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Sponsored by Heraeus Electronics Thick film technology is well established in the automotive industry for high reliability circuitry, challenging sensor applications, and robust passive component needs.  With the evolution of electric vehicle (EV) and battery management systems (BMS), the needs for thick film materials are expanding once again.  Electronic content per vehicle is doubling and

Fleet management company Merchants Fleet has launched a new tool designed to educate and assist clients as they make the transition to EVs. Merchants Fleet has been providing fleet management and leasing solutions for over 50 years. The company’s new AdoptEV service provides a personalized plan to guide current and potential clients through the process

Back in 2012, when Tesla introduced Model S, public chargers were almost nonexistent. Electric road trips were impractical, and the paucity of infrastructure was a major consumer objection to buying an EV (it still is). Frustrated with the slow pace of development of an EV fast charging standard, Tesla rolled out its own, and the

Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond are back with a new special. “The Grand Tour Presents: Lochdown” arrives on Amazon Prime on July 30. As the name implies, this time the trio will be driving through Scotland, on an adventure that was filmed during the coronavirus pandemic. Their cars of choice are vintage American

Turntide Technologies has acquired UK-based AVID Technology, a cleantech engineering firm that manufactures electrified powertrain components for EVs and hybrids. Turntide’s Smart Motor System may reduce energy consumption by nearly 64%, and is free of the rare earth minerals that most higher-efficiency permanent magnet motors require. The company has been on an expansion spree lately,

Calgary-based Exro Technologies is a developer of power electronics for electric motors and batteries. Exro’s motor control technology, the Coil Driver, is designed to enable intelligent optimization of electric powertrains for efficient energy consumption. Exro has announced a strategic development agreement with Linamar, a global Tier 1 auto parts manufacturer, to develop a new eAxle

From July 19, 2021, California will start testing for non-approved ECU tunes during its biennial Smog Check program. First spotted by Car Bibles (via Road & Track), the rules state that any software not provided by the car’s manufacturer or approved through a California Air Resources Board executive order will fail the test. Details of

Sponsored by Marposs In times of great change, Marposs is taking up the challenge to remain a strong partner for the automotive market in the e-mobility era. The unprecedented global growth of electric motor technology, especially within the automotive sector, brings a whole new set of component reliability expectations to manufacturers and end users. This

Power Integrations has expanded its InnoSwitch3-AQ family of devices, which combine a MOSFET, primary and secondary controllers and Fluxlink reinforced isolated feedback into a single IC. The new family members feature a 900 V primary MOSFET, which is designed for safe and reliable operation during system voltage transients while reducing the number and cost of

KACO, a maker of sealing technologies, has expanded its product line to include shaft grounding rings designed to protect the bearings and gearing of electrical machines. The company offers a portfolio of shaft grounding rings ranging from single washers to complex customer-specific solutions with various carrier parts.  KACO’s modular system of shaft grounding rings, specially

Sponsored by Eaton The vehicle electrification era is here, bringing with it a wave of innovative technologies and exponential advancements. However, there are important safety implications to be considered as these technologies and market trends are adopted. What are these trends and how do they impact circuit protection of electric vehicles? The market today sees

With buyers becoming less and less concerned with what’s actually under the hood, Volvo last week agreed to spin off all of its internal-combustion engine operations. Volvo and parent company Geely will form a joint venture under the name Aurobay to oversee all future combustion engine development. Under the deal, the two automakers will transfer

Silicon Mobility, a provider of digital controls for EV powertrains, says its control system improves inverter and motor efficiency by 2% to 4.6% compared to the industry-standard SVPWM control technique.  During the 34th International EV Symposium, Silicon Mobility and Cascadia Motion presented their latest research results, in which Optimized Pulse Pattern (OPP) modulation increased the

French charging startup Electra has raised €15 million from venture capital and business angel investors. The company aims to roll out 1,000 ultra-fast DC charging stations by 2030, beginning with a batch of 50 to be deployed within a year. This first round of financing will enable the company to meet its deployment objectives in

New York City has finalized a new contract to operate its fleet of school buses, and an electric bus pilot project is part of the plan. The five-year contract, which involves 41 companies, half a dozen municipal agencies, several labor unions, and a budget of $1.5 billion per year, will govern school bus operations in

Three of Europe’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturers—Daimler Truck, the Volvo Group, and the Traton Group (owner of the Scania, MAN and Navistar brands)—have signed a non-binding agreement to build a public charging network for battery-electric heavy-duty long-haul trucks and coaches across Europe. The agreement lays the foundation of a future joint venture, which is to

Lotus revealed its new Emira sports car this week, the British automaker’s last model to feature an internal-combustion engine of any sort. The Emira has two engine options to choose from; one is the same supercharged Toyota engine powering the outgoing Evora, and the other is a new unit sourced from Mercedes-Benz AMG. Lamborghini Aventador

Electrical Components International (ECI), a global supplier of wire harnesses, electrical components and sub-assemblies for industrial markets, has acquired Promark Electronics. Founded in 1987, Promark Electronics is a manufacturer of wire harnesses and cable and electromechanical assemblies used in commercial electric vehicles and other products. As demand for commercial EVs has grown, Promark has developed

Less than a year after its launch, French industrial company Verkor has raised €100 million in a funding round co-led by EQT Ventures and Renault Group, with the participation of the French government and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region. The funding will support the company’s expansion and the construction of the Verkor Innovation Centre (VIC), where the

Swiss charging station manufacturer Juice Technology has won a contract to supply its JUICE BOOSTER 2 charging solution to BMW Group production lines and the majority of BMW dealerships in Germany. As automakers electrify, they need to upgrade and retrofit their production and servicing facilities to accommodate EVs, and creating a suitable charging infrastructure is

Sensor specialist Sensata Technologies (NYSE: ST) has announced that its new power disconnect solution, which is designed to enable faster and safer DC fast charging, has been chosen by several charging infrastructure OEMs. Sensata’s solution combines contactors and GigaFuses from its Gigavac product in a contactor module that’s designed to simplify installation and to provide

The 2021 Audi RS 6 Avant may be the automaker’s latest and greatest performance wagon, but now there’s a chance to own its ancestor. A 1994 Audi RS 2 Avant—the automaker’s first RS model—is up for grabs on Bring a Trailer. By choosing the Audi 80 Avant wagon as its starting point, Audi’s Quattro performance

Volvo Penta has commenced production of bespoke electric drivelines for vehicle manufacturer Rosenbauer’s new fire truck. Volvo Penta and its customer Rosenbauer adapted proven technology from Volvo Trucks and Volvo Buses to create a completely new vehicle architecture. The new truck, named Revolutionary Technology (RT), pushed Volvo Penta’s electric drivelines to new heights. Unlike other

Sponsored by CSM CSM Gmbh, the industry leader of innovative measurement and data technology for 38 years, announces the newest product to its suite of measurement modules for the development of electric vehicles. This new HV Breakout-Module has been specifically designed to meet the international safety standards required for the use of equipment in high-voltage

Phoenix Motorcars, a subsidiary of SPI Energy (NASDAQ: SPI), builds medium-duty commercial EVs, including buses, trucks and vans. Now the company has launched a full range of EV charging products for the US market. Phoenix Motorcars’ chargers come in a variety of configurations for residential and commercial applications. All come with 24/7 network support, two-year

Sponsored by WACKER Thermal Efficiency The needs of automotive and general electronic devices can vary based on application. In most applications, efficient thermal management is crucial to prolonging the life of the essential electronic components. For example, a heat sink is often used to pull heat away from electronics. But even when pairing a heat

Peugeot in 2019 announced plans to enter the new Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) class of the World Endurance Championship, and on Tuesday the French automaker finally revealed its contender. It’s called the 9X8, and Peugeot plans to enter it for the first time in the 2022 season. Currently competing in LMH are Toyota, Scuderia Cameron

Marposs, a specialist in measurement, inspection and test technologies, has announced a new generation of its Optoquick measuring system, which combines a touch measuring system and an automatic stylus changing system. Within a measuring cycle, the contact sensor stylus can automatically be exchanged with the new multi-axis G65 contact gauge, enabling measurement of non-visible features

Production of BMW’s fifth-generation high-voltage batteries and battery modules for use in the BMW iX and i4 is now underway at the Competence Centre for E-Drive Production in Dingolfing, Germany. At the same time, the company is increasing production capacity for its fifth-generation electric motor, which has been built in Dingolfing for the iX3 since

Nexperia has announced new 0.55 mΩ RDS(on) 40 V power MOSFETs in the LFPAK88 package for automotive (BUK7S0R5-40H) and industrial (PSMNR55-40SSH) applications. The company says the devices are the lowest RDS(on) 40 V parts it has ever produced. They deliver higher power densities than traditional D2PAK devices and offer improved performance in both avalanche and