ThursdayJul 30, 2020 11:00 am

Artificial Intelligence Could Help Cut Battery Recharge Time

Electric cars are all the rage these days and several governments have plans to slowly phase out internal combustion engines in favor of them over the next decade. However, before electric cars fill our roads, the battery sector will have to find ways to drastically improve the current recharging rates. A wide ranging team of researchers have taken advantage of another technology that has captured the public eye, artificial intelligence ("AI") for clues on how to improve recharging rates. The team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Stanford University and the Toyota Research Institute wanted to see…

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WednesdayJul 29, 2020 3:00 pm

US Utility Firms Turning to Private EV Chargers and Solar Batteries to Address Peak Power Demand

Distributed energy resources (“DER”), such as EV chargers, rooftop solar systems and smart inverters are proving to be valuable not just to the customers who install those resources but to the utility companies which are traditionally responsible for setting up and running energy distribution networks. BYOD, or bring-your-own device programs, are one way through which a convergence between distributed energy resources and utility grids is happening. Utility companies love this model because it gives them a way to avoid more costly options, such as setting up new utility lines to serve the increased demand for energy. Similarly, customers love the…

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WednesdayJul 29, 2020 10:00 am

Could Self-Driving Cars Worsen Traffic Jams?

Motor vehicle technology has come a long way from our first tentative experiments with the wheel. Over the years, there has been rising interest in self-driving cars, especially as Tesla's self-driving technology becomes more popular. As the technology has evolved, there have been talks of how self-driving cars will reduce traffic deaths, drop harmful emissions by more than 50% and eliminate stop-and-go waves by 100%. And Tesla isn't the only major corporation in the autonomous vehicle game. Players like Uber and BMW are also looking into developing self-driving cars and services. However, while self-driving cars have the potential to revolutionize…

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TuesdayJul 28, 2020 3:00 pm

Solid-State Batteries Could Soon Dominate Energy Storage Tech

For the past couple of years, there has been massive interest in electric cars as the side effects and limitations of internal combustion engines became more apparent. This has in turn, put the spotlight on battery technology as batteries are crucial to EVs. A couple of well-funded companies are now looking to push the U.S. into the forefront of the global battery manufacturing industry with a new technology that could even surpass today’s lithium ion batteries, all-solid-state batteries (“ASSBs”). These all-solid-state batteries are expected to be safer and more energy-dense than the lithium ion products used in today’s electric vehicles…

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TuesdayJul 28, 2020 10:00 am

COVID-19 Response Efforts Could Boost Electric Vehicle Uptake in Europe

Europe was hit hard when the coronavirus pandemic began early this year. Lockdown measures brought economies to a near standstill, prompting governments to enact stimulus plans to keep industries from collapsing. The situation still isn’t ideal, but one industry that looks to benefit greatly from the continent’s response to the coronavirus pandemic is electric vehicles (“EVs”). According to sales figures from the European Automobile Manufacturer’s Association, the combined market share of EVs and plug-in hybrids increased by 6.8% in the first quarter of the year, a jump from the 2.5% growth rate seen in the same quarter last year. “In…

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MondayJul 27, 2020 3:00 pm

Why the US Should Transition to EVs in a Measured Way

As the November polls draw closer, many of the presidential candidates have been sharing their thoughts about the ways in which they propose to make the U.S. become a global leader in the fight against climate change. Electric vehicles (“EVs”) feature prominently in those plans. While a lot of the plans are aggressive, there are lots of reasons to suggest that a more measured approach that spans approximately 50 years would produce better results not just politically and economically, but also for the climate as discussed below. The Economic Reasons An aggressive attempt to send internal combustion vehicles into oblivion…

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MondayJul 27, 2020 10:00 am

Can the US Learn Valuable Lessons from New Zealand About Popularizing EVs?

It is true that it is no longer news to spot an electric vehicle ("EV") cruising down the street or highway in the U.S., but are Americans buying as many EVs as they could? For comparison’s sake, statistics show that the number of EVs bought in Australia in 2019 tripled those that were bought the year before. In contrast, sales of electric vehicles in the U.S. dropped by 6.9% in 2019 when compared to the units sold the year before. Here is what could be wrong, and lessons on the way forward for the industry. Obstacles to the Wider Adoption…

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WednesdayJul 22, 2020 10:58 am

Fisker Inc. Preparing to List on NYSE through Merger with Spartan Energy Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: SPAQ)

Fisker is revolutionizing the automotive industry by developing some of the most desirable and eco-friendly electric vehicles in the world. On July 13, 2020, Fisker announced it would become a NYSE publicly traded company by merging with special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Spartan Energy Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: SPAQ). The proposed transaction is anticipated to provide Fisker the necessary funding to bring its first product, the Fisker Ocean, to production. The vehicle has won numerous awards since its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier in 2020, highlighting strong market reception for this type of vehicle and for the Fisker ethos…

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MondayJul 20, 2020 1:38 pm

ElectraMeccanica Vehicles Corp. Ltd. (NASDAQ: SOLO) Focuses on Urban Commuters with Solo Single-Seat EV

The company’s flagship electric vehicle, the Solo, is positioned to revolutionize commuting, delivery and shared mobility. The company’s plans to mass produce electric vehicles in the near future, combined with its 61-year history of automotive design, manufacture and delivery, significantly differentiate it from other electric vehicle producers. ElectraMeccanica has received pre-order bookings through an online “direct sales to customers and corporate sales” platform and from a store and showroom at the company’s headquarters. The company’s extensive development capabilities, in-house production capacities and unique product offering make it an attractive investment candidate and a leading player in the EV sector. Allied…

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MondayJul 20, 2020 1:01 pm

Workhorse Group Inc. (NASDAQ: WKHS) Targeting Last-Mile Delivery Sector with Drone-Integrated EVs

Workhorse Group designs and builds high performance battery-electric vehicles, including trucks and aircraft. The company develops cloud-based, real-time telematics performance monitoring systems that are fully integrated with its vehicles and enable fleet operators to optimize energy and route efficiency. In April 2020, the company partnered with UPS to determine how Workhorse’s unmanned aerial systems can assist medical professionals in the fight against the coronavirus. Leaders see the company’s autonomous drones as a valuable solution. Workhorse is now the first and only medium duty battery-electric vehicle original equipment manufacturer to receive approvals from both the Environmental Protection Agency and the California…

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