Electric vehicles

KleenSpeed was founded as recently as 2007 to develop pure electric vehicle technology and intellectual property in the NASA Ames Technology Park in Mountain View California. Already it is selling the fastest EV race cars at about 150 mph for 45 minutes, rather like the Mission Motors Mission One pure electric motorcycle made not far away. A 200 mph Formula One version is next in line.

US traction battery manufacturer EnerDel has a supply relationship with Nissan and Honda, though not necessarily volume orders, and its relationship with Think is progressing beyond the car.

On 21 May, the UK International Research Centre had a one day meeting in London on "International Renewable Electricity: An Essential System?"

US start up Coda's first car, is based on a Chinese-made Hafei Saibao sedan and it will be "less than $35,000, after tax credits".

Laminar batteries are increasingly adopted in electronics because they have better cooling, damage tolerance and performance in respect of charge and discharge speed when optimally designed for this shape. Companies such as Cymbet and Infinite Power Solutions already supply small laminar lithium batteries for such applications as backup power for electronics and some even continue to operate if a nail is driven through them.

Long hampered by high manufacturing costs and durability issues, fuel cell technology could overcome those obstacles and take a significant step towards mainstream adoption thanks to a finding by a Texas A&M University chemical engineering professor.

Close to US$44 billion in economic stimulus funds and other incentives are being directed at the development of alternative fuel and advance technology vehicles according to a new analysis by the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (DTT) Global Manufacturing Industry group.

IDTechEx launches a new web journal - Electric Vehicles Research.

Illuminex was founded by MIT PhD nanomaterial scientists and based in Lancaster PA . It is commercializing platform nanowire array process technology enabling innovative functional, smart, nano-structured materials

365 Energy has announced the installation of the first Coulomb ChargePoint® Networked Charging Stations in Dublin, Ireland.

Car manufacturer Renault is due to release a range of electric vehicles from 2011. In the lead up Renault has commissioned the following innovative energy harvesting craft.

Volkswagen Group calls for strong collective effort by German industry in the field of electric mobility.

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry commissioned Better Place to conduct a trial of the company's battery switch technology, in partnership with Nihon Kotsu, Tokyo's largest taxi operator, in a real-world application with taxis that will be in service nearly around-the-clock for a 90-day period.

The Department of Energy has closed a $528.7 million loan with Fisker Automotive for the development and production of two lines of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV).

Integrating emerging business models and new value chains

Battery systems, chargers, wheel hub motors - in the cars of the future, what will the components look like, and how will they interact with each other?

California-based electric car and battery company CODA Automotive, together with joint venture partner, Lishen Power Battery, has secured $394 million of committed capital.

Eco City Vehicles, a developer and supplier of eco-friendly commercial vehicles and the London licensed taxi, have appointed David Charles Trendle as Finance Director.

The SCiB is Toshiba's breakthrough rechargeable battery that offers excellent long life and rapid recharging characteristics. Since its introduction, the battery has earned a high evaluation that supported its selection for Honda's new electric motorcycle.

Hitachi has developed a new cathode material for industrial lithium-ion batteries using manganese-based cathode materials that roughly doubles the life of similar batteries using the cathode material which was developed by Hitachi in the past.