News

Meet the Mazda MX-30, a battery-electric compact crossover designed for the city and due to reach the United States this fall. The MX-30 was unveiled at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show and has been on sale elsewhere since then. In the U.S., the crossover will be limited to California, though more states could be added

Power management company Eaton’s eMobility business has secured a contract to supply power distribution units (PDUs) and Bussmann series fuses to a global vehicle manufacturer for use in a new light-duty commercial EV. “Eaton’s experience and application of fuse and circuit protection technology allowed for PDU integration at levels others could not match,” said Eaton

EV startup Rivian has announced that South Korean battery giant Samsung SDI will supply cells for its vehicles. The automaker, which plans to begin production of an electric pickup and an SUV this year, has been working with Samsung throughout the process of developing the new cells. Rivian’s vehicles are aimed at the outdoorsy set,

LG Energy has announced that by the end of 2025, it will invest more than $4.5 billion in its US-based business to increase its battery production capacity by 70 GWh. LG and GM are currently discussing plans to build a second joint venture plant in the US, which is expected to have a production capacity

Sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific Thermo Fisher Scientific introduces the NEW Thermo Scientific™ LInspector™ in-line measurement and control system, specifically designed to increase quality and performance of lithium-ion battery electrode coatings and separator films.  The production of lithium-ion batteries is rapidly increasing, driven by the growth in demand for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage.

BMW has just launched a new generation of the M4 coupe (and M3 sedan) for 2021 but already a hotter version is out testing. The M4 is currently available in base and Competition grades. The prototype in our latest spy shots is likely for a new CS grade, judging by some of the upgrades it

Magna has introduced a scalable electric drop-in replacement for traditional beam axles. The new eBeam integrates with an electric or hybrid powertrain and offers a structure-oriented design to support high-payload vehicles, with matching power for continuous-duty usage. Designed to transition pickup trucks and light commercial vehicles to hybrid or electric powertrains, eBeam integrates with existing

Battery material developer Wildcat Discovery Technologies recently announced that Dr. Peter Lamp has joined its Board of Directors. Dr. Lamp joined BMW in 2001 as a development engineer for fuel cell systems. He later became the leader of BMW’s Technology and Concepts Electric Energy Storage group and Battery Cell Technology department. Wildcat CEO Mark Gresser

Charging station manufacturer Ekoenergetyka is working on a series of charging stations with capacities ranging from 750 to 1,500 kW. The company plans to launch the new “ultrachargers” at test charging hubs for passenger and heavy-duty EVs in Germany and Poland. According to the company, one of its new 750 kW chargers could add 400

When the days were really short last winter, and the pre-vaccine despair had set in, I got some welcome relief in the form of the 2021 Mercedes-Benz E450 Cabriolet. Call it naturopathy, but in the dark days before Pfizer and Moderna became vernacular, the Cabriolet came to play here in the Gulf of Mexico’s backyard,

Berlin Technical University Professor Stefanie Marker conducts research on EV energy optimization. In her latest project, she turns her attention to vehicles weighing up to 40 tons. The majority of these heavy goods vehicles must travel distances that cannot be covered by a single battery charge. Her solution: a network of battery exchange stations for

Charger manufacturer Tritium has launched a new software update for its RT50 DC fast chargers, enabling Plug and Charge technology globally. The update allows any EV that supports Plug and Charge to initiate charging and authorize payments without needing an RFID card or smartphone app. “Tritium is committed to bringing the latest DC fast charging

Nissan has confirmed price reductions of both 40kWh and 62kWh versions of its award-winning LEAF electric vehicle, effective from April.  For customers looking to purchase the long-range e+ 62kWh version, the price reduction renews the model’s eligibility for the grant, unlocking a saving of £5,265 compared to purchasing at the previous price without the £2,500

Loop Energy and Rheintal-Transporte have announced an agreement for the development and supply of heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell range extension solutions for electric trucks in Europe. As a part of the agreement, Rheintal will use Loop’s eFlow fuel cell modules to expand the range of electric trucks. Rheintal anticipates orders of eFlow fuel cell modules

Bidirectional charging is the technology of the hour. It enables vehicle-to-grid—or should we say, vehicle-to-anything (V2X)—applications, which promise to greatly facilitate the integration of EVs and renewable energy into the grid, to offer opportunities for fleets to offset their electrification costs, and to allow other handy capabilities, such as backup power. Now Volkswagen has given

The performance and looks of the Ford Explorer ST can now be enjoyed for less money thanks to the arrival of a new Explorer Enthusiast ST model. New for the 2021 model year, the Explorer Enthusiast ST is priced to start at $49,995, including destination, making it over $4,000 cheaper than the regular ST. You

Sponsored by COMSOL Battery system design calls for multiphysics simulation on different scales. This may involve modeling processes at the molecular, microscopic, battery module, and battery stack scales. This white paper explains the chemistries, physics, and design variables that need to be considered in each major step of the battery design process. Sponsored by COMSOL

Iconic school bus manufacturer Blue Bird has delivered an electric school bus equipped with V2G (vehicle-to-grid) technology from Nuvve, one of two Blue Bird Type C electric buses delivered to two school districts in Illinois. The e-buses are powered by the Cummins PowerDrive EV system. Nuvve’s V2G platform allows the bus batteries to store energy,

Adding to its portfolio, the energy provider Octopus has launched a new leasing service – Electric Dreams – offering 100% electric car salary sacrifice schemes, to save employees thousands as they switch to clean green driving. Similar to the popular cycle-to-work scheme, employers can give their staff a highly valuable benefit that is also good

Northvolt has announced the acquisition of Cuberg, a battery company delivering lithium metal cells produced on existing lithium-ion manufacturing lines. Cuberg says its cells, which are based on its electrolyte technology for lithium metal anodes, deliver more than 70 percent increased capacity versus comparable lithium-ion cells. Building on this foundation, Northvolt and Cuberg will expand

It’s been a long haul for electric trucks—pilots have been going on for over a decade, but fleet operators are just beginning to put in serious orders. Battery costs are often cited as a barrier to faster adoption, but a new analysis concludes that a lack of appropriate policies around adoption incentives, charging infrastructure, and

The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 feels familiar from the moment I climb into it, which is to be expected. Though the limited-edition Mustang is a new model this year, all of the components are from vehicles I’ve tested before, combined in a witch’s cauldron to create a magic potion of performance. Even the name

The Spring 2021 sessions list for the Charged Virtual Conference on EV Engineering is out now. Just like the content Charged brings you every day, conference topics will span the entire EV engineering supply chain and ecosystem including motor and power electronics design and manufacturing, cell development, battery systems, testing, powertrains, thermal management, circuit protection,

Draper is developing a family of electric motors and generators based on fundamentally different principles from common e-motors used today. Underpinning the initiative is a recent patent on aspects of the technology. Draper says its approach to electric motors has numerous advantages over conventional electric motors, including lower weight, higher efficiency, higher specific power and

If Formula E is a dignified ambassador for electric performance, Extreme E is an in-your-face wild beast (but with a green conscience). Custom electric off-road SUVs tear through some of the harshest and most vehicle-punishing terrain on the globe. Extreme E’s first race, the Desert X Prix, took place on April 3 and 4, on

Evonik has introduced the silicon-carbon composite material Siridion Black as a new anode material for lithium-ion batteries, claiming that it increases energy density, and improves fast-charging capability and energy efficiency. “Until now, graphite has been used as an anode material in lithium-ion batteries, but batteries with a higher capacity need new materials that also allow

After ending his exclusive partnership with Ford, Ken Block is also parting ways with some of his Blue Oval rides. Block is selling three of the cars used in his Gymkhana video series through broker LBI Limited. One of those cars is the 2011 Ford Fiesta rally car used in Gymkhana 3, which was Block’s

It now appears that Tesla has been selling EV regulatory credits on three continents, and ironically Volkswagen, the legacy automaker that seems to be the most serious about electrification, has emerged as the latest buyer. Tesla has made a tidy little side business out of selling EV credits to automakers that couldn’t (or chose not

Volkswagen and bp have announced a partnership to deploy DC fast charging facilities at bp and Aral retail sites in the UK, Germany and elsewhere in Europe. Oil giant bp aims to grow its public charging network to over 70,000 charging points worldwide by 2030. In the UK, bp pulse, the company’s charging arm, plans

Volvo Penta has joined forces with terminal tractor manufacturer TICO to develop electric terminal truck prototypes. Terminal tractors, also known as yard goats, are used to move cargo in ports, distribution centers, and rail terminals. They are considered an ideal application for EVs. “TICO has always been at the forefront of bringing alternative powertrain solutions