Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Canada have devised a new electrolyte design that enables a highly efficient magnesium battery anode. Magnesium is much more abundant and less costly than lithium, which would help further sustainable energy storage. However, initial research on magnesium-based batteries generated 1 V, less than a standard AA battery, which… Read more…
Porsche and Frauscher introduce the Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom sports boat
German automaker Porsche and Austrian boat builder Frauscher Shipyard have debuted, in a limited first edition of 25 units, the Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom runabout sports boat featuring a closed foredeck and cabin. The boat is equipped with the same electric drive unit from the Porsche Macan Turbo sports car that powers the previously-introduced… Read more…
Los Angeles is a tough city to get around. But this scooter made it work!
Last month, I had the chance to visit Los Angeles and attend Micromobility America, a yearly industry tradeshow focusing on e-bikes, e-scooters, and other small-format vehicles. To get around the city for a few days, I borrowed a VMAX VX2 Extreme from VMAX’s Los Angeles distribution center and it made all the difference in navigating a city that is notoriously hard to get around. Read more…
Hyundai commits a record +$16.6 billion in Korea to develop new tech and EVs
The world’s third-largest auto group is going all-in to lead the shift to electrification. With plans to pour a record over $16.6 billion into advancing new tech and EVs in South Korea, Hyundai is laying the groundwork for the future. Can the new investment help it surpass Volkswagen or Toyota in global sales. Read more…
EcoFlow New Year sale phase 2 adds new power station deals from $50, LG all-in-one washer/dryer $1,000 off, EGO, Heybike, more
Today’s collection of Green Deals starts off with phase 2 of EcoFlow’s ongoing New Year sale, with fresh new deals joining alongside previous ones, like the site-exclusive bundle for the DELTA 2 Max Portable Power Station that comes along with two 220W solar panels and a protective bag at $1,472, among others. We also spotted $1,000 in savings on LG’s All-in-One Electric Ventless Washer/Dryer Combo down at $1,999, as well as the best price in years on the EGO Power+ 56V 21-inch Cordless Electric Snow Blower that comes with two 5.0Ah batteries for $549. Lastly, Heybike’s New Year sale is seeing the best-selling Mars 2.0 Folding e-bike return to $999 so you can kickstart your 2025 adventures with $500 in savings. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals can be found in the links at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s New Year savings on Lectric e-bikes, and more.. Read more…
Lucid Air passes the Canadian winter test with flying colors
I had the opportunity to drive the Lucid Air Touring for a little more than a week during the holidays, and I can say with confidence that the California-designed and engineered electric luxury sedan passes the Canadian winter test with flying colors. Read more…
Honda Finally Reveals Its Hands In Nissan Merger
Plus, auto suppliers are scrambling to move production to dodge tariffs and China’s exports expected to drop for 2025. Read more…
Scout CEO: Most people ordering the hybrid because of range anxiety
Reservations for Scout Motors’ range-extended models are outpacing those for pure electric versions, Scout CEO Scott Keogh said in an interview with Bloomberg at CES 2025 in Las Vegas this week. The new Volkswagen Group brand plans to launch its Traveler SUV and Terra pickup truck in 2027 with a powertrain called Harvester that adds a gasoline… Read more…
2025 Tesla Model Y Juniper: This Is It… Sort Of
We rendered the new Model Y based on spy shots we’ve seen, so you don’t have to wait until the official reveal. Read more…
Mercedes-Benz stumbles with software issues – all-electric CLA production on hold
Mercedes-Benz has hit a snag in China. The production of the all-electric version of the CLA sedan, specifically designed for the Chinese market, has been pushed back from April to August. The culprit? Software gremlins. According to a report by 36kr, the delay resulted from issues with the development of the car’s electrical and electronic architecture. Mercedes-Benz has confirmed the… Read more…
Danlaw’s new CleverCharge Level 2 home charger creates personalized profiles for multiple EVs
Danlaw, a specialist in connected car technology and automotive electronics, presented its new CleverCharge Level 2 home EV charging system at CES 2025. CleverCharge features an EV charge-management platform optimized for households with multiple EVs. It’s designed to provide personalized experiences for EV owners. CleverCharge learns each user’s daily driving routines and provides proactive reminders… Read more…
CATL’s new Bedrock Chassis for EVs can withstand high impacts
Chinese battery manufacturer CATL has launched the CATL Bedrock Chassis, a skateboard chassis that can withstand 120 km/h frontal impacts without catching fire or exploding. The battery-centered design uses cell-to-chassis integration technology, which directly integrates the battery cells into the chassis and allows for a shared structural design. Based on the decoupling of the chassis… Read more…
Isolation technologies
Nick Flaherty investigates techniques
that enable digital controllers to interface safely with high-voltage systems.
As automotive designs move to electrification, high-power electronics have become critical components in new electronic drivetrain and battery systems. Communication and control from low-voltage digital devices requires electrical isolation of the high-voltage elements from the low-voltage side, covered by the extra-low voltage (SELV) regulations. Read more…
Dynisma DMG family
Seamless simulation Peter Donaldson checks out simulators designed to give drivers the most realistic response and feel Dynisma’s DMG family of simulators is designed to reduce the time and expense involved in building and testing vehicles by moving as much prototype development as possible into the virtual world. We caught up with the company’s commercial director, […] Read more…
The Battery Show USA show report
A wealth of advanced battery tech for EVs was on show in Detroit, as Peter Donaldson reports.
Staged for the first time at Huntington Place, Detroit, The Battery Show and Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology Expo, North America showcased a myriad advanced battery technologies. Organiser Informa Markets reports that more than 21,000 professionals from around the world attended and 1250 organisations exhibited, making the 2024 event the largest in its history, which dates back to 2010. Read more…
Battery cell manufacturing
There are three major phases of activity for manufacturing battery cells, as Nick Flaherty reports
Moving from small coin cells that prove the performance of a battery chemistry in the laboratory to production is a big step. There are many different ways to construct a cell, and many techniques for both building and characterising the resulting battery. Read more…
Mercedes-Benz EVs gaining Tesla Supercharger access in February
Starting in February, Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles will be able to charge at 20,000 Tesla Supercharger stations in the U.S., the automaker announced Thursday. Supercharger access will be enabled via a software update installed by dealerships—not over-the-air. Customers will be contacted by Mercedes to schedule this. The update will… Read more…
Mercedes-Benz EVs to get Tesla Supercharger access in February
From February 2025, US Mercedes-Benz EV drivers will be able to charge their cars at over 20,000 Tesla Superchargers in the US and Canada. Read more…
Volvo sold nearly 100,000 EX30 SUVs its first year and now it’s ready to take the US by storm
Despite its smaller size, Volvo’s cheapest electric SUV is already having a massive impact on sales. In 2024, its first year on the market, Volvo sold nearly 100,000 EX30 models. With deliveries now kicking off in the US, the EV is poised to see even more demand in 2025. Read more…
Here’s the Tesla Model Y Juniper in all its glory with zero camo
It’s the season for winter testing these days. We’ve just seen Nio’s first Firefly EV undergoing winter testing, and now it’s time for Tesla’s long-anticipated upcoming refresh / facelift of the Model Y. The new Model Y, codenamed Juniper, was last spotted on the streets wearing camo yesterday, and today we have something much better: a look at it with… Read more…