Polish EV charger manufacturer Ekoenergetyka has signed a $182-million loan agreement with Bank Pekao to finance increased production capacity to meet growing European demand. The company, which has launched a new production line for improved efficiency and product quality, plans to further automate the line by introducing industrial robots for some elements of production. Ekoenergetyka… Read more…

Germany-headquartered EV powertrain manufacturer Hofer Powertrain has started a research project in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich) to develop a three-level gallium nitride (GaN) traction inverter that uses adaptive gate drivers and enables lower switching losses.  The project is supported by funding from Innosuisse, the Swiss Agency of Innovation… Read more…

Swedish commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania has announced the formation of Erinion, a new entity specializing in truck depot and destination EV charging stations. To facilitate the transition to electric fleets and help fulfill Scania’s aim for 50% of its European sales volume to be electric by 2030, plans call for the installation of a minimum… Read more…

Turner Construction is the largest general contractor in the US, and it has a presence in 20 countries. Charged talked to Abby Roberts, Turner’s Sustainability Program Manager, to discuss the company’s goal of achieving net zero emissions on its job sites. Part of Turner’s strategy involves the use of electrified off-highway vehicles, and Roberts said… Read more…

US-based Factorial Energy, which is developing solid-state battery technology for EVs, has delivered B-samples of its 106+ Ah lithium-metal solid-state battery cells to Mercedes-Benz as part of the companies’ ongoing joint development agreement. The cells use Factorial’s Factorial Electrolyte System Technology (FEST) platform, which includes a lithium metal anode and delivers specific energy of 391… Read more…

US power management company Eaton has been selected by an unnamed EV manufacturer to supply its ELocker differential system for use on a new plug-in hybrid SUV.  The new model uses an electric motor to power the rear wheels and an electric motor or optional ICE to drive the front wheels, in contrast to a… Read more…

Sponsored by Aspen Aerogels. Under Fire: Reevaluating Torch and Grit Testing Parameters The safety of Li-ion batteries relies on containing single-cell thermal runaway (TR) events so that they cannot propagate into adjacent cells, triggering a cascading failure. While the thermal energy released during a runaway event can take multiple pathways, the most significant are:  The… Read more…

US school bus manufacturer Blue Bird has unveiled the operating prototype of an electric step van and underlying stripped chassis.  This prototype of the last-mile delivery commercial vehicle was built in collaboration with US electric truck manufacturer and fleet services provider Xos for the powertrain and US work truck body manufacturer Morgan Olson for the… Read more…

Sponsored by Elektro-Automatik. Electric vehicle battery manufacturers and EV manufacturers are working to overcome the two biggest challenges of electric mobility: range and charging time. Within this framework, testing systems must be flexible to adapt to higher voltages and higher-capacity batteries. The following sections provide an overview of current and future battery technologies for electric… Read more…

Swiss electrical and electronic components manufacturer SCHURTER has released the DKUH-1, a new current-compensated choke designed for currents from 50 A to 100 A and high voltage of 800 VDC, making it suitable for EV fast charging stations, battery storage, photovoltaics and energy converters. The choke is designed to integrate filter elements into printed circuit… Read more…

Power electronics manufacturer Shenzhen Kehua has developed a 40 kW silicon carbide high-efficiency, low-noise charging module, which is intended to serve as a core component of a high-power EV charger. The new module, which Kehua showed off at the recent Intersolar Europe exhibition in Munich, complies with CE and UL certifications, and meets EMC Class… Read more…

The Volkswagen Group will invest up to $5 billion in US EV maker Rivian in a complex deal under which the two companies will form an equally controlled joint venture to share EV architecture and software. As reported by Reuters, Volkswagen will immediately invest $1 billion in Rivian through a convertible note, and also pledges… Read more…

Japanese automotive manufacturers Honda Motor and Mitsubishi have announced plans to establish a new 50/50 joint venture (JV) company called ALTNA in July 2024. The new JV is based on an agreement the two companies signed in October 2023 to collaborate on new EV businesses. ALTNA will combine Honda’s control and connected technologies for EVs… Read more…

Engineered Materials Solutions (EMS), a Wickeder Group company that produces functional clad metals for the Li-ion battery, electrical distribution, thermal control, consumer electronics and automotive markets, has acquired Colorado-based Thin Metal Parts, a provider of micro-components to the defense, aerospace, medical and audio industries. TMP uses its photochemical etching, electroforming and laser cutting technologies, combined… Read more…

Daimler Buses has delivered an electric bus fleet for the German transport company ESWE Verkehr in Wiesbaden and supplied a total of 120 battery-electric eCitaro buses since the start of the project in 2019.  Daimler Buses supervised all construction measures and oversaw the installation of a total of 120 charging stations. The company deployed charged management… Read more…

German chemical company Evonik is expanding its TEGO Therm product range to provide heat protection and fire-resistant coatings for EV battery housings and covers to prevent thermal runaway. The range includes TEGO Therm HPG 4000 granules, which have a microporous silica core for low thermal conductivity, high hydrophobicity, and reduced flammability. TEGO Therm HPG 6806,… Read more…

Sponsored by TE Connectivity. The battery management system (BMS) is critical for optimum battery performance and safety within an EV. It must operate with a high degree of accuracy and reliability. It must be robust enough to withstand the environment it occupies yet remain compact and lightweight and limit any additional bulk to the overall… Read more…

Lithium Australia’s subsidiary Envirostream Australia has signed an exclusive agreement with Volvo Group Australia’s bus division to recycle end-of-life lithium-ion batteries from its electric and hybrid fleet. Volvo manufactures and supplies electric and hybrid buses to customers across Australia, including Public Transport Authority in Western Australia and Transdev in Queensland. The agreement has an initial… Read more…

Natron Energy, a sodium-ion battery manufacturer, has started commercial-scale operations at its facility in Holland, Michigan.  Sodium-ion batteries offer higher power density, higher cycles, and better safety characteristics over other battery technologies, according to the company. The battery chemistry presents zero strain during charging and discharge, 10x faster cycling than traditional lithium-ion batteries and a… Read more…

Circontrol launched its new eHome5 home charger, the fifth generation of its EV charger designed specifically for homes and condominiums, at the recent Power2Drive trade show In Germany. The 22 kW wall charger features a “customizable aesthetic” designed to help the unit to fit in with the user’s garage décor. EV drivers can choose one… Read more…