The Greenworks 20-inch 40V Pole Saw is $69, more in today’s Green Deals

Amazon offers the Greenworks 20-inch 40V Pole Saw and Hedge Trimmer for $69.37 shipped. Be sure to note this model does not come with a battery. That’s down $20 from the regular going rate. Notable specs here include a 40-inch saw that’s backed by a 40V motor, plus three different cutting positions. Rated 4.2/5 stars by over 1,000 Amazon customers.

Head below for more deals on Segway electric scooters, and of course Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals.

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Source: Charge Forward

New Ford F-150 plug-in hybrid is reported to offer about 10 miles of EV range

Two years ago, Ford outlined its plans for 40 so-called electrified vehicles in its global lineup by 2022. The company said 16 would be purely electric, and the rest would be plug-in hybrids – with a focus on its most iconic, mainstream vehicles. News is starting to trickle out about the plug-in hybrid version of the ultra-iconic F-150 pickup, with Car and Driver reporting that it will only offer around 10 miles of all-electric range.

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Source: Charge Forward

Tesla China shipments soar as Shanghai Gigafactory ramps up

A report from a Chinese trade group seems to confirm what we all suspected: Tesla’s impressive delivery numbers for the first quarter were boosted by a surge of shipments in China. The company’s wholesale March deliveries in China were 10,160 units, according to Cui Dongshu, Secretary General of the China Passenger Car Association (via Bloomberg). This represents more than double the February figure, and a hefty chunk of China’s total of 47,000 EV deliveries for the month.

Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory reopened February 10, after
being closed for less than two weeks. Local authorities reportedly were especially
accommodating to the California carmaker, helping it minimize the production
interruption. Tesla
plants in the US seem likely to suffer substantially more downtime.

The latest China figures are encouraging, but they represent
the number of cars leaving the factory—it’s unclear how many of those vehicles
were delivered to customers. Actual registration figures are to be released
later this month. In February, Tesla registrations dropped 35% compared to
January, to 2,314 units, according to the China Automotive Information Net.

Cree’s 650 V SiC MOSFETs designed for onboard EV charging

Cree recently released the Wolfspeed 650 V silicon carbide MOSFET series, designed for the next generation of onboard EV chargers, data centers and renewable energy systems.

“Cree is leading the global transition from silicon to silicon carbide, and our new 650 V MOSFET family is the next step in delivering a high-powered solution to a broader application base, including industrial applications,” said Cengiz Balkas, Senior VP of Wolfspeed. “The 650 V MOSFETs deliver power efficiencies that help today’s biggest technology leaders create the next generation of onboard EV chargers, data centers, and energy storage solutions to reshape our cloud and renewable energy infrastructures.”

Cree says its new 15 mΩ and 60 mΩ 650 V devices deliver up to 20 percent lower switching losses than competing silicon carbide MOSFETs, and provide the lowest on-state resistances for higher efficiency and power-dense solutions. Available in surface-mount and through-hole packages, the new MOSFETs enable bi-directional flow in EV onboard charging systems, and can also be used in general-purpose applications such as switching power supplies.

Heraeus’s Pennsylvania plant receives certification for automotive quality

Heraeus Electronics has received IATF-16949 certification from the International Automotive Task Force (IATF) for its site in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. IATF-16949 is the International Standard for Automotive Quality Management Systems.

“In a highly competitive environment like the automotive industry, a high level of efficiency and quality must be guaranteed,” says Heraeus President Klemens Brunner. 

At its Pennsylvania site, Heraeus focuses on the production of thick-film materials such as conductive, dielectric and resistive inks. Thick-film technology is used in many areas of electronics, including the automotive industry, where a high degree of reliability and quality is required. In addition to thick film production, the site has an R&D facility and SMT customer application center.

MORE: Heraeus helps companies learn to use cutting-edge materials to improve EV electronics

Envision Solar’s next-gen EV ARC 2020 features more parking area, flood resistance

Envision Solar (Nasdaq: EVSI) has launched a new generation of its EV ARC solar-powered EV charging stations. This evolution of the signature EV ARC series, already used in more than 100 US municipalities, sports a re-engineered S-curved column with electronic components and energy storage elevated to the underside of the sun-tracking solar canopy. As a result, the new design is flood-proof to 9.5 feet, and provides extra space to park on the cambered ballast pad. An engineering improvement to EnvisionTrak, the Company’s patented sun tracking technology, means that the solar array can be deployed through a 360-degree arc, and can therefore accommodate any angled parking space.

“We never stop listening to our customers, and their wishes have informed several significant improvements for the EV ARC 2020,” said Desmond Wheatley, CEO of Envision Solar. “The new form factor expands emergency preparedness and energy resiliency, and serves areas threatened by floods and rising sea levels, while continuing to offer all the benefits delivered by the previous generation of EV ARC products.”

The EV ARC 2020 is an off-grid solar-powered EV charger that requires no trenching, no construction, no permitting, no utility bill, and can be deployed in minutes. It generates enough solar electricity per day to power up to 225 miles of EV driving. EV ARC DC fast charging systems provide up to 1,100 miles per day. Energy is stored in the EV ARC product’s on-board energy storage for charging day or night, and to provide EV charging and emergency power during grid failure.

Envision’s zero-touch deployment capability allows it to be
delivered safely and hygienically. The company’s deployment deliver the fully
operational product to the site and depart after completing a sanitizing
process for all user interfaces.

“Nearly 40 percent of the US population live in coastal
areas threatened by rising sea levels,” added Mr. Wheatley. “Regions that are
increasingly at risk from rising sea levels and other flood threats are looking
for infrastructure that will survive and continue to fuel their vehicles and
provide emergency power. The EV ARC 2020 gives them a fueling solution and a
source of emergency power that is sustainable, reliable, green and will
continue to provide service during and after the most severe conditions.”

Tesla sales in China hit record high during the pandemic, represent 25% of country’s EV sales

Tesla’s sales in China hit a record high in March despite the coronavirus pandemic, and it represented 25% of the country’s electric vehicle sales during the period. more…

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Source: Charge Forward

EGEB: A world first: Offshore oil and gas platforms to be powered — by wind

In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):

  • Equinor offshore oil and gas platforms will be first to be powered by a floating offshore wind farm.
  • Air pollution really does increase coronavirus deaths. Here’s why.
  • Poll: US voters of both parties strongly favor wind energy.

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Source: Charge Forward