News

Mercedes-Benz’s design chief, Gorden Wagener, took to social media last week to post a teaser photo of what’s described as the first virtual concept from the automaker. The concept is covered in a semi-transparent shroud and appears to be a coupe. The wheels also appear to be partially concealed, which may or may not be

Commercial EV specialist Ideanomics (NASDAQ: IDEX) has successfully tested WAVE’s 500 kW wireless charging system at the Port of Los Angeles. In a test, WAVE’s system fully charged a Class 8 electric truck in less than 15 minutes. (Ideanomics acquired WAVE in 2021.) Construction and charger installation at the Port of Los Angeles is underway,

Chinese battery giant CATL has unveiled a new battery technology for heavy-duty trucks. It’s not a new chemistry or a new type of cell, but rather a different structure for the battery pack. Earlier this year, CATL unveiled the Qilin Battery, which uses a cell-to-pack architecture (no modules). The latest innovation is what the company

Some automakers have turned to all-wheel steering steering to make vehicles more maneuverable, but Ford is looking to patent an alternative solution. A patent application filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) describes a way to reduce turning radius on future vehicles by varying torque to individual wheels. Ford turn-assist mode patent

Auto dealers have long been considered a bottleneck for EV sales, and automakers that are serious about selling EVs are working closely with their dealers to make the necessary changes (and to weed out those who really don’t want to go electric). Ford has now unveiled an electrification strategy to its  3,000-strong dealer network. Dealers

ABB has introduced a new “modular and repeatable” manufacturing methodology designed to facilitate the establishment of new battery plants. ABB’s Plant Optimization Methodology uses electrification, instrumentation, control and digital technology (EICD), the ABB Adaptive Execution project approach, and continual operational support to help battery manufacturers establish new plants and scale up gigafactories. “The methodology leverages

Lamborghini’s successor to the Aventador was spotted this week. With a new V-12 engine and hybrid technology, the redesigned supercar will move Lamborghini into the next era. Brabus P 900 Rocket Edition G-Class Brabus unveiled a wild pickup truck based on the Mercedes-Benz AMG G 63. Called the P 900 Rocket Edition, just ten examples

EV conversion specialist Electrofit has unveiled its first electric crate motor. The CM100KW1 is a permanent magnet synchronous (PMS) motor that includes a built-in inverter designed to reduce cost and complexity. The motor can be used to drive an existing gearbox, or can be connected to an  OEM single-speed transmission. The configurable OEM motor and

The day when all EVs can charge at any and all charging stations just moved a little closer, as Tesla announced the availability of a CCS adapter in the US. Of course, Tesla drivers can use the company’s superlative Supercharger network, but until now they’ve been unable to use most non-Tesla DC fast chargers in

Nissan’s new Z has a problem, the Volvo XC90 successor received a name, and another “Last Call” Dodge was revealed. It’s the Week in Reverse, right here at Motor Authority. Nissan issued a stop-sale order for the 2023 Z. Specifically, only the Zs optioned with an automatic transmission are affected. The vehicle’s transmission may not

Amid the growing interest in battery electric vehicles, the industry still faces numerous challenges to gain wider adoption in the market. Join this session at our Fall Virtual Conference on EV Engineering, presented by Chroma, where we will address the battery-specific issues manufacturers are encountering today. Reserve your spot—it’s free! Other sessions at our Spring

To someone who isn’t involved in power electronics design, it might seem unreal that the amount of power a component can handle depends more on how effectively waste heat can be removed from it than it does on the specific electrical ratings. Sure, the voltage and current ratings are important (especially the voltage rating), but

Ford already offers a V-8 nicknamed the Godzilla, and soon there may be a more potent offering with the name Megazilla. A search through the database of the United States Patent and Trademark Office reveals a trademark filing for “Megazilla,” which was made by Ford on Sept. 16. It was specifically filed in the section

The car that once advertised itself as “The Standard of the World” will go all-electric. Can the US luxury brand reinvent itself for a modern era…and for China? Among cutting-edge automotive buyers—the glitterati of Los Angeles, the tech millionaires of Silicon Valley, the finance titans of Wall Street—only one Cadillac is widely recognized. It’s a

Cell-to-Pack is the direct bonding of individual battery cells to the battery pack’s cooling plate, and it’s a new trend in the EV market. It improves performance by providing higher pack energy density, improved part complexity, lower thermal loads on the battery pack, and simpler, lower-cost manufacturing of packs. To support Cell-to-Pack (CTP), new thermally

If you regularly cruised Detroit’s famed Woodward Avenue late at night during the 1970s, you may have seen a black 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T SE with a gator skin-style vinyl roof, racing away from the lights, its 426 Hemi roaring. The car, owned by Detroit police officer Godfrey Qualls, became a legend known as the

Every EV driver is familiar with the “guess-o-meter,” the dashboard display that estimates a vehicle’s remaining range. A team of researchers from Japan claims to have found a way to make EV range estimates more accurate. Furthermore, they point out that inaccurate range estimates lead to inefficiency and waste. The MEXT Q-LEAP Flagship project, led

As fast charging stations become more powerful, they will increasingly include energy storage and on-site generation. Tesla has been planning to phase in these features for some time, but widespread deployment has been delayed. In 2017, the company said it planned to add solar and batteries to all Supercharger stations, and even disconnect some of

Formula 1 will see a record 24 rounds held next year, one more than the record 23 rounds of 2022, and three of them will be held in the U.S., highlighting the sport’s growing popularity here. The calendar for the 2023 F1 World Championship was published by the FIA on Tuesday and includes the new

Beyond The Product Portfolio: Value-Added Services You Should Expect from Your Suppliers The worldwide electric vehicle market is rapidly gaining traction, with many local and global suppliers offering solutions for EV battery pack applications such as thermal runaway protection, compression pads, pack seals, thermal interface materials and more. As Design and Release Engineers, you are

Sensata, a sensor, controller and software firm, has introduced a next-generation BMS designed for high-voltage applications, including electric trucks, buses and material handling vehicles. It’s part of the Lithium Balance product line, and will be available in early 2023. The Lithium Balance n3-BMS is composed of up to 30 Cell Monitoring Units, a Master Control

Volkswagen Group is taking its Porsche subsidiary public via an initial public offering, and on Sunday confirmed the offer period will start Sept. 20 and run until an expected closing date eight days later. VW Group will price the shares at a range of 76.50 euros to 82.50 euros per share, which at the upper

With demand for EV batteries seeing an impressive 30 percent year-over-year growth, pressure continues to increase for Automotive OEM’s and Tier 1’s to keep pace. Among the many levers you have available to ramp battery production, test coverage and strategy are one of the top 3 improvements that make a significant difference in your ability

French President Emmanuel Macron made a campaign pledge to help make EVs more affordable. Now the government is rolling out a subsidized leasing program for low-income households. “We know that for many French [EVs] remain very expensive,” Budget Minister Gabriel Attal said in a recent interview. The new program will make EVs available for 100

The Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 set the template for modern 911 track cars, so to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year, Porsche gathered World Rally champion Walter Röhrl, 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Timo Bernhard, and a selection of classic 911s to recount the history of the Carrera RS 2.7 and its successors.

Revolt Systems manufactures high-performance electric motors for classic cars, and Legacy EV offers integrated EV systems and EV conversion kits from various manufacturers, as well as certified EV technician training programs and EV design consulting services. Over the last year, Legacy EV and Revolt Systems have been working together to help more classic car owners

Rocsys, a provider of autonomous robotic charging solutions, has joined ROCIN-ECO, a consortium with IONITY, Audi, TÜV SÜD, Porsche, BMW, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, AVL and Huber+Suhner. The vision of the ROCIN-ECO consortium is to equip fast charging stations along European highways with one or more robotic charging lanes. These will enable a fully automated charge and

Ferrari this week revealed the Purosangue, the automaker’s first SUV, and also its first production 4-door vehicle. The high-riding prancing horse is the successor to the GTC4 Lusso and packs a newly developed V-12 engine good for 715 hp. Pagani Utopia Pagani revealed its successor to the Huayra, and the design is sure to be

Battery material technology company Ionic Mineral Technologies has emerged from stealth mode to debut its halloysite-derived nano-silicon, Ionisil, which is meant to be used as a drop-in replacement for graphite in lithium-based batteries. Ionic MT is a vertically-integrated producer of nano-silicon, which it says can enable significantly longer range and faster charging for EVs. The

EV manufacturer Mullen Automotive has acquired a controlling interest in EV truck innovator Bollinger Motors. Mullen paid $148.2 million in cash and stock for a 60% controlling interest. Mullen says the acquisition will enable its entry into the market for medium-duty trucks (Classes 3-6), while also positioning Bollinger to capture the electric sport utility and