The Auto Industry Bets Its Future on Batteries
Carmakers, government agencies and investors are pouring money into battery research in a global race to profit from emission-free electric cars.
Electric Cars, Cool. But When?
What we need to get to a future of energy-efficient cars.
E.V.s Force Carmakers to Reinvent the Wheel, and Brakes, and Mirrors …
Building electric cars, and repairing them, will require a huge change for the industry and usher in a new automotive era.
G.M. Wants to Make Electric Cars. China Dominates the Market.
With government support and lavish subsidies, Chinese companies have come to dominate the market for batteries, motors and other essentials Detroit may need for its new fleets.
British Auto Industry Risks Slow Decline After Brexit
Lacking a strong domestic battery industry, Britain may be left behind by the shift to electric cars.
BP partner StoreDot produces cells with 5-minute fast-charging tech
Isareli startup StoreDot has long promised a Holy Grail of battery technology: a battery that can recharge in about the same amount of time it takes to pump gasoline. Now the startup is delivering the first samples of its so-called "five-minute charge" lithium-ion battery cells. The sample cells were produced to show off the technology to... Emergency responders need more training on EV fires, NTSB warns
First responders need more training to deal with the possible fire risk from crashed electric cars, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said in a report released Wednesday. In high-speed crashes with high impact forces, lithium-ion battery cells are likely to be damaged, creating a fire risk, the NTSB said in a press release... Nio ET7 flagship teases 150-kwh solid-state battery, arrival in 2022
Chinese automaker Nio is launching a flagship electric car with an available 150-kilowatt-hour battery pack, and when it's scheduled to start deliveries in early 2022, it could be the first mass-produced passenger car anywhere in the world—yes, before Tesla—to have solid-state battery technology. The Nio ET7 sedan will also feature... Nio teases 150-kwh battery, next-gen battery swapping for flagship sedan
Chinese automaker Nio on Tuesday revealed that a 150-kilowatt-hour battery pack and a next-generation battery-swapping system will be rolled out with its upcoming flagship sedan. Previewed with a shadowy teaser image, the sedan will debut as part of the Nio Day event January 9. Until then, the company is keeping most other details—like any... German Automakers Are Charged Up and Ready to Take on Tesla
As Tesla completes a factory in Berlin, Mercedes-Benz and Audi are introducing electric cars in bids to defend their dominance of the luxury market.
The Gospel of Hydrogen Power
Mike Strizki powers his house and cars with hydrogen he home-brews. He is using his retirement to evangelize for the planet-saving advantages of hydrogen batteries.
Startup aims to be a Carfax for EVs, with battery health reports
Carfax vehicle-history reports aim to expose any hidden faults in used cars, such as damage from crashes. Seattle-based startup Recurrent now plans to provide a similar service focusing specifically on EV battery health. "Battery health is the new odometer for electric vehicles, and we're bringing transparency to it," Recurrent CEO Scott Case said... Electric self-driving Apple car reportedly to use next-level battery tech in 2024
Apple is planning to launch an electric car in 2024 with radical new battery tech, Reuters reported Monday. Despite an apparent slowdown in what is sometimes referred to as "Project Titan," the iPhone maker is moving ahead with plans for a complete car that will be sold to consumers, according to the report, which cited anonymous sources familiar... EV battery pack prices fell 13% in 2020, some are already below $100/kwh
Electric-car battery-pack prices have fallen 13% in 2020, in some cases reaching a crucial milestone for affordability, according to an annual report released Wednesday by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). Average prices have dropped from $1,100 per kilowatt-hour to $137 per kwh, decrease of 89% over the past decade, according to the analysis... Toyota EV with solid-state batteries: 10-minute full charge, prototype reportedly due in 2021
Toyota hopes to be the first automaker to launch an electric car with solid-state batteries, aiming to unveil a prototype next year, ahead of a production launch relatively soon after that, Nikkei Asia reported Thursday. The automaker expects electric cars powered by solid-state batteries to have more than twice the range of vehicles using current... QuantumScape battery tech: A fast-charging electric-car game-changer?
Volkswagen-backed startup QuantumScape on Tuesday revealed new data showing the capabilities of its solid-state battery tech. Several companies are working to develop solid-state batteries, which use a solid electrolyte instead of the liquid or gel used in current lithium-ion battery cells. But QuantumScape claims to be ahead of competitors in... Bigger batteries vs. weight reduction: Neither way of boosting EV range is cheap, report shows
Range anxiety remains one of the biggest obstacles to widespread electric-car adoption, but two of the main ways to increase range are proving expensive, according to a new report from Lux Research. Bigger battery packs cost more, but reducing weight may not be cost effective, according to the report, which established a threshold of less than $5... Ford considers making its own batteries for EVs, as it builds up “digital ecosystem”
Ford CEO Jim Farley on Friday said that the company is considering making its own electric vehicle batteries. “We are discussing (battery) cell manufacturing,” Farley said, according to Reuters, at a Reuters Automotive Summit virtual event. “I think that’s natural as (EV) volume grows.” That’s a very different... California Is Trying to Jump-Start the Hydrogen Economy
The fuel could play an important role in fighting climate change, but it has been slow to gain traction because of high costs.
Nio offers 100-kwh battery pack, more range in subscription-based upgrade
Chinese automaker Nio on Friday unveiled its first 100-kilowatt-hour battery pack, which will be offered as a subscription-based upgrade to existing vehicles, with "pre-orders" opening November 7. This adds to Nio's "battery as a service" model that involves purchasing the vehicle but paying a monthly fee for the use of the battery pack. That was...