VW has released the first images of the new ID. SPACE VIZZION electric wagon concept that they plan to fully unveil at the LA Auto Show in two weeks. more…
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The post VW releases first images of new electric wagon concept to come to production in 2021 appeared first on Electrek.
Source: Charge Forward
Bel Power Solutions has launched the 700INV60-120-240-9G, a DC-AC inverter for powering accessories on commercial electric and hybrid vehicles. The inverter converts a DC power source into split-phase AC power at 120/240 volts to power auxiliary equipment such as air conditioning.
The 6-kW inverter has an efficiency of 93 percent, according to Bel, and can be paralleled into a single-phase configuration for an output of 36 kW. Liquid cooling enables the inverter to operate at temperatures of -40º C to 85º C with no power derating.
A Controller Area Network (CAN bus) can be used to control the inverter, which features minimum vibration immunity that meets SAE J1455 and MIL-STD-202G standards. Additional protections include over-temperature, output over-voltage, and over-current conditions.
Source: Bel
Source: Electric Vehicles Magazine
It’s rare for any current Tesla exec whose name isn’t Musk to speak to the press, so Ryan McCaffrey pulled off a coup when he scored an interview with Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen for his Ride the Lightning podcast.
Holzhausen, the designer of Models S, X, 3, Y and the Tesla
Semi, discusses Tesla’s design language and the challenges of creating
compelling EVs in a lengthy interview that’s well worth listening to in its
entirety.
Holzhausen worked for VW, GM and Mazda before being
personally recruited to Tesla by Elon Musk. Why leave a steady gig for what was
then a shaky startup? “Designers always want to figure out the next thing, and
the next thing at Mazda was not as interesting and alluring as what Elon was
selling,” Holzhausen tells McCaffrey. Furthermore, “Everywhere else in the
industry, sustainability, which was important to me, was kind of a side
thing…and Elon was all in, it was do or die – we make it work or we are not a
company.”
Another thing that Holzhausen found frustrating at the
majors was their habit of designing concept vehicles that are never destined to
go into production (a frustration shared by certain journalists). At Tesla, his
masterpieces went from the design studio to the street in record time.
Designing Model S was a challenge no auto designer had faced
before. With no need to design around an engine, transmission tunnel or exhaust
system, Holzhausen had endless possibilities. However, that unprecedented
freedom was also a bit “scary.”
The electric powertrain allowed Model S to be designed with
a tremendous amount of interior space – more than many SUVs.
Unlike earlier EV designers, who created goofy-looking
“spaceships,” Musk, Holzhausen and their team understood that car buyers wanted
elegance, but also conformity. Superlative aesthetics have always been very
much a part of their quest to build “not just the best electric cars, but the
best cars.”
Tesla’s famous self-presenting door handles reflect a desire to make a driver’s first point of contact with the car a memorable experience, as Holzhausen told GigaOm in 2013. “It’s such a shame when you see other vehicles that that’s one of the first elements that they cost-reduced. The first contact you have is the cheapest part on the car.” (I know exactly what he means – both of the plastic door handles on my 2015 LEAF are already falling apart, although otherwise the car is in fine shape.)
Holzhausen’s involvement with his creations is ongoing. Model S has undergone continuous improvement, and both the exterior and interior have been updated several times. Tesla’s vehicles will “never be constrained by something we’ve done in the past,” Holzhausen told Ride the Lightning – there will be no “Tesla Bible” that has to be followed. It’s all about creating “beautiful products.”
Source: Ride the Lightning
Source: Electric Vehicles Magazine
BMW i Ventures plans to invest in CelLink, a San Carlos, California-based manufacturer of flexible circuit technology. The funding will support CelLink as it moves several projects into full-scale production. CelLink, which plans to continue to ramp production of large-area flexible circuits for power and data transmission in its first manufacturing facility through the end of the year. The company aims to bring a new production facility online between 2020 and 2021.
Marcus Behrendt, Partner at BMW i Ventures, said, “We believe CelLink’s technology will transform wire harnessing from an old-school, simple technology to a more advanced, integrated, multi-purpose, flexible circuit technology with more functionality and lower cost.”
CelLink CEO and co-founder Kevin Coakley said, “CelLink was founded eight years ago on the premise of providing interconnect solutions to the solar industry. We are thrilled that the core innovations that we developed have evolved into a new type of flexible circuit that addresses the growing challenges of vehicle wiring and light-weighting, battery wiring, and energy-efficient lighting applications. These industries are huge, and they require significant technological advances for the world to achieve a state of sustainable energy production and consumption.”
Source: BMW
Group
Source: Electric Vehicles Magazine
We imagine we’ll be seeing many more of these in the coming months.
Source: Electric Vehicle News
How much bigger though remains a mystery.
Source: Electric Vehicle News
All hail the power of videos!
Source: Electric Vehicle News
Is there a darker side to Musk too?
Source: Electric Vehicle News
The City Council of Ann Arbor, Michigan, has voted unanimously to declare a climate emergency, laying out a series of carbon-reduction measures to take effect between now and 2030. With an 11-0 vote on Monday, the city signaled its intent to shift away from fossil fuels and embrace clean, renewable energy with the goal of becoming carbon neutral…
Source: Hybrid and Electric Car News and Reviews
Toyota has yet to launch an all-electric vehicle, but they have been making a lot of deals to develop batteries for them and now they have one with BYD. more…
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The post Toyota signs a deal with BYD to develop batteries for electric cars appeared first on Electrek.
Source: Charge Forward
