VW to enable bidirectional charging on all EVs on its MEB platform starting next year


Bidirectional charging is the technology of the hour. It enables vehicle-to-grid—or should we say, vehicle-to-anything (V2X)—applications, which promise to greatly facilitate the integration of EVs and renewable energy into the grid, to offer opportunities for fleets to offset their electrification costs, and to allow other handy capabilities, such as backup power. Now Volkswagen has given… Read more »

Loop Energy to provide fuel cell range extenders for Rheintal electric trucks


Loop Energy and Rheintal-Transporte have announced an agreement for the development and supply of heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell range extension solutions for electric trucks in Europe. As a part of the agreement, Rheintal will use Loop’s eFlow fuel cell modules to expand the range of electric trucks. Rheintal anticipates orders of eFlow fuel cell modules… Read more »

Magna drives pickup truck electrification with new eBeam technology


Magna has introduced a scalable electric drop-in replacement for traditional beam axles. The new eBeam integrates with an electric or hybrid powertrain and offers a structure-oriented design to support high-payload vehicles, with matching power for continuous-duty usage. Designed to transition pickup trucks and light commercial vehicles to hybrid or electric powertrains, eBeam integrates with existing… Read more »

Blue Bird delivers electric school bus equipped with Nuvve V2G tech


Iconic school bus manufacturer Blue Bird has delivered an electric school bus equipped with V2G (vehicle-to-grid) technology from Nuvve, one of two Blue Bird Type C electric buses delivered to two school districts in Illinois. The e-buses are powered by the Cummins PowerDrive EV system. Nuvve’s V2G platform allows the bus batteries to store energy,… Read more »

New battery modeling whitepaper: download now for free


Sponsored by COMSOL Battery system design calls for multiphysics simulation on different scales. This may involve modeling processes at the molecular, microscopic, battery module, and battery stack scales. This white paper explains the chemistries, physics, and design variables that need to be considered in each major step of the battery design process. **Please see www.comsol.com/privacy… Read more »

Wevo’s temperature-resistant materials designed for EV electrical components earn UL ratings


Wevo, a maker of potting, bonding and sealing compounds, has earned UL RTI (Relative Temperature Index) approval for several of its flame-retardant polyurethanes, and one temperature-resistant epoxy resin has been certified to UL 94 V-0. RTI certification refers to long-term temperature resistance. In the case of polyurethanes, this is usually a maximum of 130° C…. Read more »

MIT researchers use semisolid electrode to prevent short circuits in lithium metal batteries


Researchers may have found ways to prevent dendrite formation in solid-state batteries. Their findings are described in the journal Nature Energy, in a paper by MIT graduate student Richard Park, MIT Professor Yet-Ming Chiang and researchers at MIT and other institutions. Chiang explained, “The only way you can reach the energy densities that are interesting… Read more »

LEAF batteries find a second life in automated guided vehicles


At Nissan’s Oppama plant near Tokyo, there are more than 700 automated guided vehicles, or AGVs, which deliver parts to workers in a car factory. Nissan, along with 4R Energy, is now repurposing used EV batteries, which no longer have enough capacity to provide sufficient EV range, to power its AGVs. The first-generation LEAF was… Read more »

GM to build electric Silverado pickup at Factory Zero in Detroit


Chevrolet’s upcoming Silverado electric pickup truck will be built at the company’s Factory Zero assembly plant (the former Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center, now retooled for the exclusive production of battery-electric vehicles). GM plans to deliver more than 1 million electric vehicles globally by 2025. Thanks to its new Ultium Platform, along with modern virtual development tools… Read more »

New study says commercial truck electrification is within reach


It’s been a long haul for electric trucks—pilots have been going on for over a decade, but fleet operators are just beginning to put in serious orders. Battery costs are often cited as a barrier to faster adoption, but a new analysis concludes that a lack of appropriate policies around adoption incentives, charging infrastructure, and… Read more »