Researchers at North Carolina State University have created a mathematical model for optimal placement of EV charging stations, as well as how powerful stations can be without straining local power grids. "Ultimately, we feel the model can be used to inform the development of EV charging infrastructure at multiple levels," Leila Hajibabai... Getting grid energy to the most EVs: Researchers look to mathematical modeling
Researchers at North Carolina State University have created a mathematical model for optimal placement of EV charging stations, as well as how powerful stations can be without straining local power grids. "Ultimately, we feel the model can be used to inform the development of EV charging infrastructure at multiple levels," Leila Hajibabai...
Electric cars built under a joint venture between Sony and Honda could generate more money through an extra-cost content platform, according to The Wall Street Journal. Interviewed while visiting Honda's Marysville, Ohio, plant, Sony Group CEO Kenichiro Yoshida said the company is considering a subscription model, where drivers pay extra for...
The federal government on Thursday further sketched out plans for a national EV charging network to be funded by the Biden administration's infrastructure law. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposing minimum standards for the network, which aims to install 500,000 chargers by 2030. The...
The Lightyear One solar car was unveiled in production-ready form with a new name. The product of a Dutch startup will henceforth be known as the Lightyear 0. While it does have an onboard battery pack, the Lightyear 0 aims to "leapfrog the grid" by using built-in solar panels to handle most charging. In cloudy climates, with an average commute of...
Drivers of electric cars and hybrids feel less stressed behind the wheel than drivers of gasoline or diesel vehicles, according to a new survey conducted by Stellantis' DS Automobiles division. DS doesn't sell cars in the United States, and the results are based on responses from 2,000 drivers in the United Kingdom, but the survey seems just as...
Five automakers have filed a motion to intervene on the side of the EPA, against a legal challenge to California's ability to set its own stricter emissions standards. In a joint statement, BMW, Ford, Honda, Volkswagen, and Volvo asked a federal court to uphold the EPA Decision Waiver giving California the ability to set emissions standards...
Anticipated price hikes for coal and natural gas could lead to increase use of renewable energy in electricity generation, making both the grid and EVs cleaner, according to new United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) analysis. EVs get cleaner along with the grid, and the EIA expects the grid mix to lean more toward renewable sources...
A University of California Berkeley study of EV fast-chargers points to serious reliability issues for charging infrastructure in the nation's biggest EV market. The study (via Automotive News) looked at 181 DC fast-charging sites in the greater Bay Area, covering 657 individual chargers. Of that total, 72.5% were found to be functional, which is...
With production due to end in South Korea in July, hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the Hyundai Ioniq hatchback will soon be discontinued, Hyundai Motor Company confirmed on Monday. In the U.S., the Hyundai Ioniq Electric was discontinued after the 2021 model year. While the hybrid and plug-in hybrid remained available for the 2022 model...
Solid-state battery startup Solid Power on Monday announced installation of a pilot production line for battery cells—a big step toward delivering cells to automakers for testing. Solid Power plans to produce cells for internal testing first, but plans to deliver cells to investors BMW and Ford for evaluation before the end of the year, the...
Of all Volvos sold in California last month, 77% were plug-in hybrids or EVs, the automaker said Thursday in a press release announcing its May 2022 North American sales. That's an increase of 6% over the previous month, demonstrating the continued appetite for plug-in cars in California. Nationally, plug-in hybrids and EVs—which...
Polestar announced last week that it's launching its own referral program to incentivize owners to promote the brand's EVs to others. A customer referral program was wildly popular for Tesla, but times have changed, and you won't find anything so lucrative as the $1,000 incentives and free cars for top referrers that Tesla at one point offered...
A California drought will increase the carbon footprint of electricity used to charge EVs, according to a new report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). The drought has cut the state's hydropower generating capacity nearly in half compared to normal conditions, forcing California to rely on more carbon-intensive sources for a greater...
Toyota on Thursday unveiled a home battery energy storage system similar in concept to Tesla's Powerwall. The automaker has started pre-orders for its O-Uchi Kyuden System in Japan, with sales expected to begin in August through home builders and general construction companies, a Toyota press release said. The system has a storage capacity of 8.7...
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQB electric SUV will start at $55,550 when it arrives at United States dealerships this summer. That price, which includes a mandatory $1,050 destination charge, buys the lower-level EQB 300 4Matic model. Mercedes will also offer an EQB 350 4Matic version in the U.S. starting at $59,100 with destination. Each version will...
Lobbyists have been pressuring the Biden administration to add more ethanol to the nation's gasoline supply to cut gas prices. And while doing so has been a complicated and fraught decision for the administration, it appears those interests have won. According to Reuters on Wednesday, citing sources briefed on the matter, the Biden administration...
Wireless charging firm WiTricity claims most EV shoppers want wireless charging as an option, and it has survey data to prove it. The company on Thursday released results of a company-commissioned survey of 1,053 Americans, nearly half of which already own an EV, and the others intending to purchase an EV within the next two years. Of those...
The next generation of Volvo electric cars will get sharper infotainment interfaces from an unorthodox source. Volvo announced Wednesday that it will partner with Epic Games—the studio behind "Fortnite"—to use Epic's Unreal Engine in upcoming cars. This will enable "unparalleled high-quality graphics," Volvo promised in a press...
A proposal to curb the use of heavy-duty pickup trucks on city streets could also impact EVs. The District of Columbia could soon require owners of vehicles weighing more than 6,000 pounds to pay a $500 annual registration fee, about seven times the fee for a normal sedan, Bloomberg reported Thursday. The proposal is mainly targeted at heavy-duty...
Volkswagen is planning a separate United States factory for its planned Scout EV brand, Reuters reported Wednesday. And VW is considering further expanding its U.S. lineup to potentially include more EVs. The automaker plans to decide on a site later this year, VW CEO Herbert Diess said in an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of the World...