By mmillikin On the heels of the C-V2X direct communications program launch last week in San Diego, Qualcomm announced the launch of a new C-V2X pilot program in Honolulu. Applied Information will exclusively implement C-V2X technologies developed by Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., while working with the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) and the University of Hawaii…
By mmillikin Researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have analyzed 20 cryptocurrencies—accounting for more than 98% of the total market capitalization of cryptocurrencies—and found that Bitcoin accounts for 2/3 of the total energy consumption of cryptocurrencies. Understudied cryptocurrencies represent the remaining 1/3. Their paper is published in the journal Joule. Bitcoin is a…
By mmillikin Extreme E, the new electric off-road motor racing championship, is in advanced talks with Fisker Inc. on a series partnership and potential works team entrance. Extreme E, starting early 2021, is a new electric racing series which will see electric SUVs go head to head in extreme locations around the world—including arctic, desert,…
By mmillikin FCA and Waymo have expanded their autonomous driving technology partnership; FCA became Waymo’s first OEM partner in 2016. Waymo will now work exclusively with FCA as its preferred partner for the development and testing of class 1-3 light commercial vehicles for goods movement for commercial delivery customers, including Waymo Via. The two companies…
By mmillikin Motiv Power Systems, a sustainable technology company delivering all-electric chassis with a proven software platform for the electrification of medium-duty trucks and buses, announced the deployment of its first electric trolley with the Town of Estes Park in Colorado, with one more planned. The Town operates a free shuttle service during the peak…
By mmillikin China-based Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) and Honda have signed an agreement to form a comprehensive strategic alliance on new energy vehicle batteries to strengthen their strategic partnership and promote the popularization of electrified vehicles. This agreement will enable the two companies to begin discussions on a broad range of areas including…
By mmillikin Mercedes-Benz has entered a far-reaching strategic partnership with the Chinese battery cell manufacturer Farasis Energy (Ganzhou) Co., Ltd., including taking an equity stake. Key elements of the agreement include the development and industrialization of advanced cell technologies, accompanied by ambitious goals for cost competitiveness. The technological focus is on significant increases in range…
By mmillikin A team from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Idaho National Laboratory has produced a detailed assessment of the current levelized cost of light-duty electric-vehicle charging (LCOC) in the United States, considering when, where, and how EVs are charged. The LCOC includes costs associated with the purchase and installation of charging…
By mmillikin Israel-based IRP Systems, a provider of electric powertrain products, raised $17 million in Series B funding. The round was led by Chinese VC Fosun RZ capital, with additional funds provided by JAL ventures, previous investor Entrée Capital, Tal Capital, Union Tech Ventures, Cendana Capital and Allied Group subsidiary Champion Motors, the Israeli direct…
By mmillikin While there is global potential to generate renewable energy at costs already competitive with fossil fuels, a means of storing and transporting this energy at a very large scale is a roadblock to large-scale investment, development and deployment. Ammonia produced from renewables can be a viable liquid fuel replacement for many current-day uses…
By mmillikin The joint venture between Volkswagen Group and the Swedish battery producer Northvolt AB (earlier post) is gaining further momentum. Volkswagen itself will erect the buildings and infrastructure for the joint venture’s “Northvolt Zwei” factory that is to produce lithium-ion battery cells, in order to leverage synergies at the Salzgitter site—based on the existing…
By mmillikin Researchers at the University of Texas have discovered that introducing tellurium (Te) into a Li-Sulfur system as a cathode additive significantly improves the reversibility of Li plating/stripping by forming a tellurized and sulfide-rich solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer on the Li surface. The introduction of Te as a cathode additive in Li-S batteries greatly…
By mmillikin Charging-as-a-service provider AMPLY Power is managing the charging of electric buses for Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority, which is operating under the name Tri Delta Transit. AMPLY identified 40% of annual energy savings its managed charging software platform could realize, while guaranteeing vehicles were charged and ready to work each day. AMPLY expects…
By mmillikin by Michael Sivak, Sivak Applied Research. This brief note analyzes the changes in the price of gasoline during the first 13 weeks of 2020 and compares them with the changes during the first 13 weeks of 2019. The raw data (the average retail price of regular gasoline) came from the U.S. Energy Information…
By mmillikin Ford Motor Company, in collaboration with GE Healthcare, will begin producing in Michigan the Airon pNeuton model A ventilator with the goal to produce 50,000 of the needed units within 100 days and up to 30,000 a month thereafter as needed. Established in 1997, Airon Corporation is a privately held company; its patented…