By mmillikin The US Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office published a notice of intent to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) titled “Fiscal Year 2020 Advanced Vehicle Technologies Research FOA.” This FOA may include the following topics: Lithium-ion batteries using silicon-based anode. The objective of this potential area of interest is to research, fabricate,…
By mmillikin The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has selected BAE Systems to supply electric power and propulsion systems for its transit buses. BAE Series-ER (Electric Range) systems will operate on 68 transit buses and support designated green zone routes throughout San Francisco that are free of emissions. BAE’s series hybrid system features no…
By mmillikin Volkswagen Group of America (VWGoA) has joined The Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium (AVSC). The group, which includes automakers and technology companies, is focused on jointly developing standards and best practices for testing and deploying highly automated vehicles for the future. It’s important that the industry work together in the development of standards and…
By mmillikin In the future, the Mercedes-Benz plant in Untertürkheim will manufacture and assemble parts of electric powertrains (eATS). The eATS consists essentially of three subsystems: an electric motor, its power electronics and the transmission. The power-transmission wheelset and other components such as the electrohydraulic control system will also be manufactured in Untertürkheim. The assembly…
By mmillikin The Fisker Ocean all-electric luxury SUV (earlier post) will make its public debut at Consumer Electronics Show 2020 in Las Vegas. Fisker also announced a partnership with Electrify America, the largest, open DC Fast charging network for EVs in the United States. Drivers will enjoy a frictionless charging experience and more than 200…
By mmillikin BYD has secured the largest single order to date for full battery-electric buses in Europe in a deal with Keolis Nederland BV, the Dutch subsidiary of global public transport provider, Keolis. The landmark order comprises 259 BYD eBuses scheduled for programmed delivery from next summer. For Keolis Nederland, BYD’s 8.7-meter midi bus, 12-meter…
By mmillikin California is joining with seven other states and the District of Columbia in committing to develop an action plan to put hundreds of thousands more zero-emission trucks and buses on their roads and highways. The partners will present a proposed memorandum of understanding to the governors of the states and the mayor of…
By mmillikin The BMW Group uses a growing number of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in production. For example, AI relieves workers of monotonous tasks such as checking whether the warning triangle is placed in the right spot in the trunk. This task is now performed by a camera and self-learning software that compares the camera’s…
By mmillikin The Mercedes-Benz Dusseldorf plant has started production of the Mercedes-Benz eSprinter. (Earlier post.) Mercedes-Benz has been building its globally successful vans in Dusseldorf since 1962; more than 4.6 million vehicles have been produced in Dusseldorf to date. Since 2018, production of the newest Sprinter has also taken place there, with more than 200,000…
By mmillikin by Michael Sivak. Ten years ago, I published an analysis showing that the risk of driving in the United States was lowest during late winter and early spring and highest during fall. That analysis covered years 1994 through 2006. The present study examined whether this pattern still holds. The calculations used the monthly…
By mmillikin As part of its electromobility expansion, the BMW Group is deepening its existing business relationship with Ganfeng Lithium based in Jiangxi (China). The two companies have signed a 5-year (2020 – 2024) supply contract for the lithium needed as a key raw material for battery cells. Ganfeng is the world’s third-largest and China’s…
By mmillikin The European Commission has approved under EU State aid rules an Important Project of Common European interest (IPCEI) jointly notified by Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Sweden to support research and innovation in the common European priority area of batteries. The seven Member States will provide in the coming years up…
By mmillikin Ballard Power Systems has signed a product development agreement with Hydrogene de France (HDF Energy), an independent power producer dedicated to renewable power generation, for the development and integration of a multi-megawatt (MW) scale fuel cell system into HDF Energy’s Renewstable power plant designed for stationary power applications. HDF Energy’s Renewstable power plant…
By mmillikin by Michael Sivak. This article is the latest in a series that examines recent changes in various aspects of road transportation in the United States. The focus here is on distance driven per person as opposed to total distance driven (which depends, in part, on the continuously increasing size of the U.S. population)….
By mmillikin The BMW Group and Great Wall Motor have launched a new joint venture—Spotlight Automotive Limited—and are building a joint plant in China, where the BMW Group will produce future fully-electric models of its MINI brand. The plant will have a standard capacity of up to 160,000 vehicles per year, which will require around…