DASH breaks ground on DC metro region’s first en-route electric bus chargers

DASH, a public transit agency that serves the City of Alexandria, Virginia, has begun construction on what it says will be the first en-route electric bus chargers in the Washington DC metropolitan region.

En-route chargers enable electric buses to get a partial charge at stops along their routes (in addition to overnight charging at terminals). En-route charging helps to extend vehicle range, maximize fleet utilization and reduce service interruptions.

ABM, a facilities management provider that lists EV charging among its many services, will provide electric charging services for DASH’s West Alexandria Transit Center. (Read our in-depth interview with Satish Jayaram, ABM’s Senior Vice President of eMobility.)

The two overhead pantograph chargers will be capable of delivering charging speeds of up to 360 kilowatts. The deployment was funded through a partnership between DASH and the City of Alexandria, with some $1 million in federal funding. Construction of the new chargers is underway and is expected to be completed by 2027.

DASH currently operates 16 battery-electric buses, and an additional 20 are in procurement. The agency has worked with bus manufacturers to ensure that the new infrastructure is compatible with both its current electric fleet and future vehicle purchases.

“This project reflects years of planning and collaboration to support our transition to an all-electric fleet,” said DASH General Manager and CEO Josh Baker. “As the first en-route electric bus chargers in Northern Virginia and the DC region, this is a significant step toward a cleaner transit system.”

“Transit agencies like DASH are demonstrating that successful electrification starts with the right infrastructure,” said Mark Hawkinson, President of Technical Solutions at ABM. “By investing in charging solutions, DASH is building the operational foundation needed to support an electrified transit network for years to come.”

Source: ABM

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Sicona wins $45M ARENA grant to build silicon-carbon anode plant in Wollongong

Australian battery technology company Sicona Battery Technologies has secured $45 million from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to build and operate its first commercial-scale silicon-carbon battery anode facility in the Illawarra region. The grant comes through the Australian Government's Battery Breakthrough Initiative.

The plant will scale production of Sicona's silicon-carbon anode material, SiCx, to up to 230 tonnes per annum for customer qualification and commercial sales, marking the company's move from technology development into commercial-scale manufacturing. Sicona and BlueScope Steel have signed an exclusivity agreement to assess developing the facility within BlueScope's Port Kembla precinct.

SiCx is designed to work with existing lithium-ion battery production lines, which Sicona says gives it a clearer pathway to customer qualification, offtake agreements and commercial-scale supply to global battery makers and OEMs. The company says the material increases energy density by over 20% and enables charging more than 40% faster than conventional graphite. Silicon can hold far more lithium than the graphite used in most anodes today, but it swells substantially as it charges, and silicon-carbon composites are one approach to managing that expansion.

ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the technology has undergone independent testing and is already being evaluated by global battery manufacturers and electric vehicle companies. Beyond EVs, Sicona is developing the material for applications across AI data centers, power tools, defense and robotics. The Wollongong facility is expected to create up to 36 skilled manufacturing jobs. It follows a May 2025 licensing and strategic partnership with India's Himadri that included an AU$17.5 million follow-on investment, and Sicona is also planning a 6,500 tonne-per-annum commercial facility that it says could later expand to 26,500 tonnes per annum. Sicona says the funding supports its goal of building sovereign battery materials manufacturing capability in Australia and competing in higher-value global supply chains.

"While EVs remain a major opportunity, some of the fastest-growing demand is coming from AI data centers, robotics, drones and power tools," said Christiaan Jordaan, founder and CEO of Sicona Battery Technologies. "The Wollongong facility will allow us to validate our process at commercial scale, deliver SiCx to customers, and accelerate our entry to multiple markets."

Source: Sicona Battery Technologies

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Tellus Power partners with Nayax to integrate commercial EV charging and payments

EVSE manufacturer Tellus Power has partnered with payment processing specialist Nayax to integrate EV charging, payment processing and management into a single platform for commercial charging operators.

The companies explain that commercial charging deployments often require operators to coordinate multiple vendors for charging hardware, payment processing and network management. Their integrated platform is intended to reduce that complexity while improving the charging experience for operators and drivers.

The solution combines Tellus Power’s AC Level 2 charger with Nayax’s payment processing and management platform. It is designed to provide charging, payments and management through a single offering while maintaining compatibility with existing third-party systems through open industry standards.

“Operators are looking for technology that works with real-time telemetry, seamless transactions and less complexity,” said Mike Calise, CEO of Tellus Power. “They shouldn’t have to combine charging hardware, payments and management software from multiple vendors to build and expand a charging business. By partnering with Nayax, we’re bringing those capabilities together in a single platform.”

“At Nayax, our goal is to make payments and management the simplest part of any charging deployment,” said Jason Zarillo, President of Nayax Energy. “Tellus Power demonstrates what is possible when charging hardware and an open payments platform are designed to work together.”

Source: Tellus Power

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ATEC offers its AE Techron HVR 2,000 VDC high-voltage amplifier for rent

Advanced Test Equipment (ATEC) has been providing test equipment rental, sales and calibrations since 1981. Now the company has expanded its power amplifier offerings with the addition of the AE Techron HVR2000RG, a high-voltage, high-current amplifier engineered for automotive, aerospace and defense testing applications.

The HVR2000RG delivers up to 2,000 V peak DC voltage and 50 V peak AC voltage with a bandwidth of DC 200 kHz. The unit is designed for versatility: it can operate as a linear amplifier, an AC or DC power source, or a high-voltage signal amplifier. The system can be integrated into custom test setups, supporting both research and compliance.

“Adding the HVR2000RG as a rental solution now allows ATEC to offer another modern EMC Test solution specifically for high-voltage and high-power DC systems up to 2,000 VDC,” said Jamison Berg, VP of Marketing and Sales at ATEC. “This ripple generator system, when paired with a DC power supply, meets the latest test standards such as MBN LV123 and ISO 21498-2, and ultimately supports our clients performing compliance testing.”

The AE Techron HVR2000RG is available now for rent through ATEC with flexible terms, fast delivery and technical support.

Source: Advanced Test Equipment

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Webinar: Hidden defects, high stakes – CT inspection for EV batteries and components

As electric vehicle manufacturers scale production, quality teams face a difficult challenge: critical defects are often hidden inside batteries, castings, connectors, welds, electronics, and other high-value components. Traditional inspection methods can miss internal issues, require destructive teardown, or create bottlenecks that make comprehensive inspection impractical.

Industrial CT gives manufacturers and suppliers a non-destructive way to see inside EV components, detect hidden defects, and make better quality decisions earlier in development and production. From battery cells and modules to structural castings, busbars, connectors, and electronic assemblies, CT can reveal issues such as voids, porosity, misalignment, contamination, incomplete connections, weld defects, and assembly variation without cutting parts open.

In this webinar, we’ll explore how industrial CT is being used across the EV supply chain to reduce risk, improve reliability, and accelerate quality workflows. We’ll cover practical applications for engineering, failure analysis, incoming inspection, and production quality, including how automated analysis can turn 3D scan data into repeatable measurements and pass/fail decisions.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• How industrial CT helps detect hidden defects in EV batteries, castings, connectors, welds, and electronic assemblies
• Where CT fits across the product lifecycle, from development and validation to production quality and failure analysis
• How automated measurements and defect detection can improve repeatability and reduce reliance on destructive inspection
• How scalable CT workflows help manufacturers make faster, data-driven quality decisions before defects reach the field

Join us on Tuesday July 28th at 1pm EDT

Register now, it’s free

 

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As the UK’s battery sector shifts from innovation to industrialisation, Battery Cells & Systems Expo puts scale-up centre stage

The UK’s battery industry is entering a new phase. Attention is increasingly shifting from developing breakthrough technologies to proving they can be manufactured, scaled and commercialised.

As investment in gigafactories, domestic supply chains and advanced battery manufacturing continues to gather pace, the conversation is no longer focused solely on what’s possible in the laboratory, it’s about building the industrial capability needed to compete on a global stage.

This shift will be reflected at Battery Cells & Systems Expo 2026, which returns to the NEC Birmingham, UK next week from 8–9 July alongside the Vehicle Electrification Expo.

One of the most significant additions to this year’s programme is the new Scale-Up Accelerator, a dedicated feature designed to showcase battery technologies approaching commercial readiness. Through live discussions, expert panels and industry-led conversations, the Scale-Up Accelerator will explore the challenges of industrialisation, investment and the UK’s pathway to expanding battery manufacturing capacity.

As one of the UK’s leading events dedicated to battery manufacturing and electrification, the exhibition and conference will bring together researchers, manufacturers, OEMs, technology developers and policymakers to discuss the technologies and industrial strategies shaping the next generation of battery production. Conference sessions will cover topics including cell development, manufacturing automation, supply-chain resilience, testing and validation, materials innovation and electrified powertrain integration.

With speakers from organisations including JLR, Innovate UK, Agratas, Volklec, BASF, UKBIC and the University of Birmingham, the event offers attendees practical insight into the opportunities and challenges of scaling battery manufacturing in the UK.

Battery Cells & Systems Expo 2026

8–9 July 2026
NEC Birmingham, UK
Attendance is free for industry professionals.

Register for your free pass: https://batterycells-systemsexpo.com/

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Wallbox’s new Pulsar Pro helps to facilitate EV charging reimbursement

Wallbox has launched a new Level 2 EV charger that’s designed to simplify EV charging reimbursement.

Wallbox explains that, as EV charging becomes more prevalent in workplace and fleet environments, there’s a growing need for accurate reimbursement solutions. In the EU, corporate vehicles account for around 60% of new car registrations, and about 80% of EV charging takes place at home, at work or at depot facilities.

The new Pulsar Pro is designed to simplify the process of reimbursing employees for EV charging. The product integrates MID-certified energy metering directly into the charger, and is designed to accurately track charging sessions without requiring additional external metering hardware.

Through the Wallbox App, drivers can generate charging reimbursement reports, configure electricity tariffs, register RFID cards and send charging data directly to employers, fleet managers or operators.

For fleet managers, employers and operators, the Wallbox Portal provides a centralized view of charging activity across multiple users, vehicles, locations and fleets to help manage reimbursement across home, workplace and shared charging environments.

Pulsar Pro also includes smart charging features such as solar charging integration, dynamic load balancing, remote management, user access controls and support for evolving European charging requirements, including AFIR compliance.

Pulsar Pro is now available across the EU, and it’s expected to arrive in the UK and North America in 2027.

“As electric mobility expands, charging reimbursement is becoming an important need across homes, workplaces, fleets and shared residential environments,” said Chief Product & Technology Officer Eduard Castañeda. “With the new Pulsar Pro, we are helping make this process simpler, more transparent and easier to manage for drivers, employers, fleet operators, installers and property managers.”

Source: Wallbox

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