Electric Vehicle News

ACEINNA’s new high-power current sensors work with systems up to 65 amps 

ACEINNA’s new ±65 A MCx1101 Current Sensor is the company’s most accurate and highest-bandwidth current sensor. Designed for WBG (wide-bandgap) applications, and available in 3.3- and 5-volt versions, this AMR-based (Anisotropic Magnetoresistive) current sensor is designed for a wide range of power systems and applications. 

The MCx1101’s fast response and high bandwidth is designed for fast-switching SiC- and GaN-based power stages. It enables power system designers to make use of the higher speeds and smaller components enabled by wide-bandgap switches. Output step response time is 0.3 μs. The sensor also provides an integrated over-current detection flag to help implement the OCD (Over-Current Detection) feature required in modern power systems. Over-current detection response time is 0.2 μs.

The sensors are designed to deliver a combination of high accuracy, 1.5 MHz signal bandwidth with industry benchmark phase shift vs frequency, fast output step response and 4.8 kV isolation, making them ideal for current sensing in fast-current control loops and protection for high-performance power supplies, inverters, and motor control applications. In addition to the new ±65-amp version, the sensor family includes ±50, ±20, and ±5-amp ranges, and is offered in both fixed-gain (MCA1101) and ratiometric-gain (MCR1101) versions.

“ACEINNA’s MCx1101 current sensors are fully integrated, bidirectional and provide much higher DC and AC accuracy and dynamic range compared with alternative solutions,” says Teoman Ustun, ACEINNA VP of Marketing. “For example, the new ±65-amp versions have a typical accuracy of ±3%. This new current sensor utilizes an industry standard SOIC-16 package with a low-impedance (0.9 milliohm) current path, and is UL/IEC/EN60950-1 certified for isolated applications.”

Tesla expands system to prevent gas cars from ICEing Superchargers

If there’s one thing that will make a greenie see red, it’s pulling up to a public charging stall only to find that it’s been ICEd out by a gas-burning vehicle (which always seems to be a giant truck or SUV with bellicose bumper stickers).

In 2019, Tesla began testing anti-ICEing devices that pop up from the ground to block unauthorized use at some Supercharging stations in China. The system didn’t sound very convenient, however—Tesla drivers had to use a QR code and a third-party app to operate the floor-mounted locking devices.

Now Tesla is expanding and upgrading the system. Chinese Tesla drivers can now unlock the devices directly from the Tesla app, and it appears that the gadgets are being installed at all new Superchargers in China. Electrek reports that the de-ICEers have appeared at new Supercharger sites in Xiamen, Tianjin and Urumqi.

There’s no word of any plans to expand the system to other markets. In the event that someone at Tesla is reading this: Please bring these ingenious devices to the US!

St Petersburg, Florida’s PSTA hopes to deploy 60 new electric buses

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, which serves Charged’s home city of St Petersburg, Florida, hopes to add 60 electric buses to its fleet over the next five years. The PSTA board has unanimously approved an agreement with bus-maker Gillig to provide the 60 new e-buses.

The procurement, which is expected to cost $80 million, including charging infrastructure, will be subject to the availability of funds. PSTA is depending on the implementation of the $1.2-trillion federal infrastructure bill, which includes $39 billion in funding for public transit.

“We will be [purchasing the buses] based on the amount of grant funding we have in place at any given time,” said PSTA Chief Finance Officer Debbie Leous. “We will be placing the first order on this procurement by buying two years’ worth of buses. We will be seeing 12 electric buses received by 2023 and another 12 by the end of 2024.”

PSTA bought its first two e-buses in 2017, and currently operates six. The agency uses both overnight charging at depots and en route charging stations, including an inductive charging station built by Utah-based WAVE. Local utility Duke Energy has contributed to funding the charging infrastructure. 

PSTA estimates that each of its electric buses saves around $20,000 per year in fuel costs.

White House releases plan to grow US’s EV charging network to 500,000 stations

The White House released today its plan on spending the $7.5 billion on electric vehicle infrastructure with the goal to grow the US’s national EV charging network to 500,000 charging stations.

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The post White House releases plan to grow US’s EV charging network to 500,000 stations appeared first on Electrek.


Source: Charge Forward

NGen invests $1.3 million in NOVONIX for cathode facility in Nova Scotia

Lithium-ion battery firm NOVONIX has received 1.675 million Canadian dollars ($1.3 million US) from Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen) as part of a larger investment in building a battery development and manufacturing facility in Nova Scotia.

According to NOVONIX, “The new facility will play a key role in building a Canadian battery materials supply chain, limiting the current dependence on Asia and capitalizing on the tremendous growth in this sector created by the increased demand for electric vehicles and grid energy storage.”

NGen is a non-profit organization composed of manufacturers, technology firms and researchers that share the goal of developing advanced manufacturing in Canada. NGen’s investment in the NOVONIX project is part of some $14 million it plans to invest to build a facility in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia for producing cathodes, with support from Canadian construction and manufacturing company Well Engineered.