EZGO signs deal to build an autonomous EV platform for the US market

EZGO Technologies has signed a strategic investment and cooperation agreement with Autotrax.ai and Zhejiang Hengyuan Machinery to create a vertically integrated commercial vehicle solution purpose-built for the US market.

Zhejiang Hengyuan, which supplies a chassis platform offering a 0.5-2-ton payload range, has delivered more than 3,000 units to autonomous vehicle customers, including WeRide and Jiushi.

The vehicles that the companies develop together will be assembled at Autotrax.ai’s California facility, supporting localized US assembly requirements for commercial fleet deployment and procurement opportunities.

The companies aim to launch all-weather autonomous logistics commercial vehicles in the US market in the first half of 2027, targeting rapidly growing commercial logistics and intelligent transportation segments in North America.

EZGO has proposed making a strategic equity investment in Autotrax.ai. Proceeds from the investment, the amount of which is yet to be determined, are expected to support the expansion of Autotrax.ai’s US assembly line, the introduction of lithium battery testing capabilities, engineering scale-up and customer validation and compliance restructuring in preparation for a potential future US capital market transaction.

“This three-party alliance brings together three complementary strengths: EZGO’s lithium battery manufacturing expertise and intelligent VCS technology, Zhejiang Hengyuan’s iChassis platform validated by autonomous vehicle companies, and Autotrax.ai’s US-based autonomous driving engineering and California assembly capability. We believe this collaboration positions us to participate in the rapidly evolving autonomous commercial vehicle market in North America,” said Ye Jianhui, Chairman and CEO of EZGO Technologies.

Source: EZGO Technologies

from Charged EVs https://ift.tt/t6v5q2O

Modal Motors opens order books for OR3627-900kV drone motors

Modal Motors, an American electric motor manufacturer, has announced that its OR3627-900kV non-rare-earth drone propulsion motor is now available for order. First deliveries are scheduled for Q4 2026 and high-volume fulfillment is to begin in Q1 2027. Production is ramping up at Modal’s manufacturing facility in Detroit.

The OR3627-900kV is a transverse-flux BLDC motor built for Group 2 UAV applications in which weight, efficiency, reliability and failure redundancy are mission-critical. It weighs 130 grams and measures less than 42 mm in diameter, delivers up to 360 W peak power, and reaches 9,000 RPM.

The motor is designed to provide high torque density and efficiency across a range of speed and load conditions. The company says its manufacturing process generates minimal material waste and is designed to maintain low labor costs.

Every Modal Motors product is manufactured and assembled in the US using a fully automated robotic cell. Available in both non-rare-earth and US-sourced rare-earth configurations, the OR3627-900kV is intended for defense drone programs requiring supply-chain security, traceability and cost control.

“The OR3627-900kV represents years of materials science and electromagnetic engineering development, and is now available for American OEMs,” said Michael Van Steenburg, founder and CEO of Modal Motors.

Source: Modal Motors

from Charged EVs https://ift.tt/rBn8igT

Beam Global deploys six more EV ARC systems for the City of Long Beach

Beam Global sells a versatile off-grid solar-powered EV charging solution that has proven quite popular with municipalities. The company recently deployed six more of its EV ARC solar-powered EV charging systems for the city of Long Beach, California. The deployment consists of four EV ARC systems supporting the city’s EV fleet operations and two additional EV ARC systems at Long Beach Airport for fleet charging.

The EV ARC systems generate and store electrical energy on-site, enabling EV charging to be rapidly deployed and relocated as operational requirements evolve. The deployment supports the city’s transition to electric fleet vehicles while avoiding the cost and disruption associated with conventional charging infrastructure installation and operation. By using off-grid EV charging systems, the city has found that it can add charging capacity where it is needed without increasing demand on existing electrical infrastructure.

“Study after study shows that fleet operators who electrify their fleets save money, reduce downtime and maintenance, reduce emissions, and improve working conditions for their employees,” said Desmond Wheatley, CEO of Beam Global. “Beam Global’s EV charging infrastructure products enable fleet operators to scale up charging infrastructure with the lowest total cost of ownership and with the least disruption. They get to deploy EV charging where they need it without going through lengthy design, engineering, construction and electrical projects, and they get to operate with zero unit cost for the electricity that they use to fuel their vehicles.”

Source: Beam Global

from Charged EVs https://ift.tt/gWEUx3k

Eatron and NEXTY Electronics secure customers for battery monitoring platform

UK-based battery optimization software developer Eatron Technologies and NEXTY Electronics, an electronics trading company within Toyota Tsusho, are moving to full-scale commercial implementation of several of their projects with Japanese OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers.

The companies, which have been working in partnership for three years, said they have recently secured double-digit customer engagements.

Eatron’s platform combines AI with physics-based models to provide precise battery monitoring including state of charge (SoC) and state of health (SoH), as well as predictive analytics such as remaining useful life (RUL) predictions and safety diagnostics.

The platform can be used for EVs, light mobility and commercial fleets, as well as energy storage systems.

“Eatron’s AI-driven approach addresses a critical technology gap for our customers,” said Junichi Yoshida, Business Development Department Head at NEXTY.

“The momentum we are seeing in Japan is a direct result of the deep synergy between Eatron’s technology and NEXTY Electronics’ market leadership,” said Dr Umut Genc, CEO at Eatron. “Moving into double-digit customer engagements and proven commercial successes marks a turning point in our journey.”

Source: Eatron Technologies

from Charged EVs https://ift.tt/uCApQJ3

Webinar: Improving EV safety with new active & passive battery isolation strategies

As EV battery systems evolve towards higher voltages, greater energy density, and more demanding safety requirements, traditional isolation approaches are increasingly challenged during severe fault events. When short circuits, crashes or control system failures occur, protection systems must respond in milliseconds to prevent escalating risks.

In this webinar, Sensata will explore how active and passive isolation strategies can be combined to create more robust battery protection architectures. We’ll examine the trade-offs between active, passive and hybrid approaches. This includes their impact on safety, redundancy, validation effort and system resilience.

Attendees will also gain practical insights into emerging EV battery safety design principles and learn how layered isolation strategies can strengthen protection across a broader range of real-world fault scenarios.

Key takeaways from this webinar include:

• Understand why next-generation EV architectures require faster, more autonomous battery isolation strategies
• Evaluate the strengths and limitations of active, passive, and hybrid isolation approaches under severe fault conditions
• Identify potential safety gaps that can emerge when protection systems rely on a single isolation method
• Explore emerging design principles for improving battery safety, redundancy, and system robustness
• Gain a system-level perspective on how layered isolation strategies can enhance protection across real-world fault scenarios.

Join us on Tuesday, July 14th at 10.30am EDT

Register now, it’s free

 

from Charged EVs https://ift.tt/ym1QjB2

EAS Batteries commercializes LFP cell using Asahi Kasei’s acetonitrile electrolyte Acetolyte

German battery manufacturer EAS Batteries has begun selling the UHP-601300-LFP-22, a 22 Ah large-format cylindrical LFP cell that uses Asahi Kasei’s Acetolyte electrolyte—an acetonitrile-based formulation that raises the cell’s continuous discharge power to 2,550 W/kg at 880 A (40 C), a 60% improvement over the same cell running conventional electrolyte at 1,550 W/kg and 550 A (25 C).

The improvement comes from Acetolyte’s higher ionic conductivity, which reduces internal resistance and allows higher sustained current without thermal penalties. The effect is especially pronounced under demanding temperature conditions, where conventional carbonate electrolytes lose conductivity faster. Under a 2-second pulse, specific power reaches 3,760 W/kg at 1,320 A (60 C)—about 10% higher than the conventional-electrolyte version, which hits the same current ceiling but at lower specific power.

EAS says cycle life is 2,400 cycles at 5 C charge / 5 C discharge, 100% depth of discharge at room temperature, retaining 80% of initial capacity.

The two companies have agreed to sublicense their combined technology to global OEMs and battery manufacturers for mobility applications. They’re also developing a 46xxx cylindrical cell format using Acetolyte, with prototypes available for testing—primarily aimed at low-voltage EV batteries.

Serial production started in March 2026 following a licensing agreement between Asahi Kasei and EAS signed in November 2025. Samples are currently being evaluated by customers across industries.

“The short time from signing our license agreement in November 2025 to the start of serial production in March 2026 reflects the focused and highly collaborative efforts between EAS Batteries and Asahi Kasei,” said Osamu Matsuzaki, Senior Executive Officer at Asahi Kasei.

EAS Batteries is based in Nordhausen, Germany, and has been producing cylindrical cells for aerospace, automotive, and industrial applications for more than 30 years.

Source: EAS Batteries

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

ChargePoint and Powers Parts offer service and support for electric bus operators

ChargePoint and Powers Parts have announced a partnership that combines ChargePoint’s hardware, software and telematics platform with Powers Parts’ distribution network and relationships across the transit sector.

Through the partnership, transit agencies operating E2 and ZX5 Phoenix electric buses can purchase ChargePoint hardware, software and services directly through Powers Parts, streamlining procurement and deployment through Powers Parts’ distribution channel.

Chargepoint explains that many transit agencies currently operating E2 and ZX5 Phoenix EV buses and related charging systems lack consistent service and support. “Our partnership with Powers Parts expands our reach across the transit ecosystem, connecting their relationships with our charging and telematics solutions,” said CEO Rick Wilmer.

“We initially built Powers Parts to solve supply chain and replacement part challenges facing electric transit fleets,” said a spokesperson for Powers Parts. “As our relationships with agencies grew, it became increasingly clear that fleet uptime depended on much more than parts availability alone. Agencies needed support across charging infrastructure, telematics, diagnostics and long-term fleet management. Our partnership with ChargePoint is a natural extension of that evolution, delivering a more comprehensive operational support ecosystem for transit operators navigating electrification.”

Source: ChargePoint

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