News

A new prototype “intelligent battery cell” has been developed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA in Stuttgart that could lead to electric vehicle battery pack costs being slashed notably. In addition to potential cost cuts, the new prototype could also lead to battery packs […]

Nissan and Eaton have announced a partnership that will use their respective expertise in lithium-ion batteries and power electronics to create commercially viable energy storage and control centers that offer a productive second life for Nissan’s EV batteries after their days on the road. The two companies will deploy a […]

A research team sponsored by Hitachi and Tohoku University’s Advanced Institute for Material Research (AIMR) has demonstrated technology that reduces the internal resistance of all-solid-state Li-ion batteries through the use of LiBH4-based complex hydrides as solid electrolytes. A conventional Li-ion battery uses a volatile organic electrolyte solution with a maximum […]

Scientists from Nanyang Technological University have developed a smart chip that they say provides a more precise picture of battery health than current warning systems, many of which only alert users when the battery is already overheating. Developed by Professor Rachid Yazami of the Energy Research Institute @ NTU, the […]

Samsung SDI will supply cylindrical 18650 format Li-ion battery cells for the new electric SUV iEV6S from , one of China’s top 10 domestic automakers. The battery pack for the iEV6S will use around 3,000 of Samsung’s 18650 cells. The two companies have signed an MOU for the supply of […]

Silicon’s high theoretical charge capacity has inspired a tremendous amount of research into the possibility of using it to replace at least part of the graphite in lithium-ion battery anodes. However, Si presents major technical challenges. It can undergo a volume change of up to 300% during charging and discharging, […]

The Tesla Model X is the first fully electric SUV in the world. It was announced with much fanfare — Bioweapon Defense Mode! Falcon-wing doors! Clown-car volumes of people and luggage coming out! — by Musk with a handful of lucky and rich people getting early editions and paying a […]

Known for artsy watches, it may seem strange that Swatch is considering a move into the electric vehicle battery game, until you start to dig into the details. Swatch has been making batteries for watches for years, so the connection to the technology makes sense, but it’s the specific battery […]

High-performance magnets, which are critical for EV motors, typically depend on rare earth elements such as samarium, neodymium and dysprosium. These exotic materials are not only costly, but also present environmental and political challenges. Researchers from Tohoku University in Japan recently succeeded in producing a completely rare-earth-free high-quality magnet made […]

LG Chem has been named by the most recent Navigant Research Leaderboard report on automotive lithium-ion battery companies as the top company in the market. The report — which ranks companies based on strategy and execution — saw the top position, held by LG Chem, followed by positions held by […]

About a month ago, BMW CEO Harold Krueger surprised the EV world by casually mentioning in an interview with Die Zeit that in 2016 the i3 would have increased range. That of course sparked a lot of online speculation as to how BMW would accomplish this. Did it figure out a way to […]

The DOE has announced a new batch of topics for the 2016 Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs. Under the SBIR and STTR programs, federal agencies set aside portions of their R&D budgets for small businesses. Companies that win awards keep the rights to any […]