Get two solar outdoor lights for $15.50, more in today’s Green Deals

JESLED Lighting via Amazon offers a two-pack of its 14 LED Solar Outdoor Lights for $15.63 Prime shipped when promo code VEJQEX28 is applied during checkout and the on-page coupon is clipped. Easily illuminate your outdoor spaces with these solar lights, and thankfully you won’t have to worry about batteries. 14 LED light bulbs ensure that you’re maximizing energy as well. Rated 4.5/5 stars. Head below for additional Green Deals.

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Source: Charge Forward

Sony’s concept EV embarrasses legacy automakers

The surprise star of the CES tech show seems to be a concept EV from Sony. Yes, that Sony. Is everyone going to get into the EV game now? Who’s next, a vacuum cleaner company?

The electric, autonomous, connected automobile is a new
frontier for electronics companies, and Sony’s VISION-S is a showcase for a
variety of state-of-the-art gadgetry, including sensors, display screens,
driver assistance features and infotainment tech.

The VISION-S has 33 automotive-grade sensors installed both
inside and outside the car, enabling 360-degree recognition of traffic
conditions. Driving assistance features include advanced cruise control,
self-parking, summon and auto-lane change. According to Sony, this corresponds
to “Level 2+” driver assistance, and future software updates could enable Level
4 or higher autonomy.

Inside, there’s an ultra-wide panoramic screen “for driving
information and entertainment,” and three large displays can be aligned
according to the driver’s preference or the driving situation – for example, the
center mirror can show the view from both sides of the vehicle. Signal
processing technology can adjust the brightness of each display if, for
example, there is glare from the headlights of cars behind.

Sensing technology can detect occupants of the vehicle and
recognize them, in order to customize seating and entertainment options. More sensors
analyze the driver’s facial expressions and body movement to gauge concentration
and fatigue levels.

There’s “immersive audio,” individual speakers at each seat, and a host of gee-whiz features that can coordinate the car’s systems with users’ apps. According to Sony, the VISION-S “learns each time people board it, and develops into an intelligent partner.” Over-the-air updates will enable new features.

Sony developed the VISION-S prototype in partnership with several automotive suppliers, including Magna, NVIDIA, Continental, Qualcomm and ZF, and built the vehicle on a new platform that can be applied to coupes, sedans and SUVs.

The VISION-S features an all-wheel-drive two-motor system that
delivers 400 kW (536 hp) of power, a 0-62 mph time of 4.8 seconds and a top
speed of 149 mph.

Sony has not mentioned any plans to produce the VISION-S for
sale, and it seems plain that it’s intended as a demo platform for Sony’s
latest automotive tech. Even so, its existence speaks volumes about today’s
auto market. Sony’s description of the VISION-S reads like a checklist for what
is expected of a modern vehicle (a checklist created and perfected by Tesla): skateboard
chassis; dual motors; autonomy features; big screen; over-the air updates; and
of course, sporty styling and high performance.

As Electrek’s Jameson Dow put it, “This is just another
demonstration of the complete failure of legacy automakers to move on electric
vehicles, and the fact that every other company in the world is looking at this
massive vacuum in the future of the automotive industry and trying to get a
piece of the pie.”

If Sony – hardly a nimble Silicon Valley startup – can build
something like this, what the heck are GM, Toyota and the rest of the dinos
waiting for?

Tesla blamed for giant fire burning down hundreds of cars when old diesel car actually started it

Electric cars, and especially Tesla, were blamed for a giant fire in a parking-garage in Norway that burned hundreds of cars when the investigation showed that an old diesel car actually started it. more…

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Source: Charge Forward

Infineon’s new 900 A IGBT chip offers 30% less static loss

German semiconductor manufacturer Infineon has introduced a new version of its IGBT7 chip in its TRENCHSTOP line that boasts 30% less static loss than previous models.

The 1,200 V module provides a leading nominal current of 900 A. Infineon says this enables a 30% higher inverter output current from the same frame size compared with previous technology. While Infineon is aiming the new chip at industrial drive applications, it says that designers can also use it in commercial, construction, and agricultural vehicles, as well as servo drives, solar inverters, and UPS inverters.

Infineon says the TRENCHSTOP IGBT7 chip performs with much lower static losses compared to the IGBT4, and its on-state voltage is reduced by up to 30% for the same chip area. This brings significant loss reduction, especially for industrial drives, which usually operate at moderate switching frequencies. Infineon also notes that the new IGBT7 has improved both the oscillation behavior and the controllability of the IGBT.

The IGBT7 is part of Infineon’s EconoDUAL 3 family, which features a higher power density. The EconoDUAL 3 module comes with an improved housing for handling higher currents and temperatures. It is available with pre-applied thermal interface material (TIM) for the lowest thermal resistance and longest lifetime.

Are shared electric scooters responsible for e-scooter injuries more than tripling?

A new study released by the University of California has tracked the rate of electric scooter injuries from 2014 to 2018. Findings indicate that the rate of injuries per the number of scooter riders has tripled in that period.

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Source: Charge Forward