Everybody loves lithium, but mining it does have an environmental footprint. Everybody (around here) hates oil, which has a much bigger footprint. But what if I told you that there’s a way to extract lithium from existing oil wells, and that it’s not only greener than other lithium extraction methods, but could even clean up some of the damage from the oil drilling? How much would you pay? Well, petroleum producer Imperial Oil was willing to fork over $6.35 million—that’s how much the company recently invested in E3 Lithium, a Calgary-based company that has developed a technology to extract the...

The Biden Administration has now approved Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plans (EVIDPs) for all 50 States, DC and Puerto Rico, ahead of schedule. The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, requires each state to develop an EVIDP. Now that these have been approved, all states now have access to NEVI formula funding for fiscal years 2022 and 2023—a total of more than $1.5 billion. State DOTs, in cooperation with the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, were able to begin staffing and other activities related to the development of their plans prior to...

EV conversion specialist Electrofit has unveiled its first electric crate motor. The CM100KW1 is a permanent magnet synchronous (PMS) motor that includes a built-in inverter designed to reduce cost and complexity. The motor can be used to drive an existing gearbox, or can be connected to an  OEM single-speed transmission. The configurable OEM motor and inverter assembly is supplied with a kit of components comprising a power cable (500 mm long), communications cable and coolant pipe connectors. The CM100KW1 features input voltage of 280-420 V, a power rating of 50 kW continuous or 100-150 peak; and motor torque of 260...

Amid the growing interest in battery electric vehicles, the industry still faces numerous challenges to gain wider adoption in the market. Join this session at our Fall Virtual Conference on EV Engineering, presented by Chroma, where we will address the battery-specific issues manufacturers are encountering today. Reserve your spot—it’s free! Other sessions at our Spring Virtual Conference include: The Spectrum of Simulation: From Single Design Validation to Full-Scale Programmatic Optimization EV manufacturers need to design innovative battery solutions for a fast-growing customer base with an increasing range of product portfolio requirements while maintaining a leading position in the ultra-competitive EV...

The day when all EVs can charge at any and all charging stations just moved a little closer, as Tesla announced the availability of a CCS adapter in the US. Of course, Tesla drivers can use the company’s superlative Supercharger network, but until now they’ve been unable to use most non-Tesla DC fast chargers in the US, as most of these use the CCS standard. Note that this is only an issue for DC fast charging, and mainly in the States. Tesla drivers have long been able to use any Level 2 public charger by means of a simple and...

ABB has introduced a new “modular and repeatable” manufacturing methodology designed to facilitate the establishment of new battery plants. ABB’s Plant Optimization Methodology uses electrification, instrumentation, control and digital technology (EICD), the ABB Adaptive Execution project approach, and continual operational support to help battery manufacturers establish new plants and scale up gigafactories. “The methodology leverages the value of early collaboration, through ABB’s Adaptive Execution, to optimize plant design and performance by helping to minimize greenfield site project changes,” says ABB. “In doing so, it compresses manufacturing schedules, reduces start-up hours and delivers CapEx and OpEx savings.” “Unlike traditional approaches, which...

Auto dealers have long been considered a bottleneck for EV sales, and automakers that are serious about selling EVs are working closely with their dealers to make the necessary changes (and to weed out those who really don’t want to go electric). Ford has now unveiled an electrification strategy to its  3,000-strong dealer network. Dealers have until October 31 to decide whether they will invest in one of two certified EV tiers to partake in Ford’s Model e EV business. Only those dealers who buy in will be authorized to sell EVs from the beginning of 2024. In March, Ford...

The car that once advertised itself as “The Standard of the World” will go all-electric. Can the US luxury brand reinvent itself for a modern era…and for China? Among cutting-edge automotive buyers—the glitterati of Los Angeles, the tech millionaires of Silicon Valley, the finance titans of Wall Street—only one Cadillac is widely recognized. It’s a truck, specifically the Escalade SUV, the gussied-up, very successful ultra-luxury version of the Chevy Suburban.  Almost 19 feet long, almost 3 tons in curb weight, the Escalade ESV (most often in black) is a staple of affluent driveways and high-end car services across the country....

To someone who isn’t involved in power electronics design, it might seem unreal that the amount of power a component can handle depends more on how effectively waste heat can be removed from it than it does on the specific electrical ratings. Sure, the voltage and current ratings are important (especially the voltage rating), but the most important specs concern the thermal performance and limits. More specifically, it is the maximum allowed junction temperature and the thermal resistances that really dictate power rating.  For example, a few key specs from the datasheet for a modern Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFET in...

How healthy is your battery pack? As the old saw goes, if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. As the EV ecosystem develops, there will be an increasing need to measure and manage the performance of battery cells. Cell manufacturers need a standardized way to evaluate test data for new cells; EV designers need to predict how different cells will perform in their vehicles; fleet operators need a way to monitor the health of the packs in their vehicles; providers of second-life battery applications need to measure the remaining capacity of used batteries; and used-car buyers would like...