Review: Don't buy the 2023 Vinfast VF 8 City Edition

2023 Vinfast VF 8 City EditionIn April of last year Green Car Reports went to Vietnam for an early preview of the Vinfast VF 8 prototype. After a quick spin on a test track, it was obvious the mid-size electric SUV needed some serious time in the oven before it might be fully ready for U.S. consumers. After just over 365 days of additional baking, the knife still isn’t…
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Volkswagen introduces a new electric drive for ID. EVs

Volkswagen is launching a new APP550 rear-wheel electric drive for its ID. series of electric models. The first EV with the new drive generation in a 210 kW (286 PS) variant will be available by year’s end.

The powertrain’s maximum torque is roughly 550 Nm, depending on the vehicle’s gear ratio, improving power development at standstill and higher speeds. The stator has a higher effective number of windings and a bigger wire cross-section, while the rotor features stronger permanent magnets with a higher load capacity. The new drive also incorporates an energy-saving cooling system without an electric oil pump. The gear wheels, oil supply and distribution components allow the system to cool itself. For higher power efficiency, the inverter has been developed to supply high-phase currents.

“We developed a new drive that achieves significant improvements in performance and efficiency in spite of being subject to the same constraints,” Karsten Bennewitz, Volkswagen’s Head of Powertrain and Energy Systems in Development. “The result shows that we were able to reduce the use of raw materials, while at the same time achieving a considerable increase in vehicle efficiency.”

ABB E-mobility and Scania successfully test Megawatt Charging System

Scania has successfully installed and tested a pilot Megawatt Charging System from ABB E-mobility. Deploying this high-power charging solution could enable operators to halve the charging time for heavy-duty vehicles, says Scania.

Scania calls the testing, which was done to prove the technical viability of high-current charging, a first important step towards a future system, which will result in the progressive deployment of high-power MCS chargers, starting with current levels of 1,500 amps and eventually delivering the full MCS scope of up to 3,000 amps.

Scania and ABB E-mobility have both been instrumental in developing MCS in collaboration with CharIN (the MCS standard is expected to be finalized in 2024).

Scania calls MCS technology “critical” for long-haul electric trucks, as both driving time and resting time for drivers are regulated by law. In some jurisdictions, a commercial vehicle can be driven for a maximum of 4.5 hours before the driver needs to take a 45-minute break. During this time, the truck needs to add enough energy to the battery to operate for another 4.5 hours. Due to the size of the batteries, fast, high-power charging is essential.

“We see momentum for electric transport, and our goal is that 50 percent of all vehicles we sell annually by 2030 are electric,” says Fredrik Allard, Head of E-mobility at Scania. “To achieve this goal will require infrastructure, and MCS is a crucial piece of the puzzle.”

Scania is now offering trucks with the MCS pre-standard connector to customers with specific needs, and production is set to begin in 2024. ABB E-mobility will introduce the next iteration of its MCS technology in late 2024/early 2025.

INFICON releases ELT3000 PLUS electrolyte leak detector for Li-ion and sodium-ion batteries

INFICON, a leak-testing device and instrument manufacturer, has released an upgraded electrolyte leak detector for in-line leak testing of batteries.

The ELT3000 PLUS directly detects electrolyte solvent leakage into a vacuum chamber to test ready-filled lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries in all cell formats. It has manual and automatic in-line leak detection modes for fast cycle times and high throughput in series manufacturing, and can simultaneously test multiple cells. INFICON says it’s method identifies leaks with all cell formats, including prismatic, round or button cells and soft pouch cells.

With its automated calibration capability, the ELT3000 PLUS can monitor different electrolyte leakages in 30 seconds and transfer all test results to each plant’s quality system in real-time. The ELT3000 PLUS can evaluate leaks a few micrometers in diameter at 5.10-7 mbar.I/s (helium equivalent leak rate), reducing the risk of battery failure from water or humidity. The smallest detectable leak rate of its predecessor, the ELT3000, was 1.10-6 mbar.l/s.

“With its high throughput and accuracy, integrating the ELT3000 PLUS into the production line will add only seconds to cell production and it can save millions in costly recalls from malfunctioning lithium-ion battery cells,” said Thomas Parker, an INFICON Sales Manager. “The ELT3000 PLUS operates to ISO standards and can easily integrate into a lithium-ion battery cell production line.” 

VinFast VF 8 (City Edition) first drive: A solid start, but there’s always room for improvement

As flagship VF 8 models continue to make their way over to North America, Electrek was invited to VinFast’s first media drive event, and I was one of the first to experience the limited run City Edition SUV. While there is certainly room for improvement, VinFast is off to a promising start with the VF 8 – below are my thoughts.

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Source: Charge Forward