In a year packed with new EV launches, few vehicles have been as eagerly anticipated as the Lucid Air. Lucid had already been around for over a decade when we profiled the company in our March/April 2018 issue. The company has built some impressive prototypes, including a converted delivery van that beat a Ferrari and… Read more »
Author: Charles Morris
Teardown expert Sandy Munro compares Tesla, Nissan, Jaguar inverters
When it comes to automobiles, Sandy Munro knows whereof he speaks. His company specializes in taking new cars apart and analyzing every little bracket and screw—what it’s made of, who made it, and how much it cost. Charged was fortunate enough to have Sandy present a couple of video sessions at our Virtual Conference on… Read more »
New study reaffirms carbon emissions of EVs lower than ICEs, lists flaws in long-tailpipe arguments
Journalists sometimes have to write the same articles over and over, like teachers repeating the same lecture for a new class each semester. The myth of the “long tailpipe”—the notion that EVs generate just as much carbon emissions as ICE vehicles do—has been debunked by dozens of scientific studies (see below for a partial list)…. Read more »
GM to manufacture Nikola Badger pickup, will also provide batteries and fuel cells
Nikola Motor and GM have announced a strategic partnership under which GM will engineer and manufacture the Nikola Badger pickup truck, which will be built in fuel cell and battery-electric versions. Nikola will use GM’s Ultium battery system and Hydrotec fuel cell technology. The Badger will still bear the Nikola brand, and Nikola will be… Read more »
Electric truck startup Xos raises $20 million in new funding
Commercial EV startup Xos Trucks, formerly known as Thor Trucks, has raised $20 million in new funding from a group of investors including Proeza Ventures and BUILD Capital Group. Xos will use the capital to scale up production of its X-Platform chassis. The company anticipates a surge in demand following CARB’s new zero-emissions mandate for… Read more »
Mexico City deploys its first electric bus
The market for electric buses is rapidly expanding far beyond the early-adopter cities of California and Western Europe. Latin America is a new hotspot—e-buses are hitting the streets in Chile and Colombia (Portal Movilidad is a good source for news of the burgeoning southern EV scene). Now ANVES (National Association of Electric and Sustainable Vehicles),… Read more »
Proterra’s new customizable battery pack offers 25-75 kWh of energy in a compact package
Heavy-duty EV-builder Proterra has unveiled a new series of battery packs that offers a customizable energy storage system for heavy-duty commercial vehicles. The new, narrower H Series battery packs are designed to be packaged into standard truck frame rails. They have a width of 620 mm, and can be configured with 25-75 kWh of energy… Read more »
New report identifies high-priority regions for electrifying trucks
Electric trucks are on the way, and academics are turning out papers to guide businesses and policymakers through the transition. The North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) and the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) have collaborated on a report that proposes prioritizing geographic regions for electric truck deployments. The potential cash and emissions savings of… Read more »
Wisconsin regulators consider mandatory EV programs for large utilities
Wisconsin regulators are considering requiring utilities to develop pilot charging programs for residential customers. The Wisconsin State Journal reports that the state’s Public Service Commission voted to request utility feedback on a draft order that would require Wisconsin’s five largest utilities to submit plans for approval next year. For the state’s 120 or so smaller… Read more »
Lightning Systems lowers prices of electric powertrains, adds new features
Commercial EV manufacturer Lightning Systems has reduced the prices of its 2021 battery and fuel cell EVs by 10 to 50% for Class 3 to Class 8 vehicles. The lower prices take effect immediately and apply to 2021 and 2022 deliveries. Lightning has also announced a number of new features for its EVs, including: faster… Read more »
