HeyCharge wins €2.5-million grant to develop its offline EV charging solution

HeyCharge, a Munich-based EV charging technology company backed by BMW i Ventures, Statkraft Ventures and Y Combinator, has been awarded a €2.5-million grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator.

The grant will fund HeyCharge’s SecureCharge FLEX project, which seeks to eliminate two barriers to deploying conventional EV chargers in multi-unit residential buildings: unreliable connectivity and prohibitive installation costs.

“Nearly half of Europe’s population lives in apartment buildings, and most of them park underground—exactly where internet-dependent chargers fail,” said Chris Cardé, founder and CEO of HeyCharge. “Our technology works 100% reliably even in underground garages, and because we’ve eliminated the need for communications infrastructure—the cabling, the specialist labor, the ongoing maintenance—we cut installation costs by more than 40%.”

HeyCharge’s SecureCharge platform operates 100% offline, using patented one-time cryptographic tokens generated on the user’s smartphone for secure authentication.

HeyCharge says it has deployed its technology across more than 130 sites and 2,500 parking spaces in Germany, and over 123,000 additional spaces are addressable through strategic partnerships with major real estate operators. The company is launching a partnership model that will enable charging operators and installers across Europe to deliver its technology. HeyCharge has raised €6.3 million in total private funding to date.

The €2.5-million EIC Accelerator grant will support a 24-month project to advance SecureCharge FLEX from its current technology readiness level (TRL 7) to TRL 8, including:

• Development and validation of advanced energy management features, including dynamic load management, demand response, dynamic tariffs and bidirectional (V2G) charging capabilities.
• Integration and interoperability testing with partner platforms and third-party hardware systems.
• Large-scale pilot deployments in multiple European countries to validate performance in diverse building types and grid conditions.
• Multi-country certification and regulatory compliance preparation for EU-wide commercial rollout.
• Onboarding installers and operators across Europe through a franchise model.

“The EIC Accelerator is not just funding—it’s a signal from Europe’s most rigorous innovation programme that our approach to democratising EV charging is ready to scale,” said Dr. Robert Lasowski, co-founder and CBDO of HeyCharge. “We’ve proven that eliminating communications infrastructure makes charging both more reliable and more affordable. Now we’re taking that from proven deployments to mass-market adoption across the continent.”

Source: HeyCharge

from Charged EVs https://ift.tt/luMyYmi

NOVONIX sells battery testing division to its former CEO to refocus on synthetic graphite

NOVONIX is divesting its Battery Technology Solutions business in Nova Scotia, Canada, selling the unit back to its founder and former NOVONIX CEO Chris Burns for $1. The move sharpens the company’s focus on building a vertically integrated synthetic graphite supply chain in North America.

BTS, founded in 2013 in collaboration with Dalhousie University researchers and acquired by NOVONIX in 2017, provides advanced battery testing systems—including Ultra-High Precision Coulometry—along with R&D services and a proprietary all-dry, zero-waste cathode synthesis technology. Its customers span defense, grid stability and high-performance energy storage.

Under the deal, NOVONIX retains a 15% non-dilutable equity stake in the cathode business and will leave $2 million in cash at BTS at closing. NOVONIX will also provide transition services and a trademark license through at least September 2026. The transaction follows the company’s sale of its Mt. Dromedary natural graphite mining project in September 2025.

“The divestiture of the BTS division reflects NOVONIX’s disciplined strategy to prioritize synthetic graphite,” said CEO Mike O’Kronley. “We are focused on directing our management attention and capital to building the North American supply chain for this critical mineral.”

Source: NOVONIX

from Charged EVs https://ift.tt/dxBEviS

WiTricity launches 600 W wireless charger for golf carts

WiTricity AI Tech has added a lower-cost option to its golf cart wireless charging lineup. The MR/1 600 W system is priced at $1,625—half the cost of the company’s existing MR/1 900 W commercial unit—and is aimed at courses, communities and smaller fleets where the higher-power system isn’t necessary.

The 600 W unit uses the same contactless charging pad approach as the 900 W version: carts park over the pad and charging begins automatically with no cables, exposed contacts or user interaction. Charging times are slightly longer than the 900 W system but remain practical for daily operations, according to the company.

“For courses and communities that want the benefits of wireless charging at a lower entry cost, the 600-watt system delivers an excellent balance of performance, simplicity, and value,” said CEO Joe Benz.

The system is available immediately and is compatible with a range of golf carts and light electric vehicles.

Source: WiTricity

from Charged EVs https://ift.tt/f8e6Pgs

Japanese EV startup partners with major gas station chain

Japanese startup KG Motors (whose investors include Toyota Gosei) makes a tiny, affordable city EV called the MiBot. The single-seat MiBot is aimed at drivers who have short urban commutes—it has about 100 kilometers of range, a top speed of 60 km/h, and a rock-bottom price tag of ¥1 million (around $7,000).

KG delivered the first units in late December 2025. Now CleanTechnica reports that Idemitsu Kosan, one of Japan’s largest oil refiners and gas station operators, took an early interest in the electric runabout, and that company execs envision some interesting synergies with their business.

In January, the two companies signed an agreement to collaborate. Idemitsu will provide sales support, delivery handling, insurance services, and after-sales maintenance and parts support.

Idemitsu will provide e-mobility services on a pilot basis at some of its apollostation service stations in Tokyo and Hiroshima beginning in April—around the same time that KG Motors plans to bring the MiBot into mass production, beginning at a volume of 300 to 500 units per month.

Idemitsu plans to converts some of its apollostation locations to electrified energy hubs. Many of the stations already offer EV charging. Under the company’s new Smart Yorozuya (“many trades”) strategy, select locations will add shopping options, solar generation and renewable electricity supply.

Oil companies have been diversifying into EV charging for years. But as CleanTechnica’s Raymond Tribdino writes, this is a deeper collaboration that could become “a test case for how a legacy oil company can remain relevant in an electrified future.”

Source: CleanTechnica

from Charged EVs https://ift.tt/DedqSX5

Helix supplies dual-motor propulsion system delivering 1,000 hp for McMurtry Spéirling hypercar

UK-based electric motor manufacturer Helix has developed a bespoke dual-motor propulsion system for the McMurtry Spéirling, the single-seater electric fan hypercar that holds records at Goodwood and Laguna Seca. Customer deliveries of the production car are set to begin in 2026.

The system pairs two Helix SPX242-94 motors at the rear of the vehicle, delivering a combined 1,000 hp and 1,000 N-m of torque. Each motor produces 500 N-m and weighs just 33 kg. The compact packaging was tailored to the Spéirling’s tight single-seater layout, where it works alongside McMurtry’s fan-based downforce system. The motors mate with McMurtry’s own gearbox.

Helix SPX242-94

The Spéirling can accelerate from 0–60 mph in 1.5 seconds and cover a quarter mile in eight seconds. It has posted the fastest-ever lap of the Top Gear test track.

“The McMurtry Spéirling demonstrates one of the most effective applications of advanced electric motor technology,” said Simon Mead, automotive chief engineer at Helix. “We are proud to have been involved in its journey from an early stage, with Helix drive motor propulsion systems featuring throughout the evolution of this groundbreaking hypercar, from prototype to production.”

Helix has previously supplied propulsion systems for Formula E as well as hypercars including the Aston Martin Valkyrie, Lotus Evija and Czinger 21C.

Sources: Helix

from Charged EVs https://ift.tt/qwRXiJN

Turntide’s new axial flux drive unit delivers up to 700 kW peak in a stackable package

Turntide Technologies has unveiled a modular axial flux electric drive unit (EDU) that integrates motor, inverter and gearing with shared cooling in a single package. The company says the axial flux design delivers 53% higher torque density than a comparable radial flux motor in 58% less volume and at 37% less weight.

The platform supports 400 V and higher, with single or stacked motor configurations scaling from 73 kW to 220 kW nominal and 300 kW to 700 kW peak. Target applications include off-highway equipment, construction, powersports, commercial vehicles and automotive. The low-speed, high-torque characteristics of the axial flux motor allow for simpler gear designs, which Turntide says reduces mechanical complexity, weight and maintenance costs.

The company is positioning the EDU as a pre-validated platform aimed at OEMs looking to electrify without the component-level integration work that typically adds months or years to development programs. “By handling the integration, validation, and testing upfront, our EDU decreases the risk, time and cost of bringing new products to market,” said CEO Steve Hornyak.

Turntide recently put the platform through a durability test at King of the Hammers, one of the most demanding off-road races in the US. Its Sierra Echo-R became the first purpose-built EV to qualify for and compete in the Desert Challenge course, completing more than 600 miles of terrain with no drivetrain issues, according to the company.

Source: Turntide Technologies

from Charged EVs https://ift.tt/Q6BVhES

Download the EV inverter thermal management case study

Sponsored by Honeywell.

Recently, a leading manufacturer of EV inverters encountered a heat dissipation issue related to the inverter and required a reliable solution to address this challenge.

Download this case study to learn about diligently evaluating various options for thermal conductivity, high reliability, and suitability for thin gaps; and to learn more about Honeywell’s Phase Change Material (PCM) applications in EV inverter, on-board charger, and advanced driver-assistance system.

from Charged EVs https://ift.tt/BlR0bp9