ChargePoint installs overhead charging system for rental car facility at Portland’s airport

ChargePoint is deploying a new DC fast EV charging facility at Portland International Airport, for the use of car rental companies. The installation features an overhead charging system with retractable cable management that’s designed to eliminate the traditional trade-off between space and cost.

The new chargers are located in the airport’s Quick Turnaround (QTA) Facility, and will enable rental car companies to rapidly charge between rentals. The deployment includes 10 dual-port fast charging dispensers mounted overhead, allowing up to 20 vehicles to be connected simultaneously. By moving charging infrastructure above the vehicles, the design reclaims valuable ground-level space, simplifies installation, and removes the risk of vehicular damage to equipment, ChargePoint explains.

The deployment also features ChargePoint’s fleet software, which gives operators real-time visibility and control across rental car fleets, from remote monitoring and troubleshooting to intelligent charging management that adapts to operational demands.

“Airports aren’t just adopting electric mobility—they’re reshaping it,” said Rick Wilmer, CEO of ChargePoint. “As rental fleet operators add EVs to their fleets, airports face the challenge of delivering high-power charging infrastructure at scale. The Port of Portland’s investment demonstrates how fast charging can integrate into existing parking lots without sacrifices for equipment placement.”

“The innovative overhead charging system enabled us to save on installation costs by limiting the conduit and wiring needed, and helps protect against potential damage caused by vehicles in the QTA,” said Jeremiah Hartley, the airport’s Rental Car Manager.

Source: ChargePoint

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WAFIOS introduces three new operator-assistance systems for its metal-bending machines

WAFIOS, whose bending machines produce hairpins, axial flux coils, stator connection assemblies and busbars for e-mobility, has detailed three operator-assistance systems: myWAFIOS.ai, an AI assistant reached by scanning a QR code on the machine; the WAFIOS Assistant, which guides setup across two connected displays; and the Smart Pay-Off Interface (SPI), which lets a machine configure its own pay-off unit.

“A small number of experienced operators are often responsible for keeping production running, while training new employees becomes more difficult. At the same time, valuable expertise is lost if it is not systematically passed on. That’s why we need AI-powered systems that support machine operators and serve as a digital memory of our experienced operators,” said Uwe-Peter Weigmann, WAFIOS’s CEO and Spokesman of the Executive Board.

myWAFIOS.ai handles questions about machine setup, troubleshooting and tool changes. It searches technical documentation, manuals and validated knowledge from experienced WAFIOS specialists, and an operator needs only a smartphone to reach it. If the answer isn’t there, the system links to the WAFIOS Service team. The assistant runs on any mobile device and answers in multiple languages via German servers.

Underneath it is connectavo, the cloud-based maintenance platform WAFIOS has offered since 2020, which carries its own AI assistant called Conny. Communication runs through an optical QR code carrying an offline link, and the machine itself stays offline at all times, which WAFIOS says protects the machine against cyberattacks.

Two connected displays take the operator through setup on the WAFIOS Assistant. According to the company, setting up new parts previously required classroom training, and operators can complete both the setup procedure and the training through the system itself, which standardizes procedures and preserves know-how for the next generation of operators. All data remains within the customer’s own company, and the Assistant runs on all High-Performance Machines equipped with WPS 3.2 EasyWay.

SPI works further upstream, joining the pay-off and the machine into one system before production starts. The connected machine configures the pay-off unit itself, presetting the basic rotation speed and other relevant parameters from available production data. Pay-off speed, the force settings of the pay-off arm and the current operating status are among the information displayed at all times. The new generation of pay-offs carrying SPI is available for various WAFIOS wire bending, straightening and spring machines.

“With myWAFIOS.ai and the WAFIOS Assistant, we make the knowledge of our experienced employees available to everyone, anytime and directly at the machine. This shortens training times, reduces setup times, and ensures that answers to important questions are available exactly when they are needed,” said Jörg Eisele, a Member of WAFIOS’s Executive Board responsible for sales.

Source: WAFIOS

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Addionics introduces a low-temperature battery architecture for EVs and electric trucks

Addionics has introduced a battery architecture designed to increase battery operations and charging at low temperatures. The company lists extended mission capability, more usable range and faster charging among the benefits, and it names electric vehicles, trucks, defense drones, spacecraft and electric aviation as the applications.

According to the company, an EV can lose up to 40% of its range in severe winters, because a cold battery pack delivers less usable energy while the vehicle draws more for cabin heating, battery heating and thermal preparation before charging.

Electric semi-trucks demand large amounts of power from their batteries, Addionics explains, because a loaded truck carries substantial weight at a consistently high highway speed, and reduced cold-weather output could mean cutting the payload or avoiding routes in winter.

Freezing conditions can also shorten a defense drone’s mission time, reduce its operational radius and limit the power available for launch and maneuvering, according to the company.

On a space mission, keeping a battery at the right temperature in cold conditions costs heater energy, thermal hardware and additional stored energy, Addionics says. Cutting that heating requirement can create benefits across the whole spacecraft power system, including the battery, the solar array and launch mass.

The new battery architecture is built on the company’s Smart 3D Porous Current Collectors, which replace conventional flat metal foils with an engineered three-dimensional structure. The porous structure lets electrolyte and lithium ions move through the plane of the current collector, which Addionics says creates additional access pathways through the electrode, shortens effective transport distances, improves active-material accessibility and distributes electrochemical activity across a larger volume.

Lithium-ion cells fade in the cold because ion transport through the electrolyte and into the electrode slows down, raising polarization and cutting both the energy a pack can deliver and the current it can safely accept on charge. The usual remedy is heat, which costs energy and time. Addionics says its structure instead lets existing materials work more effectively at low temperatures without heating the battery or changing its chemistry.

Source: Addionics

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ABB E-mobility works with local channel partner to deliver DC fast charging in the UK

ABB E-mobility has partnered with an EV charging infrastructure provider called SaveMoneyCutCarbon (SMCC) to offer ABB’s DC fast charging products to charging operators in the UK.

As a certified ABB E-mobility channel partner, SaveMoneyCutCarbon provides in-house design, grid connection management, installation, commissioning, software and back-office management, maintenance and ongoing operational support. Customers can also take advantage of flexible financing options.

ABB E-mobility works with a selected group of channel partners across Europe. Each partner completes an onboarding and certification program before being approved to commission, service and maintain ABB chargers, ensuring consistent installation and support quality across markets.

“Bringing our DC fast charging portfolio to the UK through SaveMoneyCutCarbon gives operators a fully managed solution, from site design through to long-term operation and maintenance,” said Navin Smart Channel Account Manager, ABB E-mobility UK.

“We now deliver every stage of a charging infrastructure project in-house—from design and grid connections through to installation, software management and maintenance,” said Simon Blaaser, Head of Product & Partnerships, SaveMoneyCutCarbon. “Combined with flexible funding options, we’re helping organizations accelerate their transition to electric mobility with greater confidence and less complexity.”

Source: ABB E-mobility

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Colorado Walmart becomes the company’s 100th store to add EV fast charging

Retail behemoth Walmart has been offering EV charging at its stores for years, mostly through a partnership with Electrify America. More recently, the company has begun rolling out its own company-owned and operated EV charging network. It recently celebrated the opening of its 100th EV fast charging site, at the Walmart Supercenter in Monument, Colorado.

Walmart says its network is “designed around the customer.” Charging stalls are located steps from each store, and EV charging is integrated into the Walmart app. Walmart+ members receive discounted charging rates.

Most Walmart EV charging locations feature 8 to 16 DC fast charging stalls. The chargers are equipped with both CCS and NACS connectors, and deliver up to 400 kW of power.

“By expanding EV fast charging at Walmart locations across the country, we’re giving drivers a dependable way to charge while they’re in the store,” said Shayne Wahlmeier, Senior VP, Walmart Energy. “Reaching 100 sites is an important milestone, and our broad footprint positions us to make EV charging more accessible for communities while expanding the ways we serve our customers.”

“When a customer pulls into a Walmart to charge, we want the experience to feel as reliable and effortless as the rest of their shopping trip,” said Adam Happel, General Manager, Walmart Retail EV Charging. “We’re proud to reach 100 sites, but our focus remains on building a network customers can count on every time they charge with us.”

Source: Walmart

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Webinar: Achieving reliable, dynamic EV fleet charging with Velion® from Lincoln Electric

Fleet operators need charging infrastructure that can keep pace with changing schedules, growing vehicle counts, and demanding operating environments. Join Lincoln Electric to explore how the Velion® line of DC fast chargers help fleets achieve reliable, flexible charging through dynamic power sharing and energy optimization. With the ability to charge up to four vehicles simultaneously, the Velion adapts to real-world fleet operations while maximizing charger utilization. We’ll discuss how intelligent charging works in practice, the benefits of rugged, fleet-focused design, and the importance of features such as BABA compliance and NEMA certification. Learn why reliability starts with smarter infrastructure. 

Key takeaways from this webinar include:

• Learn how dynamic power sharing helps maximize charging efficiency across your fleet. 
• Discover how to charge up to four vehicles at once while supporting changing operational demands. 
• Understand how intelligent energy optimization can improve fleet readiness and charger utilization. 
• See how a rugged, compliant charging solution can help support reliable, long-term fleet operations. 

Join us on Tuesday, October 6th at 11am EDT

Register now, it’s free

 

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Researchers find manganese can cause battery flaw that may shorten EV lifespans

While cobalt-free, high-nickel cathode batteries such as manganese-coated nickel core batteries have emerged as a potential method to increase EV driving range while reducing dependence on expensive critical minerals, research suggests that exposing precursor material to air can cause subtle chemical changes that later accelerate battery degradation.

A study at Hanyang University in South Korea found that exposing battery precursor materials to air alters manganese chemistry, creating reactive surface defects that accelerate electrolyte breakdown and could significantly reduce the lifespan of these next-generation batteries.

An adjustment in lithium content during synthesis can suppress these defects and restore stability, helping manufacturers develop longer-lasting, high-energy batteries for future electric vehicles, according to the research team led by Professor Jin Ho Bang along with PhD Scholar JinHa Shim.

The findings of the study were published in Volume 19, Issue 12 of the journal Energy and Environmental Science.

The team observed that manganese can unexpectedly become a source of instability under certain manufacturing conditions. The storage of precursor materials in air-exposed areas leads to the oxidation of manganese on the particle surface, which then results in the formation of defective regions enriched with “Jahn-Teller distorted” manganese species. These distorted surfaces become highly reactive, leading to electrolyte decomposition, transition-metal dissolution and damaging reactions with the graphite anode. This hidden defect can nearly double the rate of capacity fading in nickel-rich battery systems during extended battery cycling tests.

“We found that a manganese-rich shell, which is normally introduced to protect high-nickel cathodes, can instead become a catalyst for degradation if the precursor chemistry is not carefully controlled,” explained Professor Bang. “Even small variations in precursor storage history can substantially affect battery stability.”

To overcome this problem, the researchers suggest that increasing the amount of excess lithium during synthesis could suppress the formation of defective surface phase and restore stable manganese-oxygen bonding. These modified cathodes could retain more than 90% of their capacity, improving long-term durability.

“Our results show that even minor variations in precursor history can have major consequences for battery performance, making precursor management an important consideration for large-scale manufacturing,” Professor Bang added. Rather than requiring expensive coatings or major redesigns of production lines, careful control of precursor handling and lithium stoichiometry could provide a comparatively upfront route towards more durable batteries.

These improvements could eventually translate into electric vehicles with longer battery lifespans and also support the durability of large-scale energy storage systems that would require stable, high-energy batteries for renewable energy applications in future, the research found.

Source: Hanyang University ERICA

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