Conversation outline: 3:18 How did you first become interested in batteries? 7:56 How did Li-ion become the defacto batteries for vehicles? 13:34 How do batteries go from raw material to battery cells? 20:00 How can energy density be improved? 25:52 What is the electrical process of a battery when it is used to drive a vehicle? 36:07 Where is the bottleneck for energy density? 43:05 What are the raw materials in an 18650 cell? 44:20 Is cobalt really needed? 51:28 How are cylindrical, prismatic, and pouch style battery cells different? 59:48 What does energy density look like in 5-8 year? 1:01 ..read more

Mercedes EQC hits low volume production [InsideEVs] “Let’s get the stats out of the way first. The EQC packs an electric motor at each axle and an 80-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. The combination is good for 402 horsepower, 561 pound-feet of torque, and, according to Mercedes-Benz, 277 to 293 miles of range per charge while consuming power at the rate of 20.8 to 19.7 kWh per 100 kilometers, when measured on the New European Driving Cycle. U.S.-specific numbers, via the EPA or on the globally accepted WLTP scale, aren’t available just yet. Recharging at 240-volt/32-amps takes 10 hours to ..read more

Interview summary: 00:34 Where did Bollinger get its start? 3:53 What inspired you to make an EV over a combustion version? 5:01 Why do you personally prefer electric powertrains? 6:12 How has Bollinger been funded up unto this point? 9:23 What is Bollinger currently working on? 11:25 What inspired the retro style in your vehicles? 15:23 What are some of the features people will like about your vehicles? 17:02 What type of performance specs can people expect? 18:12 What type of range will your vehicles have? 18:52 Will your battery pack be actively cooled? 20:26 Will the vehicles be dual or q ..read more

Trevor from Tesla Owners Online joins me to discuss if Tesla will refresh the S/X in 2019. Trevor has a great community you can check out below: Tesla Owners Online: https://teslaownersonline.com Tesla Owners Online Twitter: https://twitter.com/Model3Owners Tesla Owners Online YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCry4jW5bcj9DIs7ZwA95Ylw ..read more

Fireside chat with Gali Russell - Tesla investing, TeslaQ FUD, and the future of EVs Hyperchange Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1LAjODfg7dnSSrrPGGPPMw ..read more

Volvo XC40 is going electric [Automotive News] Volvo will reveal the full-electric version of the XC40 before the end of the year, the company told Automotive News Europe at a safety event here last week. Officials declined to provide additional details. Adding a battery-powered version of the compact crossover to the lineup is a crucial step for Volvo, which wants full-electric cars to account for half of its global sales by 2025. Source: https://www.autonews.com/cars-concepts/volvo-xc40-full-electric-variant-debut-year Porsche Taycan goes ice drifting [InsideEVs]  0-100 km/h (62 mph ..read more

All electric Mini Cooper coming later this year [Autoblog] “The drivetrain is based on the middle model of BMW's i3 range, the i3S, with its 135 kilowatt/181 horsepower motor and 94 amp-hour, 33 kilowatt hour battery. The battery is a 96-cell lithium-ion unit from Chinese supplier CATL instead of BMW's previous supplier, Samsung, and it weights 441 pounds. Unlike the team-built, mainly carbon-fiber i3, the Mini is a standard three-door model that runs down the production line in Oxford, with a metal subframe that houses the electric motor, inverter, transformers, and control electronics so th ..read more

Model 3 $35K is finally here “To achieve these prices while remaining financially sustainable, Tesla is shifting sales worldwide to online only. You can now buy a Tesla in North America via your phone in about 1 minute, and that capability will soon be extended worldwide. We are also making it much easier to try out and return a Tesla, so that a test drive prior to purchase isn’t needed. You can now return a car within 7 days or 1,000 miles for a full refund. Quite literally, you could buy a Tesla, drive several hundred miles for a weekend road trip with friends and then return it for free. W ..read more

What’s going on everyone. Welcome back to the All Things EV Podcast. In S1 E6 I cover Nikola Motor Company going all electric, VW Group surprised by Model 3 cost, Porsche expanding their European charging network, Volvo’s electric Polestar 2 event, Tesla’s Sentry Mode, and a ton more. Let’s dive in. Nikola recognizes the advantages of BEVs. Will skip FCVs at some point? Nikola Motor Company announces BEV versions of their hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, Nikola Two and Nikola Tre (the European version). They will offer 500 kWh, 750 kWh, and 1 mWh packs. The 1 mWh pack is expected to give the semi ..read more

All Things EV Podcast S1 E5 What’s going on everyone. Welcome back to the All Things EV Podcast. In S1 E5 I cover Honda’s new battery deal, Porsche 3 years of free charging, an interview with Rivian’s CEO, EV winter driving efficiency, and a flurry of Tesla news. Let’s dive in. Honda inks battery deal with CATL Under an agreement signed Monday, CATL will supply 56 gigawatt hours worth of batteries to Honda through 2027. To aid the Japanese automaker's research and development, the Chinese company will also set up in the first half of this year a facility in Japan's Tochigi Prefecture, one of ..read more