Honda

Meeting of Japan Energy Harvesting Consortium September 25 2015

As energy harvesting becomes a different and much more noticed subject, IDTechEx monitors the situation by intensive visits to many events, companies and universities. The meeting of the Japan Energy Harvesting Consortium September 2015 was certainly revealing.

Outlook on fuel cell technologies for automotive applications

Being the automotive sector a trillion dollar market and given the existence of multiple low carbon powertrain technologies and sunk investments in specific powertrains technologies, the possibility of "betting on the wrong horse" makes the transition to low carbon vehicles a very risky process for incumbent automotive companies (global automotive manufacturers and their tier one suppliers). Through these technology developments these incumbent companies are primarily trying to maintain or increase their captured added value of the automotive value chain and their global sales market share. For new entrants with no existing interests, the risks are lower given they are not compelled to capture most of the value of the powertrain technology, giving them the possibility of sharing it with other parts of the value chain (suppliers, technology developers etc.)

Myths dispelled concerning 48-Volt standard

There are many myths about the move to higher voltage with conventional internal combustion engine on-road vehicles. Here we dispel some of them.

48V vehicle systems becoming significant

Analysts IDTechEx almost completely rewrote their report Power Electronics for Electric Vehicles 2015-2025 this year and frequent updates take place, such is the pace of change.

Report on EV Roadmap8 Portland Oregon 28-29 July

This event of a few hundred people and twenty or so exhibitors had a good range of coverage from many choices of EV test drive to sitting in on focus groups of people minded to buy an EV.

Report on EV Roadmap 8 Portland Oregon 28-29 July Day One

Summary of the first day of the EV Roadmap 8 event taking place in Portland, Oregon

Test environment for connected and driverless vehicles

he University of Michigan has opened Mcity, the world's first controlled environment specifically designed to test the potential of connected and automated vehicle technologies that will lead the way to mass-market driverless cars.

Development avenues for electrolyte and separator systems

Supercapacitors have seen tremendous improvements over the past decade, resulting in higher power density, higher energy density and lower prices. Electrodes have seen the most amount of attention, effort and development. In this article however, we focus instead on electrolytes and separators. Directions in electrolyte research are towards high voltage, more stable and greener solutions. Similarly, separators need to improve purity and high voltage stability. This is particularly true if paper separators are to succeed. We will discuss these developments in this article.

National electric vehicle strategies strongly diverge

The industrial and commercial electric vehicle business will be 42% of the EV market in 2025 on IDTechEx analysis with well over 50% of the profits because so much of it is specialist and niche and the vehicles are not bought on up-front price.

Fuel cell electric vehicles 2015-2030: surprises continue

This article shares some of the findings of the new IDTechEx Research report, Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles 2015-2030: Land, Water, Air and some of what will be discussed in the forthcoming IDTechEx webinar on 9th June.

Making the cleanest cars affordable

The California Air Resource Board is initiating a pilot project in the Greater Los Angeles area and San Joaquin Valley to help low-income individuals and families get rid of old polluting vehicles and purchase much cleaner and more fuel-efficient cars.

IDTechEx: Invest Now in Fuel Cell Vehicles?

There is divided opinion on future of traction fuel cells in electric vehicles, though few argue any more that they will power the majority of electric vehicles. Nonetheless some manufacturers are very enthusiastic and now could be the beginning of the end of the trough of disillusionment, indeed the time to invest.

IDTechEx: Invest now in fuel cell vehicles?

There is divided opinion on future of traction fuel cells in electric vehicles, though few argue any more that they will power the majority of electric vehicles.

BMW i8 wins 2015 world green car award

The BMW i8 was declared the 2015 World Green Car at a press conference hosted by the New York International Auto Show, Bridgestone Corporation, and Autoneum.

CPT's new technical centre in Coventry

The official opening by Controlled Power Technologies (CPT) of its new engineering technical centre in the West Midlands.

Hybrid vehicle range extenders: goodbye pistons

Hybrid vehicles are already big business from hybrid cars, buses and trucks to outdoor forklifts, even hybrid tugboats.

Fuel cell cars: caution needed say IDTechEx analysts

Launches of fuel cell cars are reportedly planned by up to six carmakers from 2015 including Tata Motors of India, owners of Jaguar Land Rover.

Zap and Jonway Auto sign contract for 5000 EV minivans

Electric Vehicle company Zap and Jonway Auto signed an OEM contract for 5000 units of ZAP Jonway's EV Minivans that will be sold under the brand of Dong Feng Motor Corporation.

Electric Vehicle Motors Rise to Two per Vehicle - Creates $144 Billion

The motor market is doubling in value even over the underlying fast growth of the electric vehicle business, whether hybrid or pure electric.

New Supercapacitor Advances in Japan

Supercapacitor sales are mostly about automotive, with Chinese buses being the main destination of Ioxus and Maxwell supercapacitors and Japanese cars the main users of Nippon ChemiCon supercapacitors. French cars are the main users of Batscap supercapacitors and so on. IDTechEx analysts regularly visit many supercapacitor and lithium-ion capacitor (supercabattery) manufacturers and users in Japan the center of the global EV industry, with Toyota the leader by a large margin. Here are some of the findings.