German firm Volocopter is developing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which it envisions using as air taxis, making short- to medium-range flights. The company recently tested a prototype aircraft at Tampa International Airport, and media and local pols were on hand for the event. The flight test campaign, which used a crewed Volocopter… Read more…

Volvo Cars has launched a new business unit called Energy Solutions to develop the potential for bidirectional charging applications such as V2H and V2G. The EX90 electric SUV, which is to be released in 2024, will be “the first Volvo car equipped with all the necessary hardware and (over time) software to enable bidirectional charging… Read more…

The Charging Interface Initiative (CharIN), a non-profit standards association with over 300 global members, conducts an annual “Testival” at which vehicle OEMs and EVSE providers test the compatibility between specific EVs and charging stations. CharIN describes the event as “speed dating” for vehicles and chargers. The 2023 Testival North America, a three-day event hosted by… Read more…

Panasonic and battery materials company Sila Nanotechnologies have signed a commercial agreement for Sila’s nano-composite silicon anode, Titan Silicon, which could enable the battery maker to dramatically improve both vehicle range and charging time. Sila’s anode materials, to be produced at the company’s plant in Moses Lake, Washington, will be optimized for Panasonic’s next-generation lithium-ion… Read more…

Sustainable Westchester, a renewable energy provider and advocacy group, recently unveiled a new EV fast charging station powered entirely by solar energy. The Sunshine to EV project, located at Sustainable Westchester’s Mount Kisco, New York headquarters, includes an 85 kW solar photovoltaic array, a 180 kWh on-site storage battery, and twin Jule 75 kW DC… Read more…

Diesel-powered trucks are an endangered species in California—assuming that existing laws stand, all trucks in use in the state must be zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2042, and interim targets will start to bite much sooner. CARB’s Advanced Clean Trucks rule requires manufacturers to make ZEVs an increasing percentage of their annual California sales from 2024… Read more…

Fast charger manufacturer Tritium has installed and commissioned 33 of its chargers at a container terminal at the Port of Long Beach. The 175 kW chargers are equipped with Stäubli mechanized charging connectors to support the terminal’s electric terminal tractors, which are used to transport shipping containers. SSA Terminals, the operator of the container terminal,… Read more…

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…