We investigate this custom-built EV for collecting refuse in the narrow streets of older town and cities The dangers of excess CO2, NOX and other greenhouse gases from refuse and freight trucks in populated urban centres makes it imperative to electrify such traditionally diesel-hungry vehicles. More…

Green Watt Power, a division of Powerland Technology, has announced a 48 V, 48 A version of its EVC2400 series of ruggedised AC chargers for lithium-ion batteries used in EVs, materials handling, motorcycles, scooters and e-carts. Its design is said to allow easy mechanical integration into a variety of form factors and is available in […] More…

A feasibility study has examined the use of over-moulding to create 3D electronic components with high thermal conductivity (writes Nick Flaherty). The project, at Sobaplast in Germany, uses the Keratherm MT 103 and MT 320 injection moulding materials from Kerafol on circuit board samples at temperatures that did not compromise the components on the board […] More…

E-mobility propulsion solutions provider Saietta has expanded its range of products for the light-duty EV sector.Its Axial Flux Technology (AFT) electric motor range has been enhanced and expanded with integrated power electronics, a modular gearbox and a bespoke axle architecture, to provide a fully integrated e-mobility system solution. The company says that key to this […] More…

Shuttle systems   Lithium-sulphur batteries suffer from short lifetimes from the polysulphide shuttle effect. Nick Flaherty reports on attempts to reduce this The most significant advantage that lithium-sulphur (LiS) batteries offer over rival battery technologies is their substantially higher energy density per unit weight. LiS cells with lithium metal anodes have a theoretical energy density […] More…

Vicor has shown a modular approach for a ‘virtual battery’ that can tackle issues with DC fast charging of EVs (writes Nick Flaherty). Many existing DC fast chargers work with 400 V packs but not the 800V versions. In 2020, there were around 400,000 publicly accessible DC fast chargers around the world, but only 2% […] More…

Shell has awarded a contract to Singapore company Penguin International to design, build and operate at least three fully electric ferries which, when operational, will be the first fully electric ferry service in Singapore and a first for Shell globally. Expected to set sail in the first half of 2023, the new 200-seater single-deck ferries […] More…

NXP Semiconductors is working with Hitachi on a power module using 1200 V SiC transistors (writes Nick Flaherty). The collaboration combines NXP’s GD3160 isolated gate driver and Hitachi Energy’s RoadPak SiC half-bridge power modules for faster development of efficient, reliable and functionally safe EV powertrains using 900V battery packs.The RoadPak uses 1200 V SiC MOSFETs, […] More…

Most EV battery packs are built from groups of cells housed in modules interconnected within a case that provides structural support, thermal management, environmental protection and connectivity with the rest of the drivetrain, but this is not the only way to do it. There are potential benefits to eliminating modules and building packs up from cells inside the case, in what has become known as the cell-to-pack arrangement. More…

BYD has unveiled additions to its range of forklifts, including the heavy-duty ECB70/80, its highest-capacity counterbalance forklift to date. It can operate for up to 9 hours on one charge, and with an hour of charging, its range can be extended by a further 2-3 hours Other new products are the ECB20S, a three-wheel counterbalance […] More…

Sono Motors, developer of the Sion solar-powered car, is working on integrating solar cells into all of its five-door, five-seat family hatchback’s outer body panels (writes Peter Donaldson). The Sion is a BEV with a 54 kWh battery that the company expects to provide a range of 305 km on a full charge, with the […] More…

Safe pair of hands Eaton’s head of HV safety systems talks to Rory Jackson about his career so far and the company’s work in the EV sector As electric powertrains move from 400 V architectures up to 800-1000 V and higher still, innovations around ensuring the safety of power distribution systems are critical to protecting […] More…

Global automotive supplier Marelli has expanded its range of battery management technologies with a new wireless distributed battery management system (wBMS). Being wireless, it eliminates the need to daisy-chain the comms and wiring between an EV’s batteries and the control unit. The company says it also reduces the amount of wiring in the harness by […] More…

IoTecha, a global supplier of products and services for the EV charging infrastructures, has announced an addition to its range of end-to-end charging products, the IoT.ON Edge. Designed to control smart charging and grid integration functions, it features IoTecha’s topology-aware energy and load management approach for enabling seamless integration with existing and new third-party energy […] More…

While EVs may have much in common with consumer electronics, the combination of high voltages and powers, and the safety-critical nature of many of their systems, is providing some major headaches for printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) contractors and electronics manufacturing services (EMS) providers – headaches that vehicle OEMs won’t be able to cure with […] More…

Electrify America has announced that it has entered into a 15-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with developer Terra-Gen to build a solar photovoltaic renewable energy generation project called Electrify America Solar Glow 1. The project, in San Bernardino County, California, is expected to generate 75 MW per hour at peak solar capacity, or an estimated […] More…

Mahle has started deliveries of its new X20 traction motor for e-bikes. The company says that, with a system weight of less than 3.2 kg including battery and control unit, the X20 is the lightest e-bike drive on the market. The X20 drive system is tailored to the design of gravel bikes, road bikes and […] More…

Squad Mobility has unveiled its Squad Solar City Car, a compact two-seater that charges itself on solar energy. It will be available in 2023, cost from €6250 (ex VAT) and can be pre-ordered now. Optimised for private as well as shared mobility use, it has been designed to bridge the gap between cars and two-wheelers. […] More…

Toshiba has developed a transparent solar cell that can be used to boost the charging of EVs (writes Nick Flaherty). The cell uses copper oxide and has an efficiency of 8.4%, the world’s highest level for such as cell. It would sit on top of a flexible silicon solar cell on the roof or trunk […] More…

Research by hydrogen fuel company ULEMCo has concluded that battery-electric fire tenders fitted with hydrogen fuel cells and carrying at least 8 kg of hydrogen fuel will give them the required flexibility, emergency response and water pumping requirements, especially for rural and semi-urban services.   The research was carried out with Oxfordshire County Council and […] More…