Nick Flaherty examines how designers are making OBCs more powerful, faster and lighter.
The onboard charger (OBC) market is changing with increasing power levels for faster operation and the need for lighter systems that can be integrated with the other vehicle components. Read more…
Oxa launches new autonomous vehicles in UK and US
Autonomous vehicle company Oxa has fitted the Ford E-Transit with its driverless software, bringing a self-driving van and minibus to the US and the UK. The vehicle can be used for logistics and passenger transportation. Read more…
Reversing course, Volvo EX30 coming to US in 2024
The Volvo EX30’s U.S. arrival was delayed due to tariffs Volvo’s now said the EX30 will arrive before the end of the year The first EX30s to arrive in the U.S. will be $46,195 dual-motor models After being delayed in the wake of increased tariffs, the Volvo EX30 small electric crossover will reach the U.S. by the end of this year. First shown in… Read more…
Kia EV9 ADVNTR concept preview EV’s potential off-road upgrades
Kia on Tuesday unveiled an off-road concept version of its EV9 electric SUV at the 2024 SEMA show in Las Vegas. The Kia EV9 ADVNTR adds typical off-road accoutrements to the three-row SUV, including a 3-inch suspension lift, new wheels and tires, light bars, and a roof rack. Kia isn’t discussing production possibilities, but the concept could… Read more…
Ledermair places order for 27 electric buses with MAN
MAN Truck & Bus has booked its largest order to date from a private customer in Austria: Tyrolean transport company Ledermair is ordering 27 MAN Lion’s City E electric buses. Deliveries are scheduled for the second half of 2025. Read more…
Autonomous Freightliner eCascadia completes driving test
Daimler Truck subsidiary Torc Robotics successfully tested a driverless electric truck in the US. And this time, it did so without a safety driver and an operator on board. Read more…
XPeng introduces its AI chip for autonomous driving
During its AI Day event in Guangzhou, China, XPeng announced a new AI Turing chip to power its future autonomous driving system. The announcement comes alongside its advanced EREV system. The AI Turing chip isn’t just for cars. It’s said to be useful in other applications like robots and even flying cars. Yes, they really said that. Anyway, the chip… Read more…
Battery dielectric protection
Peter Donaldson examines multi-function dielectric materials for battery systems.
Dielectric protection materials are critical in EV battery systems, where they serve to insulate components from one another, reduce the risks to technicians working on them, and often also contribute to structural strength and thermal management. The wide variety of materials and forms present various advantages and limitations, making selection a complex process that is increasingly focused on the specific demands of each application. Read more…
Cell ageing characteristics
Modelling battery cells at end of life is becoming more popular for key reasons, as Nick Flaherty reports.
Accurate prediction of battery lifespan is crucial for e-mobility and involves a variety of test approaches, from thermal measurements to transmission electron microscopes. Assessing how a cell delivers power when required and how it is charged provides insights into its lifetime. Read more…
CATL start trial production of 20 Ah solid-state cells
CATL is said to have started sample validation of its 20 Ah solid-state cells. The Chinese battery giant is known to want to manufacture pure solid-state batteries in small quantities for the first time in 2027. Read more…
Canoo faces financial difficulties
In the past two weeks, Canoo has furloughed 30 workers at its Oklahoma factory, lost both its CFO and General Counsel, and faced serious accusations from employees. Read more…
New Mercedes-AMG SUV Will Be An “AMG First, All-Electric Second”
It will be a high-riding alternative to the upcoming AMG GT four-door EV. Read more…
Halevai electric boat
Halevai is on a mission to redefine the recreational marine market, combining an electric powertrain with a trimaran hull, reports Will Gray.
It might look like a relatively ordinary recreational day cruiser, but in an industry that is traditionally as slow moving as a heavily loaded tanker, the design of Halevai’s model2050 – which pairs an innovative but highly standard electric powertrain with an ultra-efficient trimaran hull – places it firmly in the ‘ground breaker’ category. Read more…
In conversation: Dr Keon Woo Lee
Peter Donaldson chats to a leading battery expert, who says innovation is all about winning against the things you can trade off.
In a rapidly evolving EV landscape, the quest for advanced battery technologies remains at the forefront. Dr Keon Woo Lee leads Henkel’s Fuel the Future Team and Engineering and Advanced Testing Team at the newly opened Battery Engineering Center (BEC) within the Inspiration Center Düsseldorf, Germany. Read more…
ICEBreaker hydrogen HGV
Two companies have teamed up to build a hydrogen-powered HGV using a fuel-cell powerplant, as Peter Donaldson reports.
Spearheaded by powertrain energy-management specialist Viritech, Project ICEBreaker has built a hydrogen-powered heavy goods vehicle (HGV) using a fuel-cell power plant, focusing on minimising the weight penalty compared with internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Read more…
Irizar and FCC Medio Ambiente present hydrogen truck
At the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, Irizar and environmental service provider FCC Medio Ambiente presented H2TRUCK, the first electric chassis platform for heavy urban transport vehicles to be manufactured entirely in Spain. Read more…
Flanders cancels EV subsidies ahead of schedule
The Belgian region of Flanders is cancelling its purchase premium for electric cars on 22 November 2024, earlier than planned. That is because significantly more consumers applied for subsidies than the government had expected. The funding pot is empty. Read more…
Szczecin orders fourteen additional electric buses from Solaris
The Polish city of Szczecin is ordering more electric buses from Solaris. The new order comprises 14 electric buses, which will bring the city’s electric bus fleet up to a total of 30 vehicles. Read more…
Nio to report Q3 2024 earnings on Nov 20
Nio delivered a record 61,855 vehicles in the third quarter, within the guidance range of 61,000 to 63,000 vehicles. Read more…
Nikola sells record number of FCEVs in Q3/2024
Nikola delivered a record number of fuel cell trucks in the third quarter of 2024, specifically 88 units. However, the US manufacturer still posted a net loss of nearly 200 million dollars. Read more…
