Toyota

DoE, Hyundai, Mercedes, Nissan and Toyota in fuel cell initiative

The Energy Department launched H₂USA a new public-private partnership focused on advancing hydrogen infrastructure to support more transportation energy options for U.S. consumers, including fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).

Memory effect now also found in lithium-ion batteries

Scientists at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI, together with colleagues from the Toyota Research Laboratories in Japan have discovered that a widely-used type of lithium-ion battery has a memory effect.

Domino-effect insolvencies in EVs

Most electric vehicle sectors are profitable and growing. Toyota has nearly half of the $63 billion global market for electric vehicles land, water and air, according to an IDTechEx analysis in the new report, Hybrid and Pure Electric Vehicles for Land, Water and Air 2013-2023: Forecasts, Technologies, Players.

Lithium-ion batteries: Further GS Yuasa troubles

Toyo-keizai Online, Yomiuri-online and Livedoor Online News in Japan have recently reported in Japanese on further problems with the large lithium-ion batteries produced by GS Yuasa, the Japanese company involved in the grounding of the Boeing Dreamliner worldwide due to fires in its lithium-ion batteries but also supplying lithium-ion batteries to the International Space Station.

Greenhouse gas emissions of automobiles could drop 80 percent by 2050

A new National Research Council report finds that by the year 2050, the U.S. may be able to reduce petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent for light-duty vehicles, cars and small trucks via a combination of more efficient vehicles; the use of alternative fuels like biofuels, electricity, and hydrogen; and strong government policies to overcome high costs and influence consumer choices.

Supercapacitors improving faster than batteries

Supercapacitors replace lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries replace nickel metal hydride and lead acid batteries. There are side stories of course. Some supercapacitors replace electrolytic capacitors and others create new applications. However, in this article, we concentrate on replacing lithium-ion batteries.

New Toyota electric-powered forklift charging forward with innovation

Toyota Material Handling UK gives a sneak preview of the brand new Toyota Traigo 80-volt electric-powered forklift at the IMHX from the 18th - 22nd March 2013 at the NEC, Birmingham.

Prius fleet replaced with Nissan Leafs for Australian city workers

Nissan wins a coup over Toyota as Sydney's city government replaces a fleet of Prius's with 10 Nissan Leafs for use by city employees in duties around town.

New programme to make hydrogen powered travel in the UK a reality

A ground breaking project to ensure the UK is well positioned for the commercial roll-out of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles has been launched.

Electric vehicles land, water and air in 2013 - PART TWO

In this article, we look at other aspects of what will and will not happen with electric vehicles land, water and air in 2013, whether they are hybrid or pure electric.

Boeing Dreamliner: Implications for electric vehicles

IDTechEx analysts have ten years of experience of the lithium-ion traction battery business and in this article they comment on the implications for electric vehicles land, water and air of these Dreamliner batteries that are not for traction, apparently misbehaving.

Supercapacitors to the rescue

Supercapacitors are improving much faster than lithium-ion batteries and their marketing is now more imaginative, many applications not involving batteries being opened up.

Ford Fusion Energi delivers 620-mile range, 21 in EV mode

Already Ford's most fuel-efficient sedan, the all-new Fusion Energi now has an EPA-rated total range of up to 620 miles and the ability to drive up to 21 miles in electric-only mode, nearly triple the electric-only range of plug-in hybrids from Toyota and Honda.

Supercapacitors to the rescue

They call it the Bad Dreamliner because the new Boeing jet has been beset with electrical problems. When new, the Airbus A380 also had electrical problems but they were caught at an early stage. This time it has been more dramatic. In one instance a fire raged in the belly of a Boeing 787 parked at Logan International Airport in the USA. Flames were doused that emanated from the lithium-ion battery compartment. Investigations continue to determine the precise origin of that problem but the air industry is acutely aware that lithium-ion batteries have caused extreme incidents before.

Electric cars: Success by a different route

Everything about an electric car is facing total change. Different materials for bodywork, structural components leading to smart skin, laminar electrics, printed electronics and totally new components are coming along.

Electric Vehicles: Lessons of success and failure

You do not look at penguins to judge how the world's birds are prospering. You should not look at on-road electric cars to assess how electric vehicles in general are progressing. Both are somewhat special cases - find out more...

Vibrancy in electric buses contrasts gloom in electric cars

The market for electric buses and taxis at ex-factory prices will rise 8.7 times from $6.24 billion in 2011 to $ 54 billion in 2021. Of course, the largest part of that will be buses and detailed figures to 2022 are given in the report.

Further lessons from the European Electric Vehicle Congress, Brussels

Dr Peter Harrop, Chairman IDTechEx reports on the latest EV developments from the European Electric Vehicle Congress held in Brussels recently.

Supercapacitor strategies

This article shares some of the research in the new IDTechEx report, "Supercapacitor/Ultracapacitor Strategies and Emerging Applications 2013-2025" (www.IDTechEx.com/SuperApps). We establish what is needed to create a billion dollar supercapacitor manufacturer: someone will. A prediction is provided of the coming shakeout in the industry including the number of manufacturers involved.

Long wait for fuel cell parity

At the "Utility Vehicles and Buses" session of the eCarTec conference in Munich, Dr Ulrich Piotrowski of Daimler EvoBus revealed more about the high stakes game being played by many of the major automotive companies in introducing fuel cells as range extenders in on-road vehicles.