Location is everything for high-power DC fast charging

Electrify America DC fast chargers at San Francisco Premium Outlets, Livermore, CaliforniaThe DC fast-charging stations, such as those that are part of the Tesla Supercharger or Electrify America networks, are arguably the ones for which location is the most important. As the type of station that gives drivers the most miles in the least time, they’re critical for selling people on the idea that longer trips can be done with a...

Electric oil tankers: A slick use of renewable energy?

e5 electric oil tankerIt seems even the oil industry is acknowledging that electric transportation is the future. A group of seven Japanese companies formed the eConsortium to promote electric ships. The consortium's first project? An electric oil tanker. Expected to be the world's first zero-emission tanker, it will be powered by "large-capacity lithium ion batteries"...

Pop-up EV charging hubs deemed a success in UK trial

Urban Electric pop-up street-side charging hubs in BritainA trial of pop-up EV charging stations in the United Kingdom has proven successful, showing a possible way to expand urban charging infrastructure without adding clutter. A British company called Urban Electric announced the trial last year, placing prototype pop-up charging "hubs" along streets in Oxford, England. Activated by an app, the...

Nissan electric ambulance curbs the tailpipe emissions

Nissan NV400 electric ambulanceIn a lung-related pandemic, maybe we should be thinking a little more about how many of our existing emergency vehicles—ambulances specifically—have tailpipes and big diesel engines. Working with the Tokyo Fire Department, Nissan converted an ambulance to electric power. It's not the first electric ambulance, but Nissan claims it is...

Lucid Air electric car: Fleet of 40 prototypes temporarily parked

Lucid Air prototypes parkedLucid has temporarily parked a fleet of 40 prototypes for its Air electric sedan and, apparently trying to make the most of the situation, it's released a short video showing the whole fleet of cars parked together. The Air was originally scheduled to appear in production-ready form at the 2020 New York Auto Show, but the event was cancelled due...

Tesla’s battery approach vs. others: Teardown video breaks it down

Tesla Model 3 battery pack teardown, from YouTube video by Sandy Munro, May 2020As other automakers have launched competing electric cars, Tesla has managed to maintain an advantage in several key areas, including batteries. This teardown video provides a glimpse at how Tesla's battery approach differs from that of rivals. Sandy Munro, of Munro & Associates, has been conducting a teardown of a Tesla Model Y. This time, he...

Lordstown Motors tours former GM plant where they’ll build electric pickups

GM Lordstown, Ohio, factoryLordstown Motors was created to build electric pickup trucks at a former General Motors factory in Lordstown, Ohio. While work to launch the truck, named Endurance, is on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, Lordstown released a short video tour of the factory. GM built cars in Lordstown for 53 years, and the current factory was capable of...

Tesla Model Y teardown: Smart cost-cutting, but no hidden V2G potential

Tesla Model YJust as widely expected, the Tesla Model Y battery pack is virtually identical to that of the Model 3. That's a top-level conclusion of Sandy Munro, of Munro & Associates, who has been conducting a teardown of the Model Y, with running commentary comparing the electric crossover to its sedan sibling. In a video comparing the Model Y and Model...

Tesla Roadster was a giant leap for EVs, Jay Leno’s 2008 drive reminds us

Jay Leno drives a 2008 Tesla RoadsterThe original Tesla Roadster marked a milestone for electric cars. It proved that electric cars could be sporty and desirable, paving the way for Tesla's later, higher-volume models. Given Tesla's later successes, it is easy to forget how surprising the first-generation Roadster was when it first went on sale in 2008. Jay Leno's test drive from...

Lucid teases dynamic testing for Air sedan, updates on Arizona factory

Lucid Air cold-weather dynamic testingLucid has just teased something that’s utterly essential in a luxury sedan with 1,000 horsepower on tap: finesse. In a video released today, Lucid presents a short tease of the Lucid Air’s dynamic cold-weather testing, conducted several months ago in Northern Minnesota. The Air is seen on a circle track, getting into both sustained...

Touchless charging: An app summons Aiways’ robotic concierge

Aiways CARL robotic chargingWith a global pandemic forcing people to be more self conscious about the objects they touch, what better time to launch a robotic charging system for electric cars? Chinese startup Always has an idea that is both convenient, and could help reduce anxiety in the current situation. Called CARL, it's a small robot that can be summoned via an app...

Electric flying car racing series heads toward launch by the end of 2020

Airspeeder eVTOL race seriesAn upcoming race series called Airspeeder will test batteries and related technology for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Despite the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic, which has forced traditional race series to postpone or cancel events, a newly-released video indicates organizers still plan to hold races before the end...

Formula E electric-car racing busts 5 persisting EV myths

2019 Jaguar I-Pace electric car (crossover SUV)Despite the growing number of electric cars in production, EVs are still new and different to most drivers. Ignorance of the technology has allowed various electric car myths to persist. Formula E—the all-electric racing series—put together this video busting five EV myths that just don't seem to go away. One myth is that electric cars...

Retractable car cover claimed to gain miles of EV range each day

Gazelle Tech urban EV with solar car coverAs solar cells gain affordability and flexibility, they’re no longer the exclusive domain of house rooftops. For electric cars, garages, and everything in, there's plenty of room for some creative ideas. One such idea was introduced in February by the French company Armor, and as reported in PV Magazine, makes the solar cells part of a...

Hyundai has 5 reminders for making your EV battery last longer

2020 Hyundai Ioniq ElectricElectric cars require much less maintenance than internal-combustion vehicles, but owners still need to be aware of certain maintenance practices. This video from Hyundai offers five tips for maximizing battery life. The first tip is to try to keep the battery from discharging to low levels, specifically below 20% capacity. That goes hand in hand...