasingly turning to chemistries such as lithium iron phosphate (LFP) in order to reduce reliance on problematic elements such as nickel and cobalt. Wildcat Discovery Technologies sees opportunity in these trends, and is now finalizing site negotiations for a… Read more…

bp pulse, the EV charging arm of oil giant bp, has opened what it calls its most powerful charging hub in Central London. Located at Q-Park Pimlico in the Borough of Westminster, the hub features eight 150 kW chargers. Sixteen EVs can charge simultaneously. The new hub is the latest addition to bp pulse’s network… Read more…

Ford Pro, the commercial division of Ford, is collaborating with electric utility Xcel Energy to deploy 30,000 EV charging ports in Xcel service territories across the US by 2030. The companies’ 30×30 initiative is a part of Xcel Energy’s Electric Vehicle Supply Infrastructure (EVSI) program. As part of this effort, Xcel Energy will offset most… Read more…

Automotive adhesives maker Henkel has developed a new material for silicone liquid gasketing for automotive electronic components. Loctite SI 5972FC is a one-part RTV silicone form-in-place-gasket (FIPG) solution that expedites electronic module sealing. The liquid silicone material adheres to metal and plastic surfaces and is designed to pass OEM leak or blow-out pressure tests immediately… Read more…

InCharge Energy, a provider of fleet electrification services, has released a new version of its InControl charge management software (CMS) platform for fleets. InControl 4.0 features a new Depot View, which provides in-depth insights into fleet vehicle readiness and real-time status updates. The company has also enhanced the user interface, adding persistent filters and the… Read more…

Pilot Travel Centers, in cooperation with GM and EVgo, is building a new national fast EV charging network. Now the company has opened the first 17 locations, located in 13 states. The partners aim to deploy fast charging at around 25 Pilot and Flying J travel centers by the end of 2023, and at 200… Read more…

Poland-based EV charger manufacturer Ekoenergetyka will supply chargers, including its latest model, the Axon Easy 400, to ORLEN Deutschland, the German unit of Polish energy group ORLEN. Ekoenergetyka currently supplies 80% of ORLEN’s charging network in Poland, and has provided charging infrastructure for public transit operators in European cities including Barcelona, Berlin, Hamburg and Paris…. Read more…

The EV equivalent of a gas gauge—the range estimator—is notoriously imprecise, so much so that some drivers call it a “guess-o-meter” or “guess gauge.” Obviously, the remaining range of a particular EV on a particular day depends on many factors (speed, traffic conditions, weather). However, it turns out that even estimating a battery’s state of… Read more…

As most of the world focuses on the Tesla Cybertruck’s unorthodox looks, automotive geeks are more interested in its voltage architecture. With Cybertruck, Tesla introduced a 48-volt electrical system, and it has now released its 48 V implementation documentation to other major automakers. Ford CEO Jim Farley publicly thanked his counterpart at Tesla for sharing…. Read more…

Sponsored by Parker Lord. Now more than ever, we are seeing a strong trend toward the electrification of vehicles in the transportation industry, including automobiles, buses, trains, off-road vehicles, watercraft and aircraft. In these electric vehicles, long ranges and high horsepower require high power density from their electrical components such as batteries, motors and generators,… Read more…

California-headquartered Archer Aviation, a designer and developer of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), an independent economic development agency of the UAE government, to jointly work toward commencing air taxi operations in Abu Dhabi in 2026. Archer’s goal is to replace… Read more…

Since the advent of modern EVs, auto dealerships have been seen as an impediment to faster EV adoption—and that image doesn’t appear likely to change any time soon, even though annual US EV sales cracked the one-million mark in 2023. Over 3,800 US auto dealers recently signed on to an open letter to President Joe… Read more…

London- and Berlin-based EV charge point operator ubitricity, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Shell Group, has been selected by Bexley Borough Council to supply and maintain a hundred 5 kW public charge points to be installed in existing on-street lamp posts and bollards. The charge points take as little as two hours each to… Read more…

The National Charging Experience Consortium (ChargeX) is a collaboration among DOE national labs, EV charging industry players and consumer advocates. Its mission is to gauge and improve the customer experience with public EV charging infrastructure in the US. Now the consortium has released a report that recommends 26 common EV charging error codes to enable… Read more…

Epsilon Advanced Materials (EAM), an Indian battery materials manufacturer, will build a $650-million graphite anode manufacturing plant in Brunswick County in North Carolina. The company will start construction in 2024 and begin manufacturing in 2026, achieving full capacity by 2031. The plant will make high-capacity EV battery anodes using green technology. EAM is in talks… Read more…

Littelfuse, a US electronics company, has launched a new AC surge current protector series for EVs and hybrids operating in harsh environments. The Pxxx0S3N-A Automotive Grade SIDACtor Protection Thyristor Series in DO-214AB (SMC) package offers high power density and can withstand surge currents up to 3 kA (8/20 µs) and voltages up to 6 kV… Read more…

U.S. Steel has converted two of its diesel switcher locomotives at its Mon Valley Works plants to lithium-ion battery operation.  The locomotives were built by Louisiana-headquartered Innovative Rail Technologies (IRT). The conversion was funded in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. U.S .Steel contributed $2.3 million of the total cost. The locomotives carry… Read more…

Toyota is collaborating with utility San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) on vehicle-to-grid (V2G) research, using a Toyota bZ4X EV. The project will explore bidirectional charging technology that enables battery EV owners to discharge electricity from their batteries back to the grid. As Toyota points out, understanding the needs of BEV owners, their charging habits,… Read more…

Welding technology multinational Lincoln Electric has introduced its Velion DC Fast Charger for EVs.  The Level 3 charger has been designed with industrial-grade components, provides output power of up to 150 kW, and has a charging efficiency of 95%, according to the company. The charger is manufactured with more than 75% domestic component content, according… Read more…