Estonia-based EV charging infrastructure developer Eleport has launched a charging hub in Kaunas, Lithuania.
The 20 charging stations installed during the first phase of the project include 12 DC and 8 AC chargers, serving up to 40 EVs simultaneously. Eleport plans to add another 20 stations, bringing the charging capacity up to 3 MW and the total investment in the site to €1 million.
“The EV community in Lithuania is growing, with a 50% increase in electric cars over the past two years. However, it’s still a niche market. Projects like this one by Eleport are crucial in encouraging more people to switch to electric vehicles,” said EU Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius.
Eleport plans to invest over €20 million this year and more than €100 million in the coming years across its primary markets in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland. By the end of this year, Eleport aims to operate over 1,350 charging points.
Netherlands-based battery manufacturer EST-Floattech will provide its Octopus Series battery systems to UK shipbuilder Wight Shipyard for installation on two vessels, Mars Clipper and Cross River Ferry.
The vessels will be operated by ferry service company Thames Clippers. Wight Shipyard, on the Isle of Wight, specializes in high-speed ferries, retrofits and vessel maintenance.
Thames Clippers is replacing its current vessels with electric roll-on/roll-off ferries that allow for automated docking to reduce journey times, and offer increased capacity for pedestrian and cycle passengers.
The hybrid high-speed passenger catamaran Mars Clipper will be operated by Thames Clippers as part of its Uber Boat ferry service on the River Thames in London. It will be fitted with 480 kWh of Octopus Series batteries, allowing it to run solely on battery power in the central zone of the city. The fully-electric Cross River Ferry will be supplied with 960 kWh of the batteries. Both boats will use excess power from their biofuel engines to recharge the batteries for the central London stretch.
“The application of our battery system onboard the Cross River Ferry and Mars Clipper shows the potential of the Octopus Series energy storage solution in low-weight vessels and contributes to no fumes in densely populated areas,” commented Jelle Meindertsma, Sales Manager at EST-Floattech.
The PU750 unit is developed and built by UIG is designed for fast charging of larger equipment onsite without needing a converter, while the PU130 developed with Portable Electric is a mobile Level 2 charger for compact machines.
The PU750 uses the Volvo Common Architecture, Shared Technology (CAST) strategy. The partnership applies Volvo Penta’s battery sub-system to enable mid-size electric machines to charge on a variety of jobsites.
The unit can support three or four mid-size machines like the Volvo EC230 Electric excavator through twin CCS1 connections. The PU750 works with the interactive UIG power system to maximize available AC power and integrate on-site distributed energy assets. The PU750 also integrates solar panels to aid in controls and auxiliary system support when it is away from the grid.
The PU130 unit incorporates Portable Electric’s 48 V DC fast charging technology to provide a 20 kW charge rate. In addition to charging equipment, the PU130 can simultaneously provide 40 kW of job site power to support tools, lighting, office trailers, and other equipment.
The PU130 connects to Portable Electric’s Neuron OS for remote monitoring and charging schedule optimization. The PU130 will be available through the North American Volvo dealer network later this year.
“Battery electric equipment is not feasible for every jobsite or application, but its use cases continue to grow,” said Ray Gallant, Vice President of Sustainability and Productivity Services at Volvo CE. “As long as owners and operators are making an effort to reduce emissions in whatever way they can, that is forward progress.”
There are two things everyone in the EV industry seems to agree on: (1) we need more charging infrastructure; and (2) installing that infrastructure often takes much too long. The delays very often have to do with getting a site connected to power, but it isn’t (always) the fault of the local utilities—they must contend with long delays in getting essential equipment such as transformers and switchgear.
In many cases the problem is not just a lack of enough power, but of the right kind of power—the majority of DC fast chargers on the market today require 480-volt, 3-phase power, and there are many sites where this simply isn’t available. Getting around this requires transformers, and that’s where the problems start.
Power Innovations makes chargers that can handle a wide variety of input voltages, including single-phase 208-volt or 240-volt inputs. This can eliminate the need for step-up transformers, which can translate to big savings of time and money.
Faster installation and lower costs? Sounds good—but Pii touts other advantages for its chargers as well. As Tim Rees told Charged’s Chloe Theobald at the recent ACT Expo, Pii’s chargers are built with reliability (the #1 problem in the EV infrastructure industry) in mind. Their modular architecture can keep them delivering electrons even if one module fails.
Watch the video to hear (and see) more about Pii’s line of chargers, which includes both fixed and mobile units, as well as battery-buffered systems.
Belgian energy management technology company Smappee has announced the US launch of its EV Wall charger designed for residential and commercial use.
The compact wall-mounted smart charger has a power output of 48 A and an 18-foot cable. It integrates with the Smappee App energy management platform. It features solar-forecasting technology for optimization with solar panels, and energy monitoring to ensure balance between multiple EVs and prevent breaker-tripping.
Installation is provided by Smappee’s network of certified local installers.
As the automotive industry shifts towards electric vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems, modern designs require significant hardware and software upgrades. Mouser Electronics, a global distributor of semiconductors, electronic components and industrial automation products, explains that designers are increasingly relying on zonal architecture to maximize efficiency within individual subsystems while allowing for easier management of the hardware and software stacks for the whole car.
Mouser’s Empowering Innovation Together (EIT) podcast explains the benefits of zonal architectures for software-defined vehicles. The latest installment explores design concepts, virtualization and future use cases enabled by zonal architectures.
Director of Technical Content Raymond Yin explains that vehicle performance is optimized by creating distinct zones within the vehicle that cater to specific functionalities and implementing vehicle compute platforms. This approach offers improved reliability, increased performance and longer lifespans for cars, and can open up new possibilities for automotive design and engineering.
“In our latest spotlight, we explore the transformative possibilities of zonal architecture,” said Raymond Yin. “This forward-looking approach is revolutionizing spatial design, and we delve into its variety of applications through insightful discussions with leading experts in the field.”
The EIT series is aimed at automotive engineers, and includes technical articles, infographics and video content that explain how zonal architectures enhance safety, efficiency and personalization.
The EIT series is just one part of Mouser’s extensive library of technical resources, which also includes product data sheets, supplier-specific reference designs, application notes, technical design information and engineering tools.
Charging systems provider XCharge North America (NA) will replace 10 of transportation service Kaptyn’s Level 2 EV charging stations with its direct current fast charging (DCFC) equipment to reduce its vehicle charging times.
Kaptyn operates 100 EVs throughout the US, including a fleet of 55 EVs—mainly Tesla vehicles—in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas fleet was frequently outsourcing charging to Tesla’s Super Charging Network, where it has to compete with other car businesses and Tesla owners for charging access. XCharge NA’s technology allows Kaptyn to increase its own infrastructure without increasing its power capacity.
Kaptyn plans to deploy more XCharge NA charging hubs over the next five years.
“This partnership underscores our commitment to providing a scalable EV charger strategy that democratizes EV charging access for EV fleet operators,” said Aatish Patel, XCharge NA’s co-founder and President. The easily installed 8 DCFC ports across 4 chargers will alleviate Kaptyn’s congested charging process and maximize their fleet performance.”
With the rapid growth of EV charging and so much buzz around fleets – it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But the truth is that implementing and managing a smart fleet infrastructure is more accessible than it might seem. Join Leviton Manufacturing’s Director Andrew Taddoni, where he will dispel common myths surrounding EV charging for fleets and best practices for moving forward.
Broadcast live on June 10-12, 2024. This virtual event will span all things EV charging in two main tracks:
Track 1: Deploying EV Infrastructure & Fleets
Content for fleet/facility managers, charging network operators, public transport planners, etc.
Track 2: Design & Manufacturing of Charging Systems
Content for engineers who are building, testing, and manufacturing charging systems.
The free-to-attend conference will feature live presentations, interactive Q&As, on-demand webinars, and whitepaper downloads. All live webcast sessions are free to attend and will be recorded and available to watch on-demand after the event. Register to reserve your spot to watch it live or on-demand.
EV charging infrastructure provider ChargeTronix has introduced its new 480 kW Nexus Distributed Charger, designed to support commercial fleets as they shift to electric trucking.
The Nexus Distributed Charger offers up to 480 kW of available power and dynamic power sharing, allowing charging of up to six commercial vehicles simultaneously and enabling longer dwell times for multiple trucks during peak downtime periods.
“As the demand for electric trucks grows, acquiring an all-electric fleet is only half of the equation for fleet operators,” said Stephen Israel, Vice President of Operations at ChargeTronix. “Having charging infrastructure that provides dynamic power sharing in 40 kW power increments enables the operator to optimize charging to align with their duty cycle.”
The demand for electric vehicles continues to increase, with EV sales growing faster than any other major category of automobile. According to an article in Forbes, 2023 was the first time more than 1 million EVs were sold in the U.S. in one calendar year, reaching between 1.3 million and 1.4 million cars by year end.
Thermal management is a critical requirement for the safety and performance of EVs. Poor thermal management may result in thermal runaway events, creating a hazardous fire condition. Also, poor thermal management reduces the electronic components’ efficiency because excessive heat increases electrical resistance and lowers the power and energy of the EV. It is, therefore, important to remove heat from battery and powertrain components efficiently.
What is Battery Safety?
Generally, battery safety encompasses protecting the battery system from several adverse circumstances – electrical, thermal and environmental conditions. The purpose behind battery safety is to provide a safe and reliable battery pack operation in all situations, as well as minimize the losses in case of hazardous events such as battery thermal runaway.
Safety Hazards
Electrical safety: With high voltage components in an assembled battery pack, it becomes highly important to keep those high voltage components isolated. Otherwise, an arcing event or electrical short can compromise battery life and even worse can lead to thermal runaway and eventual battery fire. Such electrical isolation can be incorporated in a battery pack with use of dielectric coatings, gap fillers and seals.
Thermal hazards: The Li-ion batteries operate most efficiently within a tight temperature range of 20 to 35 °C. Due to electrochemical reactions within a battery while it is charging or discharging, a lot of heat is generated. If the heat dissipation is not managed property, that can compromise battery performance and in worst case, lead to thermal runaway. A well-engineered active temperature control system allows for battery pack to operate in optimum temperature range. The efficient temperature control is provided by thermally conductive and electrically isolating interface materials. These are applied in between heat source (battery) and heat sink (cooling plate/ribbon).
Environmental isolation: The high-voltage batteries can be sensitive to moisture. The individual battery packaging allows for moisture isolation. However, redundant solutions must be incorporated in battery pack design for additional safety against moisture. Structural adhesives, extruded seals, molded seals, and dispensed seals can be used to seal battery modules and packs. Additionally, the batteries contain toxic components, such as fluorinated electrolytes and transitional metals which can contaminate water supplies and ecosystems. The seals provide enclosure for containing these inside the pack until it can be disposed of adequately.
Battery Thermal Safety
The safe operating temperature range for batteries is defined as between -40 °C (-104 °F) and 80 °C (176 °F). The best performance is found between 20 °C (68 °F) and 35 °C (95 °F). Operating at the extreme temperatures is dangerous and can cause a fire.
Causes of Battery Thermal Runaway
Thermal Runaway is described as an uncontrolled increase in cell temperature caused by exothermic reactions inside the cell.
Thermal Runaway Propagation (TRP) is the sequential occurrence of thermal runaway within a battery pack triggered by thermal runaway of a cell in that battery pack.
Source: Liu et al., Science Advances, 2018;4: eaas9820
The scientific consensus on the thermal runaway of Li-ion batteries is still developing. However, there is a still wealth of literature to provide a broad understanding of the process happening inside a cell that leads to its thermal runaway.
The onset of overheating is most likely caused by a manufacturing defect that leads to internal short and a consequent current surge. Such internal short can also result from cell crush, Li dendrite formation, overcharge/discharge, or external heat. The current surge produces spike in temperature. If not dissipated quickly, this results in separator melt, SEI layer decomposes, and anode is exposed. As the temperature increases further, cathode decomposes, and oxygen is released from cathode lattice structure. A self-sustaining fire cycle is formed with fuel in form of electrolyte, oxygen and heat. At an onset-temperature, the cell blasts into a fire and if this heat, fire and gases are not managed properly, this can cascade into thermal runaway of neighboring cells.
Regulatory Landscape on Thermal Propagation
Regulations on battery safety have been advancing throughout the world in last decade. UN EVS-GTR No. 20 Phase I was enacted in 2018 that among other battery safety protocols, enacts a 5 min warning to passenger after thermal runaway of first battery is detected. Since then, the regulation has been adopted in Europe and USA. China enacted GB 38031 in 2020 that adopted the same 5 min warning. India enforced regulations around battery safety through their AIS 038/156 enactment in 2021. It describes various safety test for batteries and battery pack. However, no 5 min warning is required.
Currently, US, Europe, and Japan are working towards Phase II of UN-EV GTR No 20, which is anticipated to come into effect before end of this decade. The expectations are the regulations will become more stringent around battery safety, with possibility of introducing no thermal runaway propagation.
Operational and Thermal Runaway Safety Solutions
To protect the EV battery, Parker Lord has taken several steps to reduce the threat of thermal runaway. These solutions can be seen in the assembly around the battery.
1 & 2 (Coatings):Coatings for batteries are available as a dielectric epoxy coating or ultra-violet (UV) cure dielectric coating. Application areas for coatings include the cooling plate, battery pack enclosure, prismatic cell can enclosure and cylindrical cell can enclosure. Higher energy density requires powerful high-voltage batteries. Higher voltage therefore requires greater precaution in preventing arcing between electrical components and a need for increased battery safety. One major area of focus to achieve this is to improve electrical isolation by using dielectric materials, such as Parker Lord’s Sipiol UV cure coating and heat cure epoxy coating.
3, 4 & 5 (Thermal Management Materials): The most used thermal management materials are gap fillers, thermally conductive adhesives, as well as potting and encapsulants. These materials are used on the cell-to-cooling plate, module-to-cooling plate, intra-cell potting, and enclosure potting. Parker Lord’s CoolTherm® thermal management portfolio is recognized for its reliability and custom solutions for use in electric vehicles, energy storage systems, motors and other power electronics. These solutions increase performance, reliability and safety while delivering tailored products to manage the heat and increased power density in electric vehicles.
6 (Sealants & Adhesives):Structural adhesives and sealants for thermal management include the use of non-reworkable adhesives as well as reworkable sealants. They are used for enclosure bonding and sealing as well as module bonding and sealing. Parker Lord’s adhesives provide a structural bond and reduce the amount of mechanical fixturing required. They also allow greater design flexibility and the ability to bond dissimilar substrates. These structural adhesives can provide a structural or non-structural seal for battery modules and packs to keep battery cells protected from the elements and improve safety.
Your Partner in Innovation
Innovations in materials and technologies play a crucial role in advancing the reliability, efficiency and safety of electrified transportation. Thanks to their market leading safety solutions, Parker Lord works together with their customers to propel the transition toward sustainable and electrified transportation ecosystem.
If you have questions, reach out to Parker Lord today.
The Megawatt Charging System (MCS), a new charging standard for heavy-duty EVs that industry experts call a game-changer for electric trucks, is in the final stages of standardization, and commercial deployments are already starting to appear.
The latest charging provider to announce support for MCS is ChargePoint. The MCS cable and connector will be available on ChargePoint’s Power Link 2000 stations, part of the modular Express Plus DC fast charging platform. Initially, ChargePoint’s MCS chargers will deliver up to 1.2 megawatts of power (MCS is capable of delivering up to 3 megawatts).
ChargePoint partners planning on using MCS charging can begin ChargePoint interoperability testing now to ensure a seamless deployment. ChargePoint’s MCS-enabled hardware will be on display at the upcoming ACT Expo in Las Vegas.
“Megawatt technology is the first step toward electrifying the commercial trucking industry,” said Hossein Kazemi, CTO for Hardware at ChargePoint. “The companies developing electric trucks can now leverage this infrastructure to test and enable their vehicles until they meet—or even exceed—the distances covered by internal combustion trucks.”
In fact, numerous electric truck OEMs, including Mercedes and Scania, have already tested MCS with their vehicles.
Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, a wholly owned subsidiary of Daimler Truck, plans to introduce the next-generation eCanter to the Indian market in the next 6-12 months.
Production of the eCanter began in 2017 at Daimler Truck subsidiary Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus in Japan. The next-generation model eCanter premiered in Japan and Europe in 2022. Daimler plans to provide 40 variants of between 4.25 and 8.55 tons, as well as numerous body options.
The debut of the truck in India is part of Daimler Truck’s goal to produce only CO2-neutral new trucks and buses in Europe, Japan and the US by 2039 and globally by 2050.
“The reality is that diesel ICE and CO2-neutral propulsion technologies will continue to coexist in the Indian market for the foreseeable future,” said Satyakam Arya, Managing Director and CEO, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles. “Therefore, our initial focus with the eCanter is to achieve product and service excellence, along with customer acceptance.”
Daimler Buses has partnered with lithium-ion and sodium-ion battery manufacturer BMZ Poland for the development and supply of next-generation NMC4 batteries specifically for e-buses.
The collaboration combines Daimler’s expertise in bus development and manufacturing and BMZ’s know-how in heavy-duty lithium-ion battery solutions. The aim is to develop batteries with higher energy density for longer range and longer cycle life. Daimler Buses expects to see benefits from NMC4 development by mid-decade.
“We will extend our production in Gliwice, making this facility the first of its kind in the EU built for the purpose of bus battery production along with a fully automatic assembling line,” said Paweł Kępski, Head of Business Unit EV, BMZ Poland.
Mercedes-Benz USA is introducing options for its 2025 eSprinter van that include an 81 kWh usable capacity battery, a standard roof height, and a 144-inch wheelbase.
All eSprinter variants allow for a permissible gross vehicle weight of up to 9,370 lbs.
The eSprinter is equipped with a motor delivering a torque of up to 295 lb-ft, and is available with either 100 kW or 150 kW peak power. The range of the van, which is designed for last-mile urban delivery services, is up to 204 miles for the 81 kWh battery and up to 297 miles for its 113 kWh battery option.
“Daily delivery vehicles generally follow a fixed predictable route that is usually under 150 miles—making the eSprinter the perfect solution for last-mile deliveries,” said Iain Forsyth, Director of Product Management and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz. “However, businesses have different needs when it comes to range, cargo volume and payload. It’s important to us to expand our product mix and provide options tailored to their specific commercial purpose.”
The 2025 eSprinter has upgraded standard equipment, and enhanced safety and assistance systems. It starts at $61,250 and will be available in the second half of 2024.
As EVs continue increasing from a very small portion of the vehicles sold annually to a more mainstream presence on roads around the world, consumers and manufacturers are grappling with plenty of important questions. One set of these questions centers around a general “feeling” – that is, “How much does owning and operating an EV ‘feel’ like owning and operating the gas-powered vehicles I’ve used throughout my life?”
The future of EV development and infrastructure, in many ways, hinges on the perceived answers to this question. One natural comparison that people will make, for example, is what it’s like to “fill up” your vehicle at a station (either with gasoline or using a charger).
As designers continue to find ways to improve charging times (in a race to get EVs within shouting distance of the convenience of quickly stopping by a gas station), it is more important than ever for EV charging stations to maximize reliability and uptime. A recent survey found that up to a staggering quarter of public EV charging stations are not functioning, signaling a dire need within the EV industry for a reassessment of how to make EV charging stations as reliable and easy to use as their gasoline counterparts.
This massive gap between user experiences at EV charging stations and traditional gasoline/petroleum pumps is a fundamental problem facing the EV industry today. EV charging stations must maximize uptime and minimize downtime, and it is no exaggeration to say that the future of EV charging in America (and, surely, around the world) will depend on chargers that are constructed, from the ground up, with reliability and uptime in mind.
Power Innovations International (Pii) offers 30- and 60-kW Quick DC Chargers powered by components with an industry-leading mean time between failure, and these charging stations leverage a modular structure constructed for ensuring uptime with all-in-one cabinets that lower installation costs and simplify maintenance. These chargers bring unparalleled uptime for businesses looking to offer charging solutions for consumers at convenience stores, malls, offices, and hospitals, and to fleet managers looking to reliable EV fleet management solutions.
Pii’s Fundamentals of Reliability
The widespread adoption and implementation of electric vehicles depends on near-continuous uptime and highly reliable componentry. EV charging stations must capitalize on best practices for reliability to ensure that maintenance and upkeep are kept to a minimum, increasing ease-of-access and improving the overall user experience.
Reliability in individual components and systems more broadly are often measured in mean time between failure (MTBF), which is the expected time between failures of a regularly operating system. Consumer Affairs reports that there are just over 64,000 EV charging stations in the US, which means that there are over 56,000,000 potential operating hours every year for EV charging stations in the US.
Pii’s Quick Chargers feature integrated LITEON rectifiers that support the high voltage needs of a broad range of electric vehicles, with an output of 250 to 920Vdc. These rectifiers leverage the same power supply topology that has demonstrated over 1 million hours MTBF, and this demonstrated MTBF allows charging station owners and users the peace of mind that comes from proven reliability. A higher system MTBF increases uptime, reliability, and brings EV users closer to the experience they have come to expect with “filling up” a car.
Protection from the Environment and Avoiding Outside Air Cooling
A primary contributing factor to charging station failures and downtime is the impact of environmental factors, such as dust, liquids, corrosive chemicals, and much more. Stations must be able to withstand strong winds, rain, and snow, as well as drastic changes in temperature other regular meteorological events.
A failure to thoroughly account for these phenomena will lead to increased downtime and needs for repairs across an EV charging station’s life. Ingress protection and the sealing of the enclosure itself is not a “nice-to-have” in this industry: weather-resistant enclosures – with thermal management that allow for cooling without introducing outside, dirty air that requires filtering – will be a pillar of industry standards moving forward. In short, better shielding and protection for EV charging stations will be central to the industry’s goals of better reliability and near-continuous uptime.
NEMA enclosure standards include ratings for general-purpose enclosures that are not dust-tight (NEMA 1), enclosures that are drip-tight (NEMA 2), enclosures that are weather-resistant (NEMA 3R), and even those that are operable when ice-laden (NEMA 3S). Many manufacturers have opted to achieve the standard NEMA 3R certifications required for outdoor installations, while Pii’s DC Quick Chargers are NEMA 3S rated.
Pii’s ultra-reliable components are further protected by more stringent sealing standards that provide ingress protection of fine dust, in addition to the NEMA 3R requirements. Pii’s thermal management philosophy features air-to-air heat exchangers, meaning that they do not bring in outside air, simplifying maintenance and filter replacement requirements to further shield the internal components from the typical environmental degradation that comes with outside air filtration and cooling.
Pii’s DC Quick Chargers are powered by an innovative modular sliding power rack structure that leverages LITEON’s PSU topology.
Modular Topology for Near-Continuous Uptime
Pii’s DC Quick Chargers use a modular internal power structure with sliding tray racks to help ensure uptime: the chargers are powered by multiple racks that independently supply power to the charging station, meaning that one individual rack’s failure will not cause a full system shutdown.
These power supplies are “field-swappable,” where a minimally trained technician can open a cabinet, visually identify the power supply issue, and replace it in a matter of seconds. In an industry plagued by long maintenance lead times and component shortages, Pii’s simple, modular charging station maximizes reliability and uptime across multiple dimensions: failures within the power conversion are demonstrably rare, but when they do occur, they will not cause cascading failures across the charging station.
Power Innovations International: Redefining Reliability for EV Charging
Power Innovations International has provided power management services to customers around the world since our founding in 1997. We are proud to unveil our line of EV charging products, accessories, and services, which comes out of close partnership with our parent company (LITEON Technology Corporation, one of the two largest global providers of power supplies).
As discussed in this article, Pii’s 30- and 60-kW Quick DC EV chargers were designed, first and foremost, with reliability and uptime in mind. These field-configurable chargers are easy to install and come with lower installation costs, providing the smooth, simple charging experience that EV adopters are increasingly – and rightly – demanding from the industry. These products are particularly suited for businesses looking to provide reliable, simple charging solutions at offices, hospitals, malls, or with dealerships or larger EV fleets.
This article focuses on one sliver of what makes these chargers the herald of the next generation of EV charging. Pii is vertically integrated in design and manufacturing for power conversion, as well as software/firmware controls, and final assembly.
Your EV charging plans don’t have to be held down by long lead times, expensive installations, and unreliable components: Pii is ready to help you reimagine what’s possible with your next EV charging station. Contact Pii today to learn more about how we can make your current reliability and uptime concerns a thing of the past.
US chemical manufacturer Huntsman has developed a series of new lightweight, durable polyurethane foam technologies for the potting and fixation of EV battery cells.
The new SHOKLESS foam systems can help to protect the structural integrity of EV batteries at a cell, module, or pack level from impact or a thermal event. The product portfolio includes a range of low-to-high-density foams that can be used via common polyurethane dispensing processes for extra handling flexibility.
A moldable encapsulant version can further expand design and manufacturing options for EV battery manufacturers and OEMs.
SHOKLESS systems are designed to be compatible with a number of different manufacturing methods such as open- and closed-pour (injection) and cold-cure molding. Certain products in the range can also be dispensed with high-pressure equipment. Huntsman provides simulation and modeling capabilities that can help customers customize and optimize processing parameters, as well as the structural and thermal performance of the materials, to meet their needs.
“With robust mechanical properties, the new SHOKLESS systems can offer good compression and tensile performance with high elongation to failure. Elastic performance can remain stable at different operating temperatures ranging from -35º to 80º C. The new systems have also been developed to be easy to work with thanks to their low viscosity and ability to cure quickly at low temperatures,” the company said.
Siemens subsidiary Heliox has launched a new 60 kW EV charger. The compact Heliox 60 charger is made specifically for the North American market, and is UL, CSA and Energy Star certified, and Buy America-compliant.
The Heliox 60 delivers an output of 150 A, and can provide 60 kW of power for both 400-volt and 800-volt vehicles. It features a single CCS-1 (SAE J1772) output, and the company plans to add SAE J3400 (formerly known as Tesla’s NACS) and multi-output configurations. The unit also allows for a 30 kW version within the same cabinet design.
Designed with scalability and convenience in mind, the Heliox 60’s form factor is designed to allow low-profile installations. It features an LCD display and LED status bars. Available accessories include a floor-mounted pedestal, cable management solutions, and a mobile cart configuration.
All Heliox chargers use the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) for cloud-based monitoring and control.
The Heliox 60 will be available through select Siemens distributors in addition to Sourcewell and partnerships with vehicle OEMs.
“Since first ramping up the US team, the Heliox 60 was destined to be a staple in our product portfolio,” said Heliox US President David Aspinwall. “There are many exciting collaborations and pilots focused on high-power charging systems, but application-appropriate power and high-value chargers are paramount in the present state of the EV industry.”
Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology is a hot topic, and I ask about it in every interview I conduct these days. Some industry players talk about it in glowing, almost messianic terms, but others see it as more of a niche technology.
One of the few companies that has deployed V2G tech in an actual commercial (i.e. revenue-generating) project is Synop, a Brooklyn-based company that provides an energy management software platform for EV fleet charging.
During the summers of 2021 and 2022, Synop participated in a commercial V2G pilot with Massachusetts electric utility National Grid and school bus operator Highland Electric Fleets. Over 158 hours across both summers, a single bus discharged 10.78 MWh to the Massachusetts grid, generating $23,500 in revenue.
Unlike some in the EV industry, Synop CEO Gagan Dhillon isn’t given to overhyping his company’s achievements. In a recent interview (soon to be published here in its entirety), he told me that, while Synop has successfully demonstrated V2G from a technical standpoint, the commercial and financial aspects are still being worked out.
“It’s going to take a bit of time for everyone to get on the same page about what V2G can do from a revenue and financial standpoint.”
“I don’t think we’re ready to say that these are fully baked commercial opportunities, just because there’s so much that goes into executing one,” Dhillon told Charged. “The commercialization of them is still being defined, the revenue a vehicle operator generates is still being defined—it’s very case-by-case. It’s going to take a bit of time for everyone to get on the same page about what V2G can do from a revenue and financial standpoint. But from a use case standpoint, we demonstrated that this technology works, and that we can still maintain the uptime of a vehicle even if we drain its battery.”
Furthermore, Dhillon believes that V2G currently makes economic sense only in certain applications: “I think vehicle-to-grid is still very much a nascent technology. And I do think that vehicle-to-grid is also a use case specific to the school bus world.”
Synop’s platform is a full-featured energy management solution for EV fleets—V2G is just one application that it enables, and school buses are just one of several use cases that are good candidates for electrification. “The school bus stuff gets the most press for us, but I would say there are as many Class 8 trucks and delivery vans on our platform as there are school buses,” Dhillon told me. He mentioned drayage and last-mile delivery as excellent applications for EVs—Synop has several customers in both of these fields.
Distributed Energy Resource Management provider EnergyHub works with some 60 utilities in North America to manage distributed energy resources. Customers of utilities that partner with EnergyHub can take advantage of several types of programs for EV drivers, including managed charging and EV-specific time-of-use rates.
EnergyHub’s system works with numerous charging providers and “all leading EV brands.” EnergyHub has now added Toyota to its roster of auto OEM partners, enabling Toyota and Lexus EV drivers to take advantage of certain utility programs. Maryland-based Potomac Edison is the first utility to enable customers to enroll Toyota and Lexus vehicles via EnergyHub’s platform. EnergyHub plans to expand participation to additional utility programs in 2024.
“Our collaboration with Toyota is a key milestone in EnergyHub’s effort to maximize customer choice through the largest ecosystem of EV OEM and EVSE partners,” said Matt Johnson, VP of Business Development at EnergyHub. “This integration accelerates our work to improve the overall EV ownership experience, while unlocking grid service value for our utility clients.”
“Empowering our Toyota and Lexus EV customers with cost-effective energy solutions that reduce emissions and contribute to the grid underscores Toyota’s commitment to sustainable mobility,” said James George, General Manager, EV Charging Solutions at Toyota.
ABB E-mobility makes a wide range of EV charging stations and related products. With the announcement of its new A400 All-in-One charger, the company acknowledges the industry’s stubborn reliability problems, and introduces some features designed to deliver a more user-friendly charging experience.
“The A400 has been developed with a consumer-centric design approach focused on achieving the highest charging success rates possible,” says ABB. “With its intuitive user interface displayed on a large 32-inch screen, the A400 is as easy and familiar to use as your smartphone. It guides the user step by step and confirms the charging status and completion of the charging process with the ambition of a 99% charging success rate.”
The A400 “is more than just a hardware product. It comes with 24/7 service-level agreements (SLAs) that target 99% charging success rates, as well as 97% uptime and fast service response times.”
ABB E-mobility A400 charger angle view
ABB notes that many fleets and owner/operators seem to focus on installing the highest-power chargers, and neglect the quality of the charging experience. “We need to find a better balance between just installing more power on the one hand and more reliability and more power sharing on the other. That’s why ABB E-mobility designed the A400 with the aim of achieving a 10-year product lifetime, high reliability and, most importantly, enabling our customers to sell energy at the lowest cost.”
Two charging ports provide 200 kW of continuous charging power to two vehicles, or up to 400 kW for a single vehicle.
Silicon carbide power modules developed and produced in-house, arranged in modular 100 kW blocks, allow two vehicles to be charged simultaneously in 50 kW increments to ensure that only the required power is drawn.
Two-phase cooling technology (liquid to vapor to liquid) is more reliable and efficient, and offers lower maintenance costs than traditional liquid-cooled cable solutions, according to ABB.
Payment flow integrated into the charger’s user interface eliminates one of the main causes for low charging success rates: a lack of interoperability with third-party payment systems.
“The A400 has been designed from the ground up as a system for the reliable and cost-effective delivery of energy, enabling our customers to operate their network at the highest level, and achieving their desired economic outcome,” said Michael Halbherr, CEO of ABB E-mobility. “We have taken key lessons from our extensive experience and are obsessed with creating a charging experience that is reliable, scalable, managed and secure, while ensuring interoperability and performance.”
Singaporean lithium-ion battery manufacturer Durapower has launched its digital battery management system, DP Pulse.
The DP Pulse ecosystem comprises four parts: a battery monitoring and management system; a charging management system; an energy monitoring system and a battery passport that contains information about its production, testing and recycling. DP Pulse will be integrated with all Durapower battery systems into a single platform to track and trace battery lifecycles and provide business and operational insights.
The system monitors operational depth-of-discharge and its machine learning capability uses battery and application parameters to estimate a battery’s remaining useful life.
“DP Pulse uses our monitoring and analytics systems to provide a holistic battery diagnostic and drive operational efficiency,” said Sanjay Bakshi, Director of Digital and Innovation at Durapower. “Digital solutions like DP Pulse will enable predictive analytics to help us address customer pain points and further enhance the efficacy of our batteries.”
Amazon’s electric delivery trucks, which the retail giant developed in cooperation with Rivian, are becoming common sights in many parts of the US. Now the company is adding fifty Class 8 EVs to its drayage fleet in Southern California.
Amazon’s Volvo VNR Electric tractors will haul both cargo containers and customer package loads in Amazon’s first- and middle-mile operations. They’ve already started hitting the road at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and a dozen are expected to be in service by the end of the year.
The Volvo VNR Electric has a range of up to 275 miles, and a gross combined vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 82,000 pounds. Safety features include active collision mitigation, blind spot detection, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist and adaptive cruise control.
As Electrek’s Jo Borrás notes, Amazon is giving itself a pat on the back for deploying the emissions-reducing electric trucks, but in fact the company has little choice—thanks to California’s new Advanced Clean Fleets regulation, deploying new ICE trucks in drayage applications will effectively be banned soon. (Enforcement of the regulation is currently on hold pending a decision from the EPA, but this is expected to be resolved within a year.)
“We’re proud to launch our largest fleet of electric heavy-duty vehicles yet in California,” said Udit Madan, VP of Worldwide Amazon Operations. “Heavy-duty trucking is a particularly difficult area to decarbonize, which makes us all the more excited to have these vehicles on the road today. We’ll use what we learn from deploying these vehicles as we continue to identify and invest in solutions to reduce emissions in our transportation network.”
US public fast charging network EVgo plans to start deploying North American Charging Standard (NACS) connectors—in the process of being standardized as SAE J3400—on its network later this year.
Charging stations included in the rollout will serve vehicles that use CCS and NACS connectors. Deployments will begin in markets with high NACS vehicle penetration, enabling the company to maximize charger utilization. Overall utilization on the EVgo network in the first quarter of 2024 was approximately 19%, up from approximately 9% in the first quarter of 2023.
“The shift in the competitive landscape for EV charging has opened new opportunities to drive usage on the EVgo network and accelerate our network expansion by fostering new site host partnerships,” said Badar Khan, EVgo’s CEO.
Tesla and future non-Tesla NACS vehicles will be able to use Autocharge+, EVgo’s payment feature that allows drivers to plug in and charge without using an app, credit card or RFID card. Autocharge+ mirrors the Plug & Charge experience and is available to over 50 vehicle models, including all Tesla models that are compatible with Tesla’s CCS adapter.
US-based Sepion Technologies, which produces separator coatings and liquid electrolytes for lithium batteries, has developed a non-flammable liquid electrolyte designed to can reduce the risk and severity of fires in lithium-ion EV batteries.
Sepion’s researchers subjected the newly-discovered liquid electrolyte to flammability testing against standard commercial lithium-ion battery electrolytes, demonstrating a flash point exceeding 70° C and self-extinguishing time (SET) that is 25 times faster than commercial lithium-ion battery electrolytes, the company said.
Sepion developed the material using its artificial intelligence platform, which advances the material discovery process by identifying up to 10 million formulations in one week. It can rapidly examine extensive libraries of materials from component categories such as salts, solvents and additives to narrow researchers’ focus. The platform can also optimize nanoengineered polymer coatings for separators by discovering and developing novel materials.
Sepion recently received UN/DOT 38.3 certification for its lithium-metal pouch cells, highlighting the role of developments such as the self-extinguishing electrolyte in advancing the safety standards of lithium batteries.
“Sepion’s AI-based materials discovery approach accelerates R&D, leading to the discovery of groundbreaking solutions like this non-flammable electrolyte, addressing and reducing critical fire risks in lithium batteries,” noted Sepion’s CTO Brian Sisk.
German automaker Volkswagen has launched an upgraded version of its ID.3 electric compact car containing a stronger and more efficient electric motor, providing more power and economical consumption.
In Germany, the ID.3 Pro S model now delivers 170 kW as standard. Customers in other markets can decide after purchase whether they want to increase the basic output from 150 kW to 170 kW via its new power-on-demand option, the company said. Increasing the power to 170 kW improves 0 to 100 km/h acceleration to 7.1 seconds. The combined WLTP range for the ID.3 Pro S reaches up to 559 km.
The new model now has an improved e-route planner and the option of preconditioning the battery. The charging and thermal management function prepares the battery ahead of the next DC charging stop so that it is supplied with energy as quickly as possible on long distances. The battery is heated to the optimum temperature so that it can be charged with a maximum output of up to 175 kW, reducing the charging time by several minutes, particularly in winter. Pre-conditioning starts automatically on the way to the next quick-charging station when route guidance on the navigation system is active using the enhanced EV Route Planner. Otherwise, the function can be activated manually using the charging menu in the infotainment system.
“The ID.3 Pro S represents the consistent further development of our product portfolio based on the needs of our customers. For example, the model now has an improved e-route planner and the option of preconditioning the battery. These are functions that have already been very well received by drivers of the other ID. models,” said Imelda Labbé, Member of the Volkswagen Brand Board of Management responsible for Sales, Marketing and After Sales.
US EV software and services provider MoveEV, a member of the GeotabSustainability Alliance, has introduced an add-in for its MyGeotab software product.
The software is designed for Geotab-enabled fleets with EVs enrolled in MoveEV’s ReimburseEV home charging reimbursement program. It connects Geotab and ReimburseEV to allow fleet managers to see any vehicle’s home charging and reimbursement history without leaving the Geotab environment.
The add-in is the first in a series of functional integration features between the two companies that are expected to be released later this year. They are intended to simplify EV fleet management by embedding crucial functionalities in the Geotab ecosystem.
“By integrating our ReimburseEV solution on the Geotab Marketplace, we’re not only enhancing the operational efficiency of EV fleets but also furthering our mission to make EV adoption more accessible, equitable and appealing to organizations of all sizes,” said MoveEV founder David Lewis.
DHL Freight, headquartered in Bonn, has deployed two Mercedes-Benz eActros 300 trucks for delivery and distribution transport at the company’s Koblenz and Hagen sites. The truck at Hagen makes round trips to the Mercedes-Benz truck plant in Kassel, and the second truck makes deliveries to customers in the Koblenz area.
Each truck is powered by two 400 kW peak-output motors and has a range of approximately 220 km and a maximum weight of 19 metric tons. The introduction of the vehicles aligns with the DHL Group’s sustainability strategy to increase the proportion of EVs in its delivery fleet to 60%.
“Our fully electric eActros 300 tractor-trailers are specially designed for regional distribution transport and are already capable of performing a wide range of conventional truck operations. We are pleased that the eActros 300 is now also helping to make local road freight transport carbon-free in our own site delivery operations,” said Oliver Berger, Network Strategy and Sustainability Manager in Inbound Logistics at Mercedes-Benz Trucks.
Japanese automaker Nissan is building an all-solid-state battery pilot line at its Yokohama Plant in Kanagawa Prefecture, as part of its plan to promote the development and manufacturing of solid-state technologies.
Nissan aims to launch EVs, including pickup trucks, equipped with the batteries by fiscal year 2028 under its Nissan Ambition 2030 plan. The company plans to start mass production of solid-state batteries for EVs by early 2029. According to Nissan, solid-state EV batteries have the potential to provide energy density approximately twice that of conventional lithium-ion batteries, shorter charging time, and lower costs as they use less expensive materials.
“Nissan is conducting wide-ranging research and development, from molecular-level battery material research to electric vehicle development, and even city development using EVs as storage batteries,” the company said.
Jeremiads lamenting China’s takeover of the global auto industry are everywhere these days. Three recent accounts stand out from the pack. These articles cover three different aspects of the tragic tale, but all are authoritative, fact-filled pieces written by journalists with first-hand knowledge of what’s going on in the Middle Kingdom, and I recommend that you read all three (and weep). Each reaches basically the same conclusion: the global non-Chinese automakers will never be able to catch up unless they radically change their corporate mindsets.
Car Wars
Han Feizi, writing in Asia Times, offers a colorful assessment of the current EV scene in China, which he compares to the notorious Japanese “motorcycle wars.” In the 1950s, over 100 companies in Japan started making motorcycles, sparking a “wild, untamed, often unscrupulous and dazzlingly innovative” melee. When it was over, all the British and Italian motorcycle brands were wiped out, leaving the field to one US brand—Harley Davidson—and four Japanese brands—Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha.
Han writes that a similar free-for-all is now going on in China’s EV industry: “China’s car market is the largest in the world (twice the size of the US) and gladiators from all corners of the world have come to fight it out in an epic battle royale.”
He offers thumbnail assessments of selected brands and their strategies:
BYD—unbridled expansion
NIO—battery swapping
Xiaomi—expertise manufacturing mobile phones can be carried over to EVs
Huawei—digital architecture
Geely—acquisitions of troubled automakers from all over the world (Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, Smart, London Taxi, Proton, Aston Martin)
Tesla—manufacturing in China to export to the rest of the world
As for the legacy carmakers, they’re either:
Getting their ducks in a row—Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes
Up a creek without a paddle—Nissan and Honda
Sticking their heads in the sand—Toyota, which insists that pure EVs will top out at 30% of global car sales (it has already hit 50% in China)
As for GM, Ford and the US half of Stellantis, Han invokes Winston Churchill’s observation that “Americans can always be trusted to do the right thing, once all other possibilities have been exhausted.” After decades of fighting tooth and nail against electrification, the US brands have dug themselves a deep hole, and to climb out, they’ll need to “engage with the changing world or be left behind. Retreating behind tariff walls or outright bans will further isolate America’s auto industry into a Galapagos market of ridiculous trucks sold at nosebleed prices.”
Bad news from Beijing
Kevin Williams, writing in InsideEVs, shares his impressions from a week at the Beijing Auto Show. As he sees it, the prevailing narrative in the West is that China’s advances in EV manufacturing are somehow illegitimate, the products of a government that has unfairly subsidized its auto industry while forcing its citizens to buy its domestic products.
While there’s no question that China has put its governmental finger on the scale to turbocharge EV production, the real story is more nuanced than a simplistic us-vs-them narrative. “Western automakers are cooked. And a lot of this is probably their damn fault,” Williams writes.
He explains how various Western automakers (Volkswagen, Nissan, GM) made promising starts in the Chinese market, but dropped the ball by failing to offer compelling EVs in the desired segments at competitive prices. Foreign brands gradually lost the cachet they once had with Chinese consumers. At the Beijing show, locals were flocking to see new EVs from domestic brands, and paying little attention to the limited EV offerings from overseas automakers.
“At what point does blame shift from Chinese economic policy to the actions of the automakers themselves?” Williams asks. “Why the hell didn’t we subsidize our EV-building and clean energy industries like China did?”
Yes, China’s excessive EV production capacity is a serious concern, and so are the country’s human rights record and its sourcing of raw materials, but the existential problem for global automakers is that China is building “technologically advanced, well-made, interesting EVs. Deep down, all of the Western auto executives…understand that Chinese EV and PHEV models are more compelling than what European, other Asian, and American brands have come up with.”
Western auto brands, made in China
Global automakers may be failing at selling cars to Chinese buyers, but they’re seeing spectacular success building cars in China and exporting them, sometimes to their own home markets. Total Chinese car exports grew from 1 million in 2020 to 5 million in 2023.
Michael Dunne, a long-time watcher of the Chinese automotive industry, writing in Dunne Insights, asks us to imagine “a world in which China builds every single car.” Hard to imagine? Well, consider that China today has enough capacity to manufacture half of the world’s 80 million vehicles, and that volume is growing.
According to Global Data, this year China will export 6 million vehicles to more than 140 countries. By no means all these exports are from Chinese brands. It’s also important to note that a lot of these cars are gas-burners, not EVs.
Tesla shipped 344,000 China-built cars to Canada, Australia, Europe and other markets last year.
GM sends tens of thousands of made-in-China Chevys to Mexico and other markets.
Ford has exported more than 100,000 trucks and SUVs from China to Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East, and exports the Lincoln Nautilus to the US.
Stellantis invested $1.7 billion in Leapmotor last year to build vehicles for export.
Volkswagen, Renault and BMW export “huge numbers” of made-in-China EVs to Europe.
Hyundai and Kia will soon begin selling made-in-China cars in Korea and other markets.
Mercedes exports the Smart brand from China to European markets, including Germany.
Honda and Nissan will soon start exporting made-in-China vehicles, including to their home market.
“As a native of Detroit, it is hard to watch the Detroit 3 commit such massive, self-inflicted damage,” writes Michael Dunne.
An executive at a major US parts supplier asked Dunne: “Will Western nations have a renaissance of manufacturing innovation at home? Or will we watch our auto companies turn into just logos on vehicles built in China?”
