Charged Magazine

Just one word for you: nickel. That’s the gist of a new report from the metals and minerals research firm Roskill. In its latest ten-year market outlook, Roskill predicts nickel consumption will rise by almost 4% per year, driven by increased consumption by stainless steel producers and by growth in …read more

As Norway and the Netherlands have become EV capitals, Germany has lagged behind – according to conventional wisdom, because of resistance from the all-powerful German auto industry, combined with consumers’ love of high-speed, long-range driving on the autobahn.
However, this picture is changing quickly. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, this …read more

Motor design software specialist Motor Design Limited (MDL) has released a new version of its Motor-CAD software package. Motor-CAD is aimed at motor designers, and is designed to perform quick and easy electromagnetic and thermal performance tests on electric machine designs.
Motor-CAD is composed of three main modules: EMag, Therm, and …read more

Groupe Renault has partnered with the E-VIA FLEX-E charging network, which will deploy 14 fast charging stations in Italy, France and Spain by the end of 2018. The new charging stations will be located along motorways and expressways, and will offer capacities of 150 to 350 kW.
The E-VIA FLEX-E network …read more

Eviation Aircraft, a manufacturer of electric aircraft (profiled in the July/August 2017 issue of Charged), and South Korean battery manufacturer Kokam have entered into a battery supply deal valued at $1 million. Kokam batteries will be used to power EViation’s all-electric Alice aircraft, which is scheduled to fly by the …read more

Sion Power plans to begin production of its Licerion lithium metal battery in late 2018 from its Tucson facility. Sion says Licerion technology will offer specific energy of 500 Wh/kg, energy density of 1,000 Wh/L, and a lifetime of 450 cycles.
Licerion technology, a product of Sion’s technical collaboration with BASF, …read more

The Faraday Institution, the UK’s independent national battery research institute, has announced up to £42 million ($58 million) in new government funding to four UK-based consortia to conduct research aimed at overcoming battery challenges.
The topics for the four projects were chosen in consultation with industry, to ensure that the research …read more

EV startup Rivian, which has facilities in Michigan, California and Illinois, plans to introduce its first EV, a five-passenger pickup, in 2020, followed by a seven-passenger SUV. The company recently announced the appointment of five new executives.
Mark Vinnels has joined the company as Executive Director of Engineering and Vehicle Programs. …read more

As EVs proliferate, global demand for lithium is rapidly outpacing the rate at which it can be mined or recycled, but an international team of researchers are working on a solution.
Professor Benny Freeman of the University of Texas, and his colleagues at Monash University and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial …read more

Belgium-based Punch Powertrain is acquiring France-based power electronics expert Apojee, which supplies inverters for Formula E, as well as components for OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers in the German and French automotive industries.
The Apojee acquisition adds a fourth European development center for Punch Powertrain, in addition to its existing facilities …read more