Lucid Air buyers get 3 years of free charging from Electrify America

It’s de rigueur these days for automakers to offer a free charging package with a new EV as an added sweetener, to allay drivers’ understandable concern about public charging.

Now Lucid Motors has announced that “all Lucid Air reservations made by the end of 2021 will get complimentary access to unlimited charging of up to 350 kW at the Electrify America network for three years.”

Electrify America is building a comprehensive nationwide network of DC fast charging stations. The network has 556 charging sites live at last count, in almost every state, and some of the CCS stations can charge at a blazing 350 kW.

The Lucid Air boasts an estimated EPA range of up to 517 miles, and it incorporates several advanced charging features. The new EV has a novel 900-volt architecture, and Lucid’s Wunderbox onboard charger is designed to ensure that charging always takes place at the quickest possible rate. Using EA’s fastest machines, Lucid claims that the Air can add up to 300 miles of charge in 20 minutes.

Lucid says the Air will support bidirectional charging (at least when paired with the Lucid Connected Home Charging Station), enabling the car to be used as a backup power source.

Lucid has obviously spent a lot of time thinking about charging. Even the Air’s charging port is “a thing of beauty, with a cover that slides elegantly out of the way for any CCS connector, and a light that illuminates to indicate charging status.”

2,200W e-bike review: The full-suspension Super Monarch Crown AWD hunter edition

Being able to ride an e-bike on an assortment of trails is one thing. But being able to continue with overland riding once the trail has ended takes an entirely different type of e-bike. When you’re cutting your path through fields, forests and deserts, a powerful all-wheel drive e-bike like the Super Monarch Crown AWD 1500 can absolutely get it done.

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Source: Charge Forward

Leclanché introduces modular, all-in-one EV battery system

Leclanché has developed a modular, all-in-one battery system optimized for powering new and retrofit hybrid and electric commercial vehicles.

The INT-39 Energy HV pack is a fully integrated product comprised of Leclanché’s M2 battery modules and the company’s proprietary BMS. It also features built-in liquid cooling and thermal hazard protection.

“INT-39 Energy is a high-energy, safe and efficient lithium-ion battery pack enabling commercial vehicle manufacturers to more easily design and bring to market zero-emission EVs,” said CEO Anil Srivastava. “This plug-and-play modular solution should help drive a new and efficient generation of e-transport vehicles such as e-trucks, municipal service, construction and agricultural applications and e-buses.”

An optional IoT tool allows remote data logging and real-time access to battery status, performance and diagnostic data.

The company’s 60 Ah cells provide a cycle-life of 8,000 cycles at 80% depth of discharge at 1C/1C. INT-39 Energy is available as a 657-volt pack with an energy capacity of 39.4 kWh, and can be expanded to include as many as eight packs providing up to 315 kWh. The system is designed to fit where fuel tanks are normally located, but can be placed into other locations, including vehicle roofs, based on manufacturers’ preferences.

INT-39 Energy HV has been certified for on-road applications by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, ECE R-100.02 rev 2, which addresses the safety requirements specific to the electric powertrain of road vehicles, including rechargeable battery systems. It is also rated to ingress protection level IP65.

Infineon’s 650 V CoolSiC Hybrid Discrete supports bidirectional charging

Infineon‘s new 650 V CoolSiC Hybrid Discrete for Automotive contains a 50 A TRENCHSTOP 5 fast-switching IGBT and a CoolSiC Schottky diode. The combination supports bidirectional charging, making it suitable for fast-switching automotive applications such as onboard chargers, power factor correction, and DC-DC or DC-AC converters.

Infineon says the integrated fast-switching 50 A IGBT enables MOSFET-like turn-off behavior that outperforms pure silicon solutions, achieving 95 to 97 percent system efficiency at a lower cost level, while the CoolSiC Schottky diode supports reduced turn-on and recovery losses. 

“The CoolSiC Hybrid Discrete allows us to simplify driver design, accelerate product development, lower costs and increase system robustness,” said Xu Jinzhu, R&D Director of VMAX, an onboard charger manufacturer that employs the device. “The integrated silicon carbide diodes without reverse recovery charge further optimize the EMC characteristics of the system. This results in greater performance benefits and a better price/performance ratio in topologies such as totem-pole PFC and DAB.”

Green Deals: Gotrax XR Ultra Electric Scooter hits Amazon low at $300, more

Amazon currently offers the Gotrax XR Ultra Electric Scooter for $299.99 shipped when you clip the on-page coupon. Down from $400, today’s deal beats our last mention by $30 and marks a new low that we’ve tracked. This electric scooter features a 7.0Ah battery that delivers a maximum range of up to 17 miles on a single charge. The onboard Smart Battery Management System is built to help extend your battery’s life and keep you riding for longer. With a 300W motor, the Gotrax XR Ultra can drive at up to 15.5 MPH and supports up to 220-pounds, making it great for riders of all sizes. Plus, it can handle hills of up to 15-degrees with ease, allowing you to easily use this for your daily commute. The multifunctional console has a LED display that shows your current speed, modes, battery life, and headlight status. Rated 4.5/5 stars and you can learn more in our hands-on review.

Head below for more deals on electric pressure washers, smart power outlets, and of course Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best Tesla accessories.

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Source: Charge Forward

Electric truck maker Xos goes public in SPAC deal

Xos, a manufacturer of electric Class 5 to Class 8 commercial vehicles, has announced an agreement to go public through a merger with NextGen Acquisition (Nasdaq: NGAC). The combined company will trade on Nasdaq with the new ticker symbol XOS.

The transaction values the combined company at a $2-billion pro forma equity value, and is expected to provide $575 million of gross proceeds to the company.

Xos says it has a backlog of over 6,000 “contracted and optional orders.”

“Since 2019, we have had vehicles on the road and in the hands of our customers, which include UPS, Wiggins, Lonestar and Loomis, validating our durable and low-cost sustainable design,” said Xos co-founder and COO Giordano Sordoni. “Today’s announcement represents a major milestone that allows Xos to expand its vehicle and battery manufacturing capacity, advance our next-generation battery and vehicle control systems, and put thousands more Xos vehicles on the road.”

Xos’s trucks are powered by its proprietary technology, which was developed to meet the needs of commercial fleets. The company offers a Fleet-as-a-Service package that provides vehicle ownership services to fleet operators for a fixed monthly fee—in coordination with partners such as DLL Group (financing services) and Dickinson Fleet Services (vehicle maintenance).

“NextGen reviewed over a hundred potential merger opportunities and conducted in-depth evaluations of several companies in the EV and automotive technology sectors,” added Gregory Summe, Co-Chairman of NextGen. “Based on our work, we believe that Xos is best-positioned to capture the rapidly growing demand for commercial electrical vehicles with a compelling customer offering.”

FEV installs solar simulation test system in US Vehicle Development Center

FEV, a global provider of vehicle and powertrain development services, has upgraded its Vehicle Development Center (VDC) in Auburn Hills with a solar loading system. This upgrade expands FEV’s capabilities to support the development and certification of light- and medium-duty vehicles.

The new solar loading system simulates natural sunlight in a controlled laboratory setting, allowing OEMs to evaluate the impact of vehicle AC systems on EV range.

FEV now has the ability to perform regulatory tests, including testing under US regulations 40 CFR Part 1066. The added capabilities also include the regulatory SC03 test cycle, which is part of the full five-cycle chassis dynamometer certification process for all light-duty and medium-duty vehicles, including EPA range certification for EVs. This upgrade now allows FEV to cover the full range from frigid arctic testing conditions to the sunny desert.

The VDC, opened in 2019, provides full vehicle testing capabilities on a 4WD chassis dynamometer. This includes FWD, RWD and AWD capabilities paired with the ability to test in -20° C through 40° C, sized for vehicles of up to 11,000 pounds. This enables FEV to perform all global test cycles required by the respective regulatory agencies.

“We established the Vehicle Development Center to provide our customers with unique services, including climatic capabilities paired with full emissions measurement and EPA 40 CFR Part 1066 for chassis dyno emissions certification,” said CEO Patrick Hupperich.