CHARGED Electric Vehicles Magazine - Iss 21 SEP/OCT 2015

X

ELECTRIC VEHICLES MAGAZINE

TESLA

ISSUE 21 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 | CHARGEDEVS.COM

MODEL

The all-electric crossover hits the road

P. 46

Paraclete Energy’s Super Silicon

Tanktwo wants to redefine batteries

Q&A with Tesla’s principal motor engineer

A closer look at interoperability testing

P. 22

P. 28

P. 57

P. 76

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THE TECH CONTENTS

22 | Super silicon

Paraclete Energy says its silicon can at least double capacity

22

28 | Redefining batteries

Tanktwo has ambitious goals to change how we think about batteries

57 | Tesla’s Motor Man

Q&A with principal motor designer at Tesla

28

current events 8

AKASOL supplies battery systems for Cologne e-buses New thermoplastic offers high voltage resistance

9 Freescale introduces new Li-ion cell controller 10 2016 Cadillacs to use Maxwell ultracapacitors in start-stop system

57

Schaeffler develops new P2 hybrid module

11 Alcoa splits into two companies as auto demands more aluminum 12 Sendyne launches new current measurement module

Toshiba begins production of new motor control IC

13 Global market for electric motors to reach $129 billion by 2020 14 LG Chem to supply battery upgrade for Tesla Roadster

Vacuum maker Dyson acquires solid-state battery pioneer Sakti3

15 Sevcon introduces new GEN5 AC motor controller 17 NOHMs wins $1.64-million contract to develop ionic electrolytes

BASF expands range of high-voltage plastics

19 Delta-Q launches new charging solutions for electric motorcycles 20 Enevate says its batteries can charge 5-10 times faster

19

Scientists claim promising lithium-oxygen battery advancements

21 Riviera Tool & Die reopens as Tesla Michigan

THE VEHICLES 46 CONTENTS

46 | Tesla Model X The all-electric crossover finally hits the road

60 | EV marketing

60

Why do marketing efforts for plug-in cars continue to miss the mark?

current events 38 Volvo to produce an EV by 2019

LG will supply more than batteries for the Bolt

39 Fisker rebrands as Karma Automotive 40 Tesla shifts focus to Model 3 as engineers start work at the Gigafactory 41 EV-friendly countries and states to form the International ZEV Alliance

38

Chinese automaker BAIC opens EV R&D center in Silicon Valley

42 Formula E battery power increasing to 170 kW for season two

Jaguar Land Rover developing three electrification concepts

43 PG&E truck exports power during California wildfire evacuation

DOT offers $22.5 million in grants for “Low or No Emission� buses

44 Nissan exec: 10% of sales will be EVs in the near future

Tesla aims to build cars in China

45 California announces $24 million in grants for truck and bus pilots

43

76

76 | Interoperability testing

The lack of certifications forced Zero Motorcycles to abandon plans to add a CHAdeMO option

84 | Insights from Q3 data A look at Plugshare’s latest numbers

90 | Mandating competition

California bill attempts to harmonize how utilities fit into the charging business

90

66 MUD charging solution attracts $1.4 million in seed funding

ChargePoint and Constellation offer EVSE with no upfront cost

67 Tesla is in talks to share the Supercharger network

New Interoperability Centre aims to harmonize US and EU EV methods

68 Seaward offers new handheld EVSE diagnostic tool

67

ABB charging stations to feature Microsoft’s Azure cloud-based platform

69 Chargemaster’s new charger features automatic license plate reader 70 Scandinavian charging network expands to Lapland

ClipperCreek launches ProMountDuo pedestal

71 The EVCA, a new trade group for the charging industry

Russia orders all gas stations to install EV charging stations

72 Market for EVSE communications tech will grow to $710 million by 2024

UK charging operators call for standardized signage

73 ClipperCreek incorporates eMotorWerks smart grid charging platform

71

China proposes “game-changing” goals for EV charging infrastructure

75 New Zealand’s first public fast charger goes live

ABB introduces automated fast charging system for city buses

Publisher’s Note No emissions testing needed

As the diesel debacle drags on, and the bad news for Volkswagen continues to pile up, the company’s board released a plan to repair the company’s fortunes that includes a couple of new steps toward an electrified future. The board’s statement foresees a focus on “plug-in hybrids with an even greater range,” and “high-volume electric vehicles with a radius of up to 300 kilometers,” including a pure electric version of the flagship Phaeton luxury sedan.

Some in the media heralded the news as a “dramatic pivot” to EVs, while others rolled their eyes and dismissed the announcement as nothing more than a few incremental steps towards electrification that the company was already working on.

It remains to be seen how VW’s corporate strategy will change as a result of the scandal.

However, for the EV industry as a whole, I think there will come a time when we can look back and see a clear shift towards EVs as a result of dieselgate.

Regulators around the world have egg on their face. They all got scammed. Emissions testing will undoubtedly become more cumbersome, which translates into more costs for the builders of vehicles with emissions. Also, there has been an ongoing lobbyist war as some regional governments have been pushing for more zero emission vehicles (ZEVs).

Those pro-EV factions are now emboldened to push even harder for more ZEVs. The German government, for example, hasn’t been much of an EV advocate so far, but if that changes, things could happen quickly.

For now, VW may be hoping that it can pay a few fines, invest in some PR, and pretty much carry on as usual. But in the long run, VW will have little choice but to get charged. The company has always liked to be seen as a green leader, but now it can never use the term “clean diesel” - a former staple of its ad campaigns - again. VW is also far from a laggard in electric tech. It has EVs on the market already, has announced plans to produce as many as 20 more plug-in vehicles by 2020, and has been investing in next-generation battery technologies, including lithium-sulfur and solid-state. Just days before the scandal broke, Porsche and Audi (both part of the VW Group) displayed new EVs at the Frankfurt Auto Show and made headlines everywhere.

Christian Ruoff Publisher Laurel Zimmer Associate Publisher Charles Morris Senior Editor Markkus Rovito Associate Editor Jeffrey Jenkins Technology Editor Erik Fries Contributing Editor Nick Sirotich Illustrator & Designer Tome Vrdoljak Graphic Designer Contributing Writers Michael Kent Charles Morris Markkus Rovito Christian Ruoff Joey Stetter

There are pro-EV parties within all the OEMs, and the dirtying of diesel’s reputation can only strengthen their hands. In the wake of the scandal, VW changed CEOs and appointed Matthias Müller - previously CEO of Porsche AG since 2010. Of all the German luxury brands, reports indicate that Porsche was the most threatened by the emergence of Tesla’s Model S in 2012. Will Müller swiftly lead VW towards the inevitable?

Contributing Photographers Abdullah AlBargan Tinou Bao Steve Jurvetson Statsministerens Kontor Windell Oskay Nicolas Raymond Eva Rinaldi Mark Mastropietro Joe Wolf

When the writing is on the wall, the problem becomes finding leadership with the best vision.

Cover Image Courtesy of Tesla Motors

EVs are here. Try to keep up.

Christian Ruoff Publisher

IDENTIFICATION STATEMENT CHARGED Electric Vehicles Magazine (USPS PP 46) September/October 2015, Issue # 21 is published bi-monthly by Electric Vehicles Magazine LLC, 4121 52nd Ave S, Saint Petersburg, FL 33711-4735. Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at Saint Petersburg, FL and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CHARGED Electric Vehicles Magazine, Electric Vehicles Magazine LLC at 4121 52nd Ave S, Saint Petersburg, FL 33711-4735.

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Latest Assessment of the xEV & xEV-Battery Market xEV Battery Technology Updates [Audi, Daimler, Program Highlights: Porsche, Toyota & Volkswagen]

• • • • • •

14V Architecture Expansion [PSA & Valeo] Latest Assessment of the xEV & xEV-Battery Market Batteries for 48V Systems [Audi & Hella] xEV Battery Technology Updates [Audi, Daimler, Thermal & Toyota Mechanical Pack Engineering Updates Porsche, & Volkswagen] [Renault, Daimler & Valeo] 14V Architecture Expansion [PSA & Valeo] Battery Safety Testing: Materials, Cells, Batteries for 48V Systems [Audi & Hella] Packs & In-Vehicle Thermal & Mechanical Pack Engineering Updates [Renault, Daimler & Valeo]

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The Latest in Advanced Electrolytes for Lithium-Ion

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Beyond Lithium-Ion – Challenges & Opportunities

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Automotive Batteries in Industrial Applications

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Batteries for Light EVs with Insights from China & Europe

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CURRENTevents

The German city of Cologne plans to deploy eight electric bendy buses on an all-electric bus route, one of the first in Germany. The 18-meter e-buses will be manufactured by VDL Bus & Coach, with battery systems produced by AKASOL GmbH in Darmstadt.

The electric buses will go into service on Cologne’s route 133, a 7-kilometer route with 13 stops, in December 2016. Transit authority KVB intends to invest €6 million in the buses, and estimates that they will reduce CO2 emissions by some 520 tons per year.

AKASOL’s AKASYSTEM lithium-ion battery system boasts a charging capacity of more than 300 kW and a useable energy content of over 100 kWh. The liquid-cooled AKASYSTEM batteries will receive a 250 kW charge at each terminal, via a roof-mounted pantograph, a process that takes five to ten minutes. The batteries are then fully charged at the depot overnight.

Partially charging en route allows the batteries to be smaller, reducing vehicle weight.

“With 7,000 full cycles and millions of partial cycles, our battery systems provide the operator with high level of investment security and, due to their long service life, the best results in terms of the total cost of ownership,” AKASOL Managing Director Felix von Borck explained.

8

Image courtesy of AKASOL

AKASOL supplies battery systems for Cologne e-buses

Thermoplastics supplier Solvay Specialty Polymers has expanded its Amodel AE-8900 series of products for automotive electronics applications. The new Amodel polyphthalamide (PPA) materials provide high voltage resistance and retention of dielectric properties at high temperatures.

The new Amodel AE-8900 series comes in five versions, offering 30, 35, 40, 50 or 60 percent glass fiber reinforcement. All offer comparative tracking index (CTI) values over 600 volts, indicating excellent resistance to electrical breakdown of the insulating material.

Solvay says its Amodel AE-8935 provides the best crack resistance during thermal shock testing of any commercial PPA product. This grade, along with Amodel AE-8940 PPA, meets key design criteria for automotive technologies such as electric motors, fuel cells and power electronics. Both boast strong moisture resistance and reliable performance at temperatures from -40° to 150° C. “Combined with the recent addition of Ryton PPS polymers to our advanced materials portfolio, the expanded Amodel AE-8900 series uniquely positions Solvay as a comprehensive source of advanced polymer solutions for the fast-growing automotive electronics industry,” said Global Automotive Business Development Manager Brian Baleno.

Image courtesy of Solvay Specialty Polymers

New thermoplastic

by Solvay offers high voltage resistance and high temp performance

THE TECH

Image courtesy of Freescale Semiconductor

Freescale introduces new Li-ion cell controller Lithium-ion chemistries are increasingly replacing lead-acid automotive batteries, especially in start-stop and energy recuperation systems, and they are even making inroads into starter battery applications. Electronics such as Freescale Semiconductor’s battery cell controllers are used to manage risks such as overcharge, overheating and internal short circuits.

Now Freescale has introduced the MC33772 3- to 6-cell lithium-ion battery cell controller, which complements the existing MC33771 14-cell battery cell controller (pictured above), and expands the company’s portfolio to encompass a full range of single-chip 3- to 14-cell solutions.

Freescale’s cell controllers support an array of battery chemistries, including lithium-iron phosphate, lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide, lithium titanate, and lithium polymer. They feature diagnostics and functional verification supporting ISO 26262 ASIL-C requirements within a single chip.

The MC33772’s feature set is suited not only for 14 V Li-ion battery packs, but also for 48 V battery systems, hybrid vehicles, EVs, e-bikes and energy storage systems. The MC33772 supports 2 Mbps communication of battery health and conditions for a variety of battery management system topologies, including centralized, distributed CAN and distributed daisy chain systems.

“Drivers face a host of issues and concerns about their lead-acid batteries, causing about 100 million batteries to be replaced every year in the US alone,” said Freescale Senior VP James Bates. “With the expansion of our portfolio of battery cell controllers, Freescale is making it easier for our customers to offer an effective Li-ion alternative to lead-acid, while meeting stringent performance and functional safety requirements across a wide variety of battery sizes and types.”

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CURRENTevents Schaeffler develops new P2 hybrid module

Start-stop vehicles (SSVs, if you will) occupy the bottom rung of the electrification ladder, and they’re growing in importance as global OEMs search for ways to meet tightening emissions standards (anything other than selling EVs, it sometimes seems). Over 40 percent of new cars sold in Europe already incorporate start-stop technology.

A battery-based start-stop system is greatly improved by the addition of an ultracapacitor-enabled voltage stabilization system, which provides burst power needed to restart the engine, reducing high currents and repeated cycling that shorten battery life. The voltage stabilization control can deliver smoother starts, reduced engine vibration and a generally more seamless driving experience.

Ultracapacitor pioneer Maxwell Technologies (Nasdaq: MXWL) has announced that Continental Automotive Systems’ Maxwell-powered voltage stabilization system will be a standard feature on some of the 2016 Cadillac ATS and CTS sedans and ATS coupes.

“Performance has always been important to car owners, and Maxwell’s ultracapacitors enable consumers to get the fuel economy they desire without limiting their cars’ performance,” said Maxwell CEO Dr Franz Fink.

“GM’s selection of Continental’s Maxwell-powered VSS is a further affirmation of our ultracapacitor capability for varying applications as the automotive industry continues down its path of vehicle electrification.”

10

Image courtesy of Maxwell Technologies

2016 Cadillacs to use Maxwell ultracapacitors in start-stop system

Schaeffler has developed a new P2 (parallel, two-clutch) high-voltage hybrid module - designed to fit between the internal combustion engine and transmission – that can transmit engine torques of up to 800 N·m (590 lb-ft) without having to incorporate an expensive clutch.

The P2 consists of an electric machine and an automated disconnect clutch, which is operated by an electromechanical central clutch release system that engages the clutch mechanically via a ball screw drive without a hydraulic transfer path.

The pathway of torque conveyance depends on its direction: torque is transmitted to the crankshaft via a 300 N·m disconnect clutch, while traction torque from the internal combustion engine is transmitted to the transmission via a one-way clutch. This allows a compact design, which can save on space and cost.

Regulating the connection to the engine when accelerating is normally a complicated matter that involves the gas engine, the disconnect clutch, the electric motor, and the transmission. The one-way clutch provides an immediate mechanical connection to the engine as soon as the engine and electric motor speeds synchronize, allowing regulation to take place more quickly.

The new hybrid module will go into volume production in China in 2017.

THE TECH Alcoa splits into two companies as auto industry demands more aluminum

Image courtesy of Tesla Motors

Aluminum colossus Alcoa (NYSE: AA) has approved a plan to split into two independent, publicly-traded companies, referred to for now as the Upstream Company and the Value-Add Company. The transaction is to be completed in the second half of 2016.

Global aluminum demand is expected to double between 2010 and 2020, driven partly by the light metal’s increasing use in vehicles. Alcoa is sure to remain a major player.

The Upstream Company will be the world’s fourth largest aluminum producer, and will include the world’s largest bauxite mining portfolio, with 46 million bonedry metric tons of production in 2014.

The Value-Add Company will be a supplier to the aerospace and vehicle industries. Automotive revenues are expected to more than double by 2018, to $1.8 billion.

“In the last few years, we have successfully transformed Alcoa to create two strong value engines that are now ready to pursue their own distinctive strategic directions,” said CEO Klaus Kleinfeld. “The upstream business is now built to win throughout the cycle. Our multi-material value-add business is a leader in attractive growth markets.”

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CURRENTevents

Toshiba begins production of new motor control IC

12

Toshiba has begun mass production of a system regulator IC with monitoring function for motor control systems in electric and hybrid vehicles. The new IC (TB9042FTG) has a strengthened monitoring function to reduce potential system failures.

TB9042FTG provides a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) communication function to avoid microcontroller (MCU) failures. The system regulator IC and the MCU identify trouble by using the SPI communication function to monitor each other. Using the derived information, the system can carry out safe and timely processing.

Key features of the new IC include: • Two DC-DC converters and three series regulators • Continuous monitoring of the system regulators (High output voltage, Low output voltage, Overcurrent, Overheat, Unusual frequency) • Continuous monitoring of the MCU (Watchdog Timer, MCU alarm, MCU calculation function, Communication error) • Self-diagnosis function (High output voltage, Low output voltage, Output logic of each detection circuit)

Image courtesy of Toshiba

Sendyne’s new SFP102MOD is a shunt-based enclosed module capable of current measurements to 375 A, with 45 µA resolution. The company’s patented Continuous Calibration technology enables ±0.25% accuracy for any current magnitude, within the operating temperature range of -40° C to 125° C. The new module is designed for situations that require accurate current measurements under widely-changing temperature conditions, such as battery monitoring for automotive and stationary storage applications.

The SFP102MOD features built-in precision Coulomb counting (charge accumulation), with separate counters for charge, discharge and total Coulombs, enabling accurate State of Charge estimation. The supply voltage range is 3.3 V to 12 V. Power consumption with a 3.3 V supply is under 30 mW. For customers requiring greater accuracy, Sendyne offers individually calibrated units that achieve 0.05% accuracy up to 50 A, and 0.1% accuracy up to 200 A.

Image courtesy of Sendyne

Sendyne launches new current measurement module

THE TECH

Image: Charged EVs

Allied Market Research: Global market for electric motors to reach $129 billion by 2020 Electric motor sales are rapidly revving up. The global motor market will grow to $129 billion by 2020, an annual growth rate of 5.3%, according to a new report from Allied Market Research.

Automotive applications account for nearly 52% of global revenue, thanks to the steadily increasing adoption of electrified vehicles. According to the report, DC motors find most of their applications in the automotive sector, whereas AC motors are used across various industrial applications.

“Presently, the demand for energy-efficient electric motors drives the market,” wrote the Allied analysts.

“Energy-efficient motors increase efficiency by approximately 20% compared to standard motors. Although these motors are [more expensive], the long-term environmental benefits offered by premium motors tend to outweigh their initial higher cost.”

Prominent players profiled in the new report include Ametek, Siemens, Baldor Electric, Allied Motion Technologies, ARC Systems, Rockwell Automation and Johnson Electric Holdings.

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CURRENTevents

Tesla has confirmed that it has a contract with South Korean firm LG Chem to provide batteries for the Roadster 3.0 upgrade package, according to the Wall Street Journal. Tesla began taking orders in September for the $29,000 upgrade package of range-enhancing improvements for its famous first vehicle.

Until this announcement, Tesla’s only known battery supplier was Panasonic, which is a partner in the Gigafactory now taking shape in Nevada.

Panasonic’s supply agreement with Tesla makes it the world’s largest producer of EV batteries, according to Lux Research. However, LG Chem is coming on strong amid industry buzz about its low prices and high quality.

LG Chem supplies cells for GM’s 2016 Volt and upcoming Bolt EV, and Nissan-Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn has said he believes LG has the best cells currently on the market. There are rumors that the Korean company will have a role in developing batteries for the much-anticipated 2nd-generation LEAF.

14

Image courtesy of LG Chem

LG Chem to supply battery upgrade for Tesla Roadster

Dyson, the manufacturer of high-tech vacuum cleaners and restroom hand dryers, has acquired Michigan startup Sakti3 for $90 million in cash, as reported by Quartz.

Founder and CEO Ann Marie Sastry will oversee development of her company’s solid-state battery technology as an executive for Dyson.

UK-based Dyson, which invested $15 million in Sakti3 last March, also plans to build a new battery production plant, with an investment of up to $1 billion.

The EV community has followed Sakti3 closely - in August 2014, CEO Ann Marie Sastry told Scientific American that the company’s prototype solid-state battery cells had achieved energy density of 1,143 Watthours per liter - more than double that of today’s best lithium-ion batteries. GM Ventures invested a chunk of change in the company in September 2010, and some speculated that Sakti3 was a contender to provide batteries for GM’s upcoming 200-mile EV. Solid-state tech was in the news again recently, as auto parts giant Bosch bought Seeo, another solid-state battery startup.

Is all of Sakti3’s pioneering work really going to end up as a way to improve battery life in cordless vacuums?

Neither Sastry nor Dyson CEO James Dyson would comment on speculation about future plans to provide batteries for EVs, but Dyson did say that he’s not ruling out the possibility that Sakti3’s technology could be licensed to other companies.

“We are very fortunate indeed to join and become a contributor to not only Dyson, but hopefully help get solid-state battery technology out into commercial products much, much more quickly and efficiently,” said Sastry. “Where this will take us isn’t yet something we can comment on, but it is sure to be exciting.”

Image courtesy of Eva Rinaldi (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Vacuum maker Dyson acquires solid-state battery pioneer Sakti3

THE TECH

Image courtesy of Sevcon

Sevcon introduces new GEN5 AC motor controller Sevcon (Nasdaq: SEV), a manufacturer of controls for EVs and hybrids, has introduced an AC motor controller based on the company’s new GEN5 technology.

The GEN5 on-road controller is designed to be easy for OEMs and drivetrain integrators to incorporate in their designs - hardware installation requires only 15 minutes, says Sevcon. Communications protocols can be modified to suit manufacturer requirements.

The controller is compact, to facilitate installation in crowded spaces, and the lightweight metal enclosure is designed to withstand harsh environments.

“People do not want to drive on the highway at 60 mph in a vehicle using a modified forklift controller,” said Sevcon Group Product Manager Stephen Chilton.

“Our technology is designed from the ground up to ensure maximum functional safety in on-road vehicle applications. The GEN 5 controller is available with ISO26262 ASIL C certification that assures the product

contains the state-of-the-art functional safety demanded by on-road vehicle manufacturers.”

The GEN5 on-road controller is currently being tested by 12 vehicle manufacturers around the world, and will be available for delivery in early 2016.

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THE TECH

CURRENTevents

BASF expands range of high-voltage plastics

The United States Advanced Battery Consortium has awarded a $1.64-million contract to Rochester-based NOHMs (Nano Organic Hybrid Materials) Technologies for the development of electrolytes for lithium-ion battery applications.

The 18-month program will focus on ionic liquid-based electrolyte and co-solvent combinations that exhibit high ionic conductivity and stability for application in 4.6-5.0 V lithium-ion batteries.

Founded in 2010 as a spin-off from Cornell University, NOHMs has developed a lithium-sulfur battery that uses proprietary electrodes, an ionic liquid-based electrolyte and a hybrid ceramic-polymer separator.

The company is also commercializing its electrolyte work (NanoLyte) for use by other manufacturers with a variety of cathode chemistries.

Image courtesy of BASF

Image: Charged EVs

NOHMs wins $1.64-million contract to develop ionic liquidbased electrolytes BASF is expanding its range of engineering plastics for electric and hybrid vehicles. Tailor-made Ultramid and Ultradur materials are now available for equipping vehicle-interior and -exterior high-voltage plug-in connectors with precisely fitting characteristics.

Plastics used for connectors in vehicles must meet stringent requirements regarding flame retardancy, color stability and electrical isolation. High-voltage connectors are typically orange in color, and that color needs to remain highly visible for at least ten years. BASF’s polyamide is color-stable and resistant to thermal aging.

BASF’s Ultramid and Ultradur grades conform to IEC standards 62196-1 and 60695-2-11, are resistant to high temperatures and coolants, and are designed for low warpage, impact strength and creep resistance.

“Components for battery-powered vehicles are evolving all the time, and each automotive manufacturer has special requirements,” said Wolfgang Balles of the Swiss firm TE Connectivity. “That is why for us, as a company that operates globally, it is vital to have a partner like BASF with which we can find the ideal combination of material and part. This is the only way that we can deliver safe and reliable components to the mass market,” added TE’s Franz Janson.

SEP/OCT 2015

17

Where utilities talk solar

UTILITY SOLAR C O N F E R E N C E

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THE TECH

Image courtesy of Delta-Q Technologies

Delta-Q launches new charging solutions for electric motorcycles and scooters Vancouver-based Delta-Q Technologies has announced two new battery charging solutions for use in electric sports products, including motorcycles and scooters.

The new IC900 and IC1200 Industrial Battery Chargers join the company’s IC650 Charger to form a common charging platform for use across manufacturer’s product lines.

Delta-Q chargers can be used with lithium-ion or lead-acid batteries. The three models in the IC Series provide 650, 900 and 1200 watts of DC output power, respectively, and all are available in 24-, 36- and 48-volt models. All IC Series chargers have a wide AC input range and are usable on any single-phase electrical grid worldwide.

Optional CAN bus communication enables a link between the charger and other components, providing for safe lithium-ion battery charging, as well as machine

diagnostics and servicing information. Charge cycle data is accessible through a built-in USB port.

“IC Series chargers are highly reliable on-board charging solutions for electric motorcycles and scooters, providing precise charging of lithium-ion batteries and the convenience of plugging into the nearest outlet,” said IC Series Product Manager Jeff Everett. “Manufacturers can easily integrate the IC Series charger that best suits their charge time requirement and customize charging features to differentiate their machines.”

CURRENTevents Cambridge scientists claim promising lithium-oxygen battery advancements

California-based Enevate Corporation has announced an “ultrafast charging” feature for its batteries, which has been demonstrated to provide a 90% charge in 15 minutes while increasing capacity compared to current Li-ion batteries.

Enevate’s HD-Energy Technology uses silicon-dominant composite anodes, and the company claims a 25-50% increase in energy density over conventional graphite anode cells. The company is currently marketing its new batteries to makers of smartphones and other mobile devices.

“The charge rate of Enevate batteries can be 5-10 times faster than conventional batteries due to multiple reasons, including faster kinetics of silicon,” said Dr Benjamin Park, Founder and CTO of Enevate. “Enevate’s unique silicon Li-ion batteries deliver both ultrafast charging and high energy density at the same time. The batteries are resistant to lithium plating during charging, which allows for cycle life to be maintained even with high charge rates.”

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Image courtesy of Enevate

Enevate says its batteries can charge 5-10 times faster than conventional Li-ion

Cambridge scientists have developed a working demonstrator of a lithium-oxygen battery that is more than 90% efficient, and can be recharged more than 2,000 times.

Lithium-oxygen, or lithium-air, has been touted as the ultimate battery technology, because its theoretical energy density is ten times that of lithium-ion solutions.

In “Cycling Li-O2 Batteries via LiOH Formation and Decomposition,” published in the journal Science, the researchers demonstrated how some of the obstacles to a practical lithium-air battery may be overcome.

Their demonstrator relies on a highly porous “fluffy” carbon electrode made from graphene, and additives that alter the chemical reactions in the battery, making it more stable and more efficient.

“What we’ve achieved is a significant advance for this technology and suggests whole new areas for research we haven’t solved all the problems inherent to this chemistry, but our results do show routes forward towards a practical device,” said Professor Clare Grey, the paper’s senior author.

The Cambridge battery uses a very different chemistry than earlier attempts at a non-aqueous lithium-air battery, relying on lithium hydroxide (LiOH) instead of lithium peroxide (Li2O2). By adding water and using lithium iodide as a “mediator,” the researchers were able to inhibit some of the unwanted chemical reactions that can cause problems, making the battery more stable after multiple charge and discharge cycles.

Other issues remain, however. The metal electrode is still prone to forming spindly lithium metal fibers known as dendrites, and the cell can only be cycled in pure oxygen.

“There’s still a lot of work to do,” said Liu. “But what we’ve seen here suggests that there are ways to solve these problems – maybe we’ve just got to look at things a little differently.”

The researchers caution that a practical lithium-air battery remains at least a decade away.

THE TECH

Image; Charged EVs

Riviera Tool & Die reopens as Tesla Michigan In May, Tesla acquired Riviera Tool & Die, a Michigan-based firm that makes large stamping die systems used to produce automotive sheet metal parts. The Californians have now taken over the company’s Grand Rapids facility and rebranded it as Tesla Michigan.

Reporter Rick Albin from local TV station WOOD recently took a factory tour and a Model S test drive.

“The former Riviera Tool & Die, now Tesla Michigan, was already making some integral parts for us,” said Tesla Northeast Regional Sales Manager Will Nicholas. “It made sense for us to adopt a supplier as one of our own.”

This facility is Tesla’s first physical presence in the Automobile State, where, ironically, the company is not allowed to sell its vehicles directly to buyers. That’s a situation that Tesla eventually hopes to rectify – a couple of state lawmakers were also on the factory tour.

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P R O U D LY M A D E I N T E X A S

SUPER SIL Paraclete Energy says its low-cost silicon nanoparticles can at least double capacity compared to current anode technology.

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THE TECH

ICON

We believe that one of the reasons others are struggling with silicon is because most of those companies aren’t silicon experts; they’re battery experts.

By Christian Ruoff

S

ilicon has a theoretical charge capacity ten times higher than typical graphite. That is why a mind-blowing number of researchers are working towards replacing more and more of the graphite used in today’s lithium-ion battery anodes with silicon.

In the last issue of Charged, we discussed Tesla’s announcement that it had begun to use small amounts of silicon in its cells, and the major technical challenges that must be overcome to increase the amount of silicon in the anode.

The biggest problem for researchers is that, as the amount of silicon is increased, the cycle life of the cell is drastically reduced. This is largely caused by the expansion and contraction of silicon, which undergoes a volume change of up to 300% during charging and discharging. The repeated expansion of silicon essentially cracks the materials around it, which causes all sorts of problems.

In September, we encountered a company that claims to have made significant progress on the road to storing more energy with silicon. Paraclete Energy says its silicon expertise allows it to create a drop-in replacement material that will at least double the capacity of current anode chemistry, with little or no effect on cycle life. To top it off, Paraclete’s silicon products are essentially the same price as graphite.

Charged talked to Paraclete Energy CEO Jeff Norris to learn more about how the company’s silicon technology will live up to the hype.

Q Charged: What’s your secret? How exactly has Paraclete Energy succeeded where others are struggling?

A Norris: We believe that one of the reasons others are struggling with silicon is because most of those companies aren’t silicon experts; they’re battery experts. So there’s been a lot of hype but not a lot of deliverables.

Our strength is that we come out of the silicon industry.

We know how to make the silicon functional from a cycling perspective. What we’re really selling is our expertise - we partner with customers and help them develop a better anode using silicon.

One of the issues is that, when you have a bunch of smart guys in the room, they tend to want to use the

We know how to make the silicon functional from a cycling perspective.

SEP/OCT 2015

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The problem is that the latest and greatest ways to make silicon don’t necessarily create the best or most cost-effective material to improve today’s batteries.

latest and greatest methods to do things. There are a lot of companies using new groundbreaking methods that are really cool, but most of these techniques were recently developed in government labs or university projects, and they’re very exotic. The problem is that the latest and greatest ways to make silicon don’t necessarily create the best or most cost-effective material to improve today’s batteries.

Paraclete Energy started as a philanthropic endeavor.

We wanted to manufacture solar panels in third-world countries to help their economies and give them a new energy source. We ended up finding a way to make functional active silicon very inexpensively. We were looking at putting solar manufacturing plants in the remote areas of India, for instance. So the process couldn’t be very energy-intensive, and it had to be done without a clean room and without using inert atmosphere. Those goals led us to a way to make active functional silicon nanoparticles that we can treat for a variety of applications. They can be used in life sciences, biomed, electronics, solar panels - but we decided to focus on batteries because of timing and the potential impact on the industry.

It’s actually very easy to make a silicon-anode battery, but it’s difficult to get it to cycle without capacity

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loss. The trick is to make the silicon particles very small and cost-effectively, while passivating the surface of the silicon with a compatible and conductive surface modifier that protects the silicon during the charging cycle.

We’ve been able to do that using kinetic manufacturing techniques and surface-modifying additives.

Q Charged: So silicon’s expansion and contraction

issues can be solved by making the particles very small?

A Norris: That’s right. There are a few published papers

by battery researchers - like Professor Yi Cui at Stanford, for example - finding that silicon particles less than 140 nm do not suffer from expansion stress fracturing.

This has an impact on cycle life. Also, the surface modifiers we use with the silicon create a covalent bond and communicate with the surrounding graphite.

Another problem with silicon’s expansion is that the particles can suffer pulverization from compressive stress when particles are too closely spaced. Our process disperses silicon particles and allows them to stay separated when blended with graphite.

Ultimately, we can add considerable amounts of sili-

THE TECH

Plasma deposition and other thermodynamic methods tend to make spherical particles. Ours look like pancakes. con to existing graphite anode formulations - anywhere from 8 to 25%, depending on the customer. That is enough to double to quadruple the anode’s capacity and experience no noticeable reduction in cycle life - so long as the particles we use are sub-140 nm, bear our customtailored surface modifier agent, and are sufficiently separated from each other in the graphic matrix to allow for lithiation expansion.

PARACLETE ENERGY SILICON

LESS THAN 140 NM

SIOX HAS FORMED ON THE SURFACE

TAILORED SURFACE MODIFIER COATS AND PROTECTS THE SI

modifier? How does it work?

sacrificed by combining with oxygen, which makes that lithium no longer functional in the battery.

In contrast, our surface modifier is electrically conductive, and it allows lithium ions to penetrate the surface modifier layer and begin to lithiate the silicon suspended in the surrounding graphite matrix. The lithiation process proceeds smoothly without wasting any lithium.

A Norris: We use a kinetic process to create the silicon

Q Charged: So why don’t these other processes for

Q Charged: Can you tell us more about the surface

Image courtesy of Paraclete Energy

COMMERCIAL SILICON

particles. If we were to just use pure silicon, without surface modifiers, they would want to bond back together. The surface modifier also prevents the formation of surface oxidation upon exposure to residual oxygen. In many other common processes for creating silicon particles for batteries, a silicon-oxide layer is formed, which is electrically insulating and inhibits reversible lithiation of the silicon particle.

Once an oxide is formed on silicon nanostructure surfaces, it is very difficult to replace the oxide with any other coating. We have seen companies using exotic manufacturing methods of nano-silicon, like plasma deposition, and then some of the lithium is being consumed when breaking through the oxide layer during initial cycling.

Basically, the lithium comes from the positive electrode, and has to break the oxide down before it can form an alloy with the silicon.

Some of the lithium ions are

manufacturing silicon nanoparticles also use surface modifiers?

A Norris: Again, this is a problem with the exotic

methods that everyone uses to make their functional silicon. The plasma deposition method, for example, forms silicon into nanoparticles at over a thousand degrees Celsius. At those temperatures, our surface additives are unstable and would instead form a siliconcarbide surface. We use room-temperature methods to make the silicon, so we can add a custom surface modifier without any problem of thermal degradation.

If you look at the shape of our particles versus those made with other methods, you can see a very clear difference. Plasma deposition and other thermodynamic methods tend to make spherical particles.

Ours look like pancakes.

It’s all about the surface,

We use room temperature methods to make the silicon, so we can add a custom surface modifier without any problem of thermal degradation.

SEP/OCT 2015

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THE TECH and we prepare the silicon surface specifically for our customers’ chemistry.

For example, if our silicon nanoparticles are going to be used with an NMC cathode or lithium-iron phosphate cathode, they get a different surface modifier.

another set of SOPs that outlines how the company could change their current manufacturing process in order to get even better performance. We may suggest things like resting the electrode sheet, increasing the temperature, using different solvents in the slurry process, or changing the electrolyte.

After we deliver those three things, customers usually start by trying to replicate the results we’ve proven in a pilot at their own facilities. So we provide materials and coach them on the process. The final stage is to commercialize the new formulation and manufacture it at scale.

We’re still a young company, founded in 2010. All of our projects are in the R&D or pilot phases, and the reception so far has been incredible. I would say the best-case scenario for one of our projects to be commercialized is next year by a Korean battery company. But that depends on how fast the customer moves, it’s up to them.

We also offer long-term support options that give access to our engineers and scientists. And we have new materials developing in the lab that are showing even higher performance than what we’re using now. We’ll eventually bring that to the market and if you’re on our licensing agreement, you get it too.

Just mix our anode additives into the slurry and make the electrode. As simple as adding creamer to coffee.

Q Charged: How do your partnerships with battery

companies work? What do you supply them?

A Norris: We think of ourselves as integrators and

project-oriented silicon experts. We try to take the customer’s status quo battery and make it better. So, we work side by side with partners to make their proprietary formulations better.

A battery manufacturer will give us their preferred formulation of its battery, or something very close to it, and then we’ll prove that we can at least double the capacity of that anode. We optimize our coatings for the silicon nanoparticles to work best with the particular battery formulation, and the battery company gets three things in return.

They get batteries back that we’ve made using the same manufacturing process they use, but now they also contain silicon nanoparticles. We also give them all of the new performance data showing that if they take some fraction of their material away and replace it with our material, this will double to quadruple the capacity of their anode.

Another deliverable that we provide is a standard operating procedure (SOP) that tells them how to add the silicon nanoparticles to their manufacturing process and keep everything else the same. The beauty of our approach is that it can be implemented with almost no change to their manufacturing process. Just mix our anode additives into the slurry and make the electrode. As simple as adding creamer to coffee, or, more specifically, similar to the way they add binder to their slurries. So, we give them an SOP that describes exactly how to mix in the silicon with their chemistry.

That process will increase their anode’s energy density by some amount. It could be two times, three times or more, depending on the chemistry.

The third thing we deliver is

Q Charged: Do you see a path to eventually using an anode made of 100% silicon, or close to 100%?

A Norris: Yes, but it will be gradual. A lot of people have experimented with completely replacing the anode with silicon, and they run into all sorts of trouble.

So we’re off to a great start by doubling to quadrupling the capacity of the anode with just a fraction of silicon. When you also consider that it’s essentially the same price as the graphite they’re already using, and there is no loss of cycle life, and you don’t have to add any new processes to your manufacturing facility, it’s a no-brainer to start with a smaller fraction and gradually increase it.

In the future the next step is maybe 30, 45, or 50% silicon, with the eventual goal of adding as much as possible to achieve 10 times the capacity.

The reception so far has been incredible.

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CAN TANKTWO REDEFINE THE BATTERY PACK WITH BIG DATA?

Images courtesy of Tanktwo

By Christian Ruoff

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THE TECH

A Finnish-American start-up with ambitious goals wants to change how we think about batteries.

T

he concept of an EV that supports the quick removal and replacement of a discharged battery pack was all the rage about 5 years ago. Since then, however, various systems have been attempted and subsequently abandoned by companies like BetterPlace, Renault, and Tesla.

At first glance, Tanktwo’s ideas seem like just another gimmicky concept for battery swapping. But once we got beneath the surface, we realized the company’s plan is much bolder. Tanktwo doesn’t just want to resurrect the battery swapping discussion - it wants you to completely throw out any preconceptions of batteries.

If you can do that, the company promises big cost savings right out of the gate compared to traditional battery pack designs. In fact, it sees the battery swapping scheme more as future added value for the consumer. “What will really make this thing work is the business model for our industrial partners,” Tanktwo CEO Bert Holtappels told Charged.

SEP/OCT 2015

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Holtappels spent 15 years working for Nokia, so it’s no surprise that the system borrows many concepts from the telecom and IT industries. With a tank full of string cells distributed randomly, there are thousands of different possibilities for routing connections. Using algorithms based on internet routing protocols, the cells will automatically connect to make branches and bridges - continuously changing to optimize for whatever happens to be the most efficient. “It’s very similar to sending an email from London to San Francisco,” explained Holtappels. “Today it could go through New York, tomorrow through Miami, and then through Tokyo.”

Images courtesy of Tanktwo

Smart cells, randomly packed It all starts with what the company calls “string cells.” These are ellipsoid balls that contain typical lithiumion battery materials as well as electronics for sensing, measuring, switching, routing, and communications. The outer surface is a combination of plastic and conductive materials.

Tanktwo says that the electrode and separator materials are cut by suppliers in a custom shape and wound in such a way that the housing is filled with almost 100% efficiency. By coincidence, the surface area of electrode material in the standard 42 mm-long string cell is nearly the same as that of the common 18650 cell, so the average capacity is almost identical, all other things being equal. Tanktwo’s system is agnostic to lithium-ion chemistries, and the company is working with several cell suppliers to incorporate their standard formulations into small and intelligent string cells.

Tanktwo’s system replaces a vehicle’s battery pack with a container filled with several thousand randomly arranged string cells. Through the conductive material on the surface of the enclosures, string cells form contacts with one another. The terminals of the internal electrochemical cell can be connected to any of the contacts, controlled by the internal processing unit. The system maps the randomly located string cells, and algorithms calculate the optimum connection routes to make the cells work as one logical, large battery pack.

THE TECH

WHAT WILL REALLY MAKE THIS THING WORK IS THE BUSINESS MODEL FOR OUR INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS.

A standard string cell is about

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millimeters long by

millimeters wide

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Tanktwo plans to maintain historical data for every individual string cell ever produced, and the company says the practice has already led to an unprecedented amount of observed battery behavior in terms of both precision and granularity.

By combining traditional cell chemistry modeling with learnings from analyzing large amounts of individual cell data collected in the field, the company will be able to more accurately compute the residual life of each cell. Combine that knowledge with the ability to control each cell individually, and that’s where the magic happens, Holtappels says. “The modeling of how cells behave at any point of their lifecycle, in any kind of environment - that insight, and providing our customers the ability to act upon it, is our key value add. It allows our customers to make more efficient use of the technology and raw materials that are already in existence.”

On top of all that, Tanktwo also claims the ability to quickly swap the cells. The company says it uses mainstream air conveying systems and holding tanks to complete a full tank swap in about 3 minutes. Due to the unique geometry (ellipsoids with a specific semi-

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IT’S VERY SIMILAR TO SENDING AN EMAIL FROM LONDON TO SAN FRANCISCO. TODAY IT COULD GO THROUGH NEW YORK, TOMORROW THROUGH MIAMI, AND THEN THROUGH TOKYO.

Images courtesy of Tanktwo

Tanktwo uses a suite of simulation tools developed in-house

THE TECH

THIS MEANS THAT IN OUR SYSTEM THE PACK CAPACITY IS ALWAYS THE SUM OF THE CELL CAPACITIES. axis ratio) the random packing density is almost as high as theoretically possible, leaving little opportunity for cells to rattle around in the vehicle’s tank. Tanks an also be partially filled, using a bladder system to hold together less-than-full loads. The company’s grand vision is a future where EV drivers will no longer need to decide how big a battery they might ever need, because it is trivial to add capacity later. “Buying an EV with a massive battery pack and the associated sticker shock will no longer be the only cure for range anxiety,” said Holtappels.

Show me the savings Tanktwo’s vision represents a pretty big change in the EV ecosystem, and one of its biggest challenges is telling a broad and complex story. However, Holtappels believes the simplest way to get the point across is to emphasize the upfront savings an EV manufacturer can pass on to its consumers by using intelligent string cells.

So, how does this save costs? Tanktwo says that its system can make more efficient use of all of a battery pack’s capacity. Traditional battery packs are designed with a lot of extra capacity that is not accessible while driving. For example, LG Chem Power CEO recently told Charged that when it helped GM design the firstgeneration Volt, the goal was about 40 miles of electric range, and at 200 Wh/mile, that’s 8 kWh. But the installed capacity is 16 kWh. This is because they allowed for 30% degradation over 10 years of life and, to protect cells from safety hazards and premature wear, the Volt only uses about 70% of that capacity window. If you put those two factors together, you get about 50%, so you start with 16 kWh of nominal capacity.

Tanktwo claims it can reduce that extra capacity significantly. Holtappels explained how: This is possible with string cells because of several effects that amplify one another. First of all, in a

traditional pack, module or cell variance is the enemy, to be avoided at all costs. Tanktwo string batteries, however, work efficiently even if cell performance varies widely. When higher variance can be tolerated while retaining most of the efficiency, the state-of-charge (SOC) limits can be widened.

Not only can the spread be wider, but a significantly deteriorated cell, like one that has lost 70% of its design capacity, can still contribute to pack capacity in a meaningful way. This means that string cells, even when employing identical battery chemistry, have a longer useful life or can be pushed harder, hence a pack can be smaller. For example, a cell with elevated internal resistance will contribute disproportionately in low output power mode (while cruising), and the ones with lower internal resistance allow more current draw when peak power mode is active (during acceleration).

This means that, in our system, the pack capacity is always the sum of the cell capacities. This is not the case with traditional packs, which is why they need to employ techniques for cell balancing.

When you discharge a regular pack and one cell or module reaches maximum depth-of-discharge, your pack is considered flat even if the other unbalanced cells still hold charge. We discharge each individual cell to its specified DOD. Also, as a regular pack ages, it needs more balancing, which is simply shunting (burning off) charge in the stronger cells. But ours does not need balancing - on the contrary, we use the spread to our advantage.

So every string cell contributes to the best of its ability at all times. Old and new string cells, cells of different capacities - and even chemistries, in theory - can be mixed without limitations. As the pack ages, this increases in importance because the difference between the best and the worst cells grows due to normal variation. Our system tries to

EVERY STRING CELL CONTRIBUTES TO THE BEST OF ITS ABILITY AT ALL TIMES. SEP/OCT 2015

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SO INSTEAD OF OVERDIMENSIONING TO PREVENT WARRANTY LIABILITY, YOU CAN RESTORE CAPACITY IN A FEW MINUTES ONLY IF AND WHEN IT HAPPENS. is reached. Liquid cooling is a possible option for high-performance niche applications. We’ve cleared a path towards using hermetically sealed string cells and a non-conductive coolant, but it is not our current priority.

Overall, we significantly save weight, which compounds all these effects. And, finally, all this is sensors, software and communication – it produces data that can be acted upon. Everything can be changed and improved over the air as the cell component suppliers are able to characterize things better, as more historical data becomes available, and as new algorithms and methods are developed.

Images courtesy of Tanktwo

organize the strings such that the power output over a charging cycle is optimized. So when older cells are not asked to deliver the same amount of power during acceleration, this gives them a longer useful life.

Using wider SOC windows can accelerate wear, but it becomes a business case in which an increased failure rate can sometimes be profitable.

And we make capacity restoration very easy. So instead of over-dimensioning to prevent warranty liability, you can restore capacity in a few minutes only if and when it happens. We make a shop-vaclike analyzer that will remove string cells that do not meet certain criteria. Replacing the lowest performers with new cells happens in minutes, restores pack performance to the required level, and costs a fraction of a total pack.

We can also get excellent performance just using air cooling. String cells can self-throttle, so heat dissipation can be equalized by giving cells a lower duty cycle when located in any hot spots of the pack. Instead of dimensioning a cooling system such that even the smallest nooks and crannies cannot overheat, our cooling is dimensioned proportionally and weighs much less. Those few cells that have less than perfect cooling are not overheating, because they hold back when the target temperature

THE TECH

Assuming all this works, wouldn’t adding intelligence and switching capabilities to every cell increase the pack overhead and cost? Holtappels explained that the potential savings outweigh additional costs.

The numbers work out in our favor for a few reasons. The components added to make cells intelligent cost only cents per cell in volume, as the CPU and memory footprints are very modest by today’s smartphone standards. But the immediate efficiency gains I described are on the order of tens of percent.

So from day one our customers win.

Then there are other financial benefits and pos-

THE IMMEDIATE EFFICIENCY GAINS I DESCRIBED ARE ON THE ORDER OF TENS OF PERCENT. SO FROM DAY ONE OUR CUSTOMERS WIN. sibilities beyond the upfront cost. For example, Detroit teaches us that one of the most expensive parts of the car business it that you have to keep certain financial provisions for covering future warranty costs and liabilities. This is what leads them to over-dimensioning the battery in the first place. The last thing they want is a lot of EV owners asking for

SEP/OCT 2015

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a new battery under warranty after 6 or 7 years.

That problem will go away if you have a battery that is made with our technology. You can literally choose to push the battery and knowingly drive 20% of cells into the ground over a five-year period.

Because the cell swapping is so easy, dealerships can have a device for maintenance purposes that separates the good cells from the bad cells. Let’s say you have 80% good cells and 20% bad. You just replace the 20% bad cells with new ones. So, instead of over-dimensioning the battery at the moment of manufacture, you can deal with any sort of liabilities for guaranteeing pack performance by repairing the pack in a 5-minute service cycle, if needed. It’s a totally different kind of thinking.

Most of the depreciation in today’s EVs comes from the battery pack - no one challenges it. It’s a big investment in raw materials for batteries to store energy, so why would you want any to go to waste?

In hindsight, I think people are going to say that it was really obvious that we needed a more intelligent system to connect the dots. The time is right to make batteries smart.

MOST OF THE DEPRECIATION IN TODAY’S EVS COMES FROM THE BATTERY PACK.

I think one of the main reasons why Better Place failed was because it forgot to think through the reverse logistics. The battery pack is worth several thousand dollars, or even tens of thousands. No one wants to end up with a used battery pack after a swap if you can’t accurately quantify the residual life of that energy carrier. When you do a cell swap you want to make sure you get a new set of cells that is at least as good as the one you gave in. Now that security is there, intelligence is there, and there is the data to back it up, a system can be built that

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keeps everyone informed and honest.

Because our technology makes it possible to predict the expected performance for each cell, our customers can now take a position on the monetary value. They can make sure that the cells which you’re going to get in a swap are equivalent and of the same value as the cells that you give in. There might be tens of dollars of difference for the whole pack, but

Images courtesy of Tanktwo

A swappable future All these factors combine into what Tanktwo believes is a great opportunity to succeed where others have failed at building a battery swapping ecosystem. The company thinks it can circumvent the chicken-andegg problem by offering a high-performance battery solution that has lower costs from its first day on the mass market. Without a single quick swap station, a string battery-equipped EV can function like a normal plug-in and charge from the electrical grid. Holtappels explained that the intelligent cell technology also solves another critical problem of battery swapping scenarios.

THE TECH you’re going to pay the difference or get a refund. A provider now might even try to upsell EV drivers more capacity. So the removal of the barrier to trade is actually the mission of our business.

Building a coalition The big auto OEMs make decisions very slowly, and plan roadmaps that stretch out a decade, and while Tanktwo says it has got their attention already, it’s a long way from getting cars on the road. The company initially built small-scale prototypes to demonstrate the hardware and software. Recently, it’s upped the ante and struck a deal with Valmet Automotive, former manufacturer of the Fisker Karma. The same engineers who built the Karma are now building a functional showcase vehicle powered by 3,500 string cells. Holtappels would not say which vehicle is being used, but he says it is not a Karma. In addition to passenger vehicles, the company will target fleet, utility and industrial applications.

Tanktwo is also assembling a consortium of industry stakeholders who believe in a future for smart or distributed batteries in any form, with intelligence or information-carrying capability. Anyone who thinks this is a growing product category is welcome to join and discuss topics like the information security and safety of the systems.

This may all seem like a bit of a long shot, but some of the biggest champions of the EV industry have a long history of challenging the status quo. It’s healthy to encourage people to think about why we’re designing systems the way we are. Is there a better way to do this if we start with a blank sheet of paper?

If you study the history of disruptive ideas, you realize that they never come from within the industry that’s about to be overturned. Instead, they are often concepts borrowed from one industry and applied to another. Like, perhaps, borrowing algorithms from the IT and telecom industry and using them for distributed battery management.

CURRENTevents LG will supply more than batteries for the Bolt

Volvo to produce an EV by 2019

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“I think GM was lacking that [electrification knowledge] in a very complete way for many years, I’ll just be frank about that,” Reuss said. “I also think that on an electrified basis, this requires a long-term commitment and trust that sometimes is violated on a more shortterm, regular, traditional basis. I think we have found something completely different with LG.” GM actually designed many of the components, such as the motor, but has chosen to take advantage of LG’s expertise and scale in manufacturing.

“Chevrolet needs to be disruptive in order to maintain our leadership position in electrification,” said Reuss.

“By taking the best of our in-house engineering prowess established with the Volt and Spark EV, and combining the experience of the LG Group, we’re able to transform the concept of the industry’s first long-range, affordable EV into reality.”

Images courtesy of GM

Image courtesy of Volvo

Volvo has announced a major expansion of its electrification plans. The company says it will introduce PHEVs across its entire range, and bring a pure EV to market by 2019.

In the first phase of the new strategy, Volvo will introduce plug-in hybrid versions of its 90 series and 60 series larger cars, based on the new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA). This process began with the launch of the XC90 T8 Twin Engine PHEV, which recently went on sale in the US. The next step will be to develop a new range of smaller 40 series cars based on the Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), which, like SPA, was originally designed to enable electrification.

“We believe that the time has come for electrified cars to cease being a niche technology and enter the mainstream,” said Volvo Cars CEO Håkan Samuelsson.

“We are confident that in two years’ time, 10 percent of Volvo’s global sales will be electrified cars.”

“We have learned a lot about how people use cars with electrification thanks to our current product offer,” said Dr Peter Mertens, Senior VP for R&D. “People are driving our Twin Engine cars in electric mode around 50% of the time, meaning our plug-in hybrids already offer a real alternative to conventional powertrain systems.”

“We have come to a point where the cost versus benefit calculation for electrification is now almost positive,” Dr Mertens added. “Battery technology has improved, costs are going down, and public acceptance of electrification is no longer a question.”

GM and LG will collaborate deeply on the upcoming Bolt 200mile EV. “The Bolt EV will be the result of an entirely different PEM/ supplier relationship,” said GM Executive VP Mark Reuss, adding that GM couldn’t build the Bolt without such a long-term partnership.

The Bolt is chock-full of LG-made components, including the battery pack and battery heater, a new GM-designed motor, the power inverter module, electric climate control system compressor, on-board charger, high-power distribution module, accessory power module, and power line communication module. LG Electronics also provides display technology for the instrument and infotainment clusters.

THE VEHICLES

Image courtesy of Karma Automotive

Fisker rebrands as Karma Automotive Fisker Automotive, the maker of the star-crossed plugin hybrid sports car called the Karma, has now changed its name to Karma Automotive.

The Fisker story has been colorful, and mostly tragic, since renowned designer Henrik Fisker co-founded the company in 2007. It was involved in a lawsuit with Tesla, became an issue in the 2012 presidential debates, suffered through battery fires, a hurricane and the collapse of its battery supplier, A123, and went bankrupt in 2013, taking with it a sizable pot of taxpayer money.

In the next act, Chinese auto parts giant the Wanxiang Group bought Fisker in 2014, and outlined a strategy to resume auto production (and considered changing its name to Elux). Since then, the company has been hiring, rebuilding its supply chain, and mending relationships with existing owners. It has announced plans to relaunch the Karma automobile in mid-2016.

Will that vehicle now be renamed? How closely will it resemble the existing Karma? How much will it partake of the latest EV technology, which has advanced significantly? Will it be a worthy competitor for the coming crop of new plug-in sports cars? All we can say for sure is that the company is moving forward – hopefully into the “brand new day” promised in a recent video.

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CURRENTevents

Tesla’s Chief Technology Officer JB Straubel gave a talk at the University of Nevada in Reno as the company announced a new internship program and an investment of $1 million in the university’s battery research program.

Saying that the transition to a truly sustainable world won’t be accomplished in a single generation, Straubel highlighted the steps Tesla is taking to invest in scientific and engineering talent at schools of all levels.

With the Model X launch behind it, Tesla is now ready to move into phase 3 of its Grand Plan, and concentrate on Model 3. “Most of the people inside Tesla are no longer working on the S or X, but are hard at work designing and inventing all the technologies going into the Model 3,” said Straubel.

The Model 3 will represent a true third generation, with little carryover from the Model S and X. “For better or worse, most of model 3 has to be new,” said Straubel.

“With the X, we were able to build on a lot of common components with the S, but with the Model 3 we can’t do that. We are inventing a whole new platform for Model 3.

It’s a new battery architecture, a new motor technology, a brand-new vehicle structure.”

The Model 3 is to be produced at volumes of “hundreds of thousands per year instead of tens of thousands per year.” Straubel explained that this will require more batteries than are currently produced in the entire world.

Hence, the Gigafactory, which is taking shape a few miles down the road from where he was speaking.

When complete, it will be by far the world’s largest battery factory, a vertically integrated facility that takes in raw materials and churns out battery packs – enough to power 500,000 vehicles annually. Economies of scale and new battery chemistries are expected to reduce battery costs by at least 30%.

Construction started a year ago, and the plant will be opened in phases, with the first employees starting work in a few weeks. “We’ll be building this facility out for years and years to come, but our strategy is to do opera-

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tions in one half even as we continue to expand the other half of the factory,” said Straubel.

The Gigafactory may be taking on a life of its own as its mission expands beyond supplying battery packs for Model 3. Tesla Energy, a new line of stationary energy storage products, has also been added to the mix. Now Straubel is hinting at some other functions, too.

“A lot of people had the misconception that this is going to be some kind of giant labor pool of people assembling cells,” said he. “This is actually going to be a much more diverse work group. We’re building engineering and R&D teams that are going to operate out of this factory. We already have engineering teams working out of this site – out of construction trailers, but they’re working there. And this is going to keep growing. So, we’re hiring production engineers, manufacturing engineers, people that are helping design the control systems and the building itself – the energy systems all the way through materials handlers and human resources.”

The Gigafactory, together with the solar and wind installations that power it, will have “its own ecosystem of people that can run and maintain and support everything that’s going on there. It’s not going to be some satellite facility that’s remotely controlled by some headquarters far away. I think it’s critical to make it successful, that it…needs to feel like a startup in its own right.”

Image courtesy of Tesla Motors

Tesla shifts focus to Model 3 as engineers prepare to start work at the Gigafactory

THE VEHICLES Chinese automaker BAIC opens EV R&D center in Silicon Valley

Recognizing that leaders around the world must cooperate to accelerate global adoption of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), the governments of several EV hotspots have formed a new organization called the International ZEV Alliance to set targets for ZEV deployment, and to share data and best practice policies. The new group’s agenda is outlined in a report published by the ICCT, “Transition to a Global Zero-Emission Vehicle Fleet: A Collaborative Agenda for Governments.”

The founding members of the International ZEV Alliance are Norway, the Netherlands and the UK; the US states of California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Canadian province of Québec. These regions account for only 7 percent of global car sales, but represent 38 percent of plug-in sales, thanks in large part to progressive government policies and investments.

“These governments have been crucial to early adoption of electric vehicles,” said Nic Lutsey, Program Director and author of the ICCT report. “Each government has helped grow the early market with a mix of financial and non-financial incentives, vehicle policy, consumer awareness and outreach, and the installation of a charging infrastructure.”

“In these early years in the transition, there is much to learn from every region’s experience in the roll-out of zero emission vehicles. Developing the new zero-emission vehicle market will require global scale, in the tens of millions of vehicles, to achieve lower cost and longterm success,” the report says. “International collaboration will be a critical step toward greater market volume and a long-term market transformation.”

Image courtesy of Abdullah AlBargan (CC BY-ND 2.0)

EV-friendly countries and states join to form the International ZEV Alliance Joining most of the American automakers, BAIC has opened an R&D facility in Silicon Valley. The BAIC EV R&D Center will be dedicated to the research and development of four to six models per year, and will become an important part of BJEV’s globalization plans, the company said.

The BAIC subsidiary Beijing Electric Vehicle (BJEV) has a 23% market share among China’s pure EV players, and ranks sixth globally in pure EV sales. The company plans to bring a complete lineup of EVs to market, with the goal of producing over 200,000 vehicles per year by 2020, 30% of them for the export market.

Earlier this year, BJEV become the largest shareholder in US EV-maker Atieva. The first vehicle to arise from this partnership is expected to debut at the 2016 Beijing auto show.

“Our strategy of conducting research into integrated vehicle technologies and platforms in an open manner has led to BJEV receiving resources and technical cooperation from eight universities and national institutes in research in development, as well as substantial support from partners from within the supply chain, such as Foxconn, Pangda and Tgood,” said BAIC General Manager Zheng Gang. “The establishment of BAIC EV R&D Silicon Valley will further our integration of technology resources from our other industry partners, such as AZARI and ATIEVA from the United States, CECOMP from Italy, Siemens from Germany, SK from Korea, and several others.”

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CURRENTevents

Williams Advanced Engineering, the supplier of the battery packs for the Formula E electric racing series, has announced that the maximum power output of the racers’ batteries will increase to 170 kW for season two of the Championship.

The battery packs use cells from XALT Energy, and have maximum usable energy of 28 kWh. The maximum power level for season one was set at 150 kW, and the batteries demonstrated excellent reliability, with only one on-track failure in all eleven races of the season.

Williams performed extensive tests to assess the feasibility of a power increase, and has now confirmed that all teams will be able to race with maximum power of 170 kW during season two, which began in Beijing in October.

Meanwhile, Williams developed a 70 kWh battery pack for Jaguar Land Rover’s Evoque-E demonstrator vehicle, part of JLR’s Concept_e R&D program. The underbody of the Evoque was modified to mount the battery pack and two electric axle drive units. The front unit features a single-speed transmission coupled with an 85 kW electric motor, and the rear drive unit has a twospeed transmission with a 145 kW motor.

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Photo courtesy of FIA Formula E

Formula E battery power increasing to 170 kW for season two

Jaguar Land Rover has released details of three R&D projects that explore three different levels of electrification.

The Concept_e MHEV is a mild-hybrid system featuring an electric motor/generator that regenerates braking energy, stores it in a battery and uses it to power accessories such as a starter motor and air conditioner. The hybrid module is installed between the transmission and diesel engine of a Range Rover Evoque.

The Concept_e PHEV pairs a 4-cylinder gas engine with a 350 V synchronous electric motor, also sandwiched between the engine and transmission, that can power the wheels alone or in conjunction with the engine.

The Concept_e BEV is an all-electric powertrain that fits JLR’s new lightweight aluminum platform. It has a 70 kWh battery pack located under the floor, and one electric motor for each axle (and looks strikingly similar to the AWD system used by a certain California carmaker).

JLR is also joining the EV climate control discussion (see JOSPEL, Fraunhofer and Bosch) as it investigates several technologies, from a system for recirculating heated air to small infrared panels that provide localized heating for passengers.

“This is a long-term research project exploring all aspects of future hybrid and battery electric vehicle technology,” said Jaguar Land Rover R&D Chief Wolfgang Epple. “The three Concept_e vehicles will allow us to test and develop exciting new potential technologies that could form part of our low and zero emissions vision beyond 2020.”

Photo courtesy of Jaguar Land Rover

Jaguar Land Rover developing three electrification concepts

THE VEHICLES DOT offers $22.5 million in grants for “Low or No Emission” buses

The latest spate of California wildfires has driven thousands from their homes.

In September, several hundred Calaveras County residents had taken shelter in a local church when the only generator went down, leaving the evacuees with no power to refrigerate their food or charge their phones.

Electric vehicles to the rescue! Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) reports that its exportable power truck soon arrived, and had the lights back on and the refrigerators cranking within minutes. The plug-in hybrid truck - built by Efficient Drivetrains Inc - provided necessary power for two days until a replacement generator could be brought in.

The emergency-response trucks are among the latest additions to PG&E’s vehicle fleet, which includes some 1,400 plug-ins and hybrids. And more are on the way – the company has just announced plans to invest a third of its annual fleet budget in plug-in vehicles over the next five years, an investment of $100 million for around 750 vehicles.

“The electrification of our transportation system will be essential in helping California to meet its long-term goals for greenhouse gas reductions,” said PG&E CEO Tony Earley. “Converting more of our fleets to electric vehicles is a powerful way for the utility industry to take the lead and set an example.”

PG&E has found that plug-ins offer a range of benefits, from lower operating costs to extended vehicle life.

“We are seeing full payback on the increased initial investment in less than five years in many cases. In addition to the fuel savings, we’re seeing dramatically lower vehicle emissions and a better on-the-job experience for our crews,” said David Meisel, Senior Director of Transportation Services.

Photo courtesy of Proterra

Photo courtesy of PG&E

PG&E truck exports power during California wildfire evacuation

The DOT is offering $22.5 million in grants in the latest round of its Low or No Emission Vehicle Deployment Program (LoNo). Funds will be awarded on a competitive basis to transit agencies and state transportation departments working either independently or jointly with bus manufacturers.

The LoNo program is focused on deploying new lowor no-emission production buses that are market-ready or near market-ready (not in development or prototype stages). It gives priority to the buses with the lowest energy consumption and emissions.

The previous round of LoNo funding, announced in February 2015, awarded $55 million in grants to ten US organizations.

All buses proposed for deployment must complete the Federal Transit Administration’s bus testing program, and follow FTA Buy America regulations. Priority will be given to tested zero-emission bus models with proven effectiveness (such as Proterra and BYD models already in service in several US cities).

“The LoNo program has helped deploy environmentally-sound, technologically-advanced vehicles across the country, providing a better riding experience for passengers and improving public health,” said Acting FTA Administrator Therese McMillan. “By reducing fuel and maintenance costs, these modern vehicles are a great public investment – saving taxpayer money in the long run while powering innovative American enterprises.”

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CURRENTevents

Nissan execs believe that e-mobility will reach a tipping point around 2019-2020.

Speaking at Nissan’s Yokohama headquarters, corporate officers Hiroto Saikawa and Akiko Hoshino told reporters that stricter regulation and better batteries will cause EVs to go mainstream.

“The fuel consumption targets will become very stringent, and that will kick in at around 2019-2020, especially in the United States,” said Saikawa. “Suddenly there will be a surge of demand.” Nissan plans to increase EV sales to 5% of its total by then, and to 10% “in the near future,” he added.

“By that time, we will have [battery] products where people don’t need to have any concerns about driving range,” Saikawa said.

Nissan is widely expected to offer a 200-mile battery when the second-generation LEAF hits the streets in 2017 or 2018.

The Nissan spokespeople also said that the company will base all of its Japanese marketing on EVs and autonomous drive, as reported by the Daily Kanban. That’s welcome news for those who have been disappointed in automakers’ feeble EV marketing efforts to date.

Nissan will offer true autonomous driving “before anyone else,” said Akiko Hoshino.

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Photo courtesy of Nissan

Nissan exec: 10% of sales will be EVs in the near future

Elon Musk, speaking at Tsinghua University in Beijing, said that Tesla is in discussions with government officials in China about producing its vehicles locally, and hopes to make a specific announcement soon.

Some media reported that Musk spoke of building the upcoming Model 3 in a Chinese factory within 2 years, but he later tweeted that his remarks weren’t transcribed correctly. “Model 3 is due in ~2 yrs. A China factory for local demand could be as soon as a year after,” Musk clarified.

Tesla is betting big on China’s growing demand for EVs, but sales there have been mediocre so far. The company said last week that it sold 3,025 Model S in the country from January to September.

Musk said local production could cut the sales price of Teslas in China by a third.

Chinese ​governments at all levels offer an array of incentives for EV buyers, but many are not available for imported vehicles. China also imposes significant import duties on automobiles, which is why the major global OEMs have been producing cars in China for the past decade.

Foreign automakers are generally required to establish a joint venture with a Chinese company to produce cars in the country. Musk said Tesla is already working with Chinese Internet company Baidu on GPS navigation and automation.

Tesla has asked the Obama administration to pressure China to make it easier for US automakers to do business there, and has pledged to modify its vehicles to meet Chinese charging standards.

Photo courtesy of Tesla Motors

Tesla aims to build cars in China

THE VEHICLES

Photo courtesy of Motiv Power Systems

California announces $24 million in new grants for zero-emission truck and bus pilots The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has announced a grant solicitation for Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Pilot Commercial Deployment Projects. Almost $24 million is available for fiscal year 2014-15, and an additional $60 million may be appropriated by the California legislature by next June.

This project is intended to speed the deployment of commercially available medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles. There are several suitable vehicles already available in the transit bus, school bus, and delivery truck categories.

Organizations that ARB says are well suited to this project include transit agencies, school districts, shuttle operators and companies that offer delivery and hauling services.

This project complements an earlier round of grants for demonstrations of advanced freight technology, including zero-emission drayage trucks.

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IX

TESLA

MODEL

By Charles Morris

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Photo courtesy of Tesla Motors

The all-electric crossover finally hits the road

THE VEHICLES

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Photos courtesy of Tesla Motors

THE VEHICLES

really wants to own a minivan,” said Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen in a 2013 interview with GigaOM’s Katie Fehrenbacher. “If you just can’t knuckle down and own a minivan, you move to an SUV or a crossover, which arguably aren’t as functional. How do you provide the functionality of a minivan, but make it attractive and desirable - something similar to what an SUV has in terms of desire?”

esla was founded on a single profound insight: If you want to sell EVs, you have to sell them the way all other cars are sold - not on practicality, but on style and glamor.

Functionality ain’t fast A related idea is summed up in Elon Musk’s oft-stated Model X stokes that desire with a long list of “fun and promise to build “not just the best electric cars, but the cool” features, several of which are auto-industry firsts, best cars.” To tempt buyers into taking a chance on a and most of which also turn out to be very practical. new technology, an EV can’t be just as good as other Perfecting these features caused the announced launch vehicles in its class - it has to date for the X to be pushed be much better. back several times (although The Roadster and Model S it’s worth pointing out that, offered plenty of glamor (and while 3 years between “unveilHow do you provide the speed), but what Americans ing” a concept and starting (and everyone else outside of functionality of a minivan, production seems like a long Europe and Japan) really love in Silicon Valley, it would but make it attractive and time are SUVs, so it’s only logical be considered pretty prompt that Tesla set out to build the on the planet of Detroit). desirable? ultimate SUV, the Model X, “I think we got a little carwhich was unveiled in February 2012, and began shipried away with the X,” said Musk after delivering half ping at the end of September 2015. a dozen units days before the company’s self-imposed True to its quest to build the best cars, Tesla designed deadline. “If we had known the true engineering costs the Model X to trounce the competition not only on and complexity, we would have done fewer things…but style, but on practicality as well. It has as much space as now that it’s done, I think anyone who buys it is going to the most capacious minivan, and far more acceleration love it.” than even the sportiest SUV (in Ludicrous Mode, you In an earlier interview with Bloomberg, Elon Musk can smoke a Porsche Cayenne Turbo S from zero to 60 personally took some of the blame for the delay, admitMPH by almost a full second). ting that he is a perfectionist when it comes to product “A minivan is soulless and characterless - nobody design. “The hardest thing about the X is achieving

T

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It’s damn hard to make an SUV that’s beautiful and yet incredibly functional at the same time. great form and great functionality. It’s easy to give up on one of those two. It’s damn hard to make an SUV that’s beautiful and yet incredibly functional at the same time.”

In fact, some of the unique features of Model X must have presented very hard design problems, and it’s not surprising that they took a while to perfect. For one thing, Model X is larger and heavier than ModSide by side: el S (Model X has a curb weight of 5,441 Model X and pounds) but, for psychological reasons, Model S Tesla needed the range to be at least 250 miles, so it had to find ways to squeeze out every possible mile of range. EPAestimated range is 257 miles for the 90D, 250 miles for the P90D (by comparison, the Model S 90D offers 286).

According to Tesla, Model X is the most aerodynamic SUV in production - its drag coefficient of 0.24 is 20% lower than that of the next-best SUV. An active spoiler automatically folds out from the rear liftgate at highway speeds to increase efficiency and stability.

Photos above courtesy of Steve Jurvetson - Flickr

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Flight of the Falcon Wings The X’s famous Falcon Wing doors may seem like a whizzy toy, but they were actually designed for a practical purpose, as von Holzhausen explained. “How do you access the second and third row of a vehicle better? We’ve gotten used to sliding doors and we’ve gotten used to normal doors, and they’re not great at getting people into the third row of a vehicle. Even minivans, you kind of have to climb over or move the seat out of the way, and if you have a baby seat in the second row, you’ve thrown the kid into the first row in order to get to the third row. We wanted to find a better way, and the Falcon doors really open up the environment so you can easily climb in or step in.”

The second-row seats tilt forward at the touch of a button, even with an attached child seat, allowing access to the rear row of seats. The X is available in a 7-seat ver-

THE VEHICLES

We wanted to find a better way, and the Falcon doors really open up the environment so you can easily climb in or step in.

0.24 20% Model X has a

Photos courtesy of Tesla Motors

drag coefficient

lower than that of the next-best SUV

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Photo courtesy of Steve Jurvetson - Flickr

Image courtesy of Tesla Motors

sion (3 seats in the middle row) and a 6-seat version (2 seats in the middle row with a space in between).

Unlike the gull-wing doors featured on the DeLorean and other rare birds, Tesla’s Falcon Wing doors have two sets of hinges, and a set of sensors that can detect how close other objects are, so the doors can open in improbably small spaces. True to Tesla’s usual attention to visual details, the ultrasonic sensors are hidden – there’s no sign of the little round “pucks” seen on other modern vehicles. To avoid spoiling the looks of Model X, Tesla had to develop sensors that can see through metal.

For those of us who were wondering what would happen if two Model X were parked side-by-side, and both pairs of doors opened at the same time, Musk said that the vehicles would recognize each other as intelligent beings, and behave accordingly (a trick humans might do well to learn).

The X’s front doors are also highly intelligent. The Auto Presenting front door “will triangulate my position and detect that I am moving towards the door,” explained Musk at September’s delivery presentation.

“It will open the front door, without me touching anything. I will sit down, and it will close the door, like an invisible chauffeur.”

Cool and practical the Falcon Wing doors may be, but they represent an incredibly complicated piece of engineering, and it’s widely believed that they are one of the main reasons the Model X took so long to deliver (one pessimistic pundit predicted that they would be the death of the company). Aside from the formidable challenges of suspending heavy doors from a narrow roof spine, and insuring that such a large door can seal tightly every time, it was quite a trick to design such a

Face to face: DeLorean DMC-12 and Model X

Photo above courtesy of Steve Jurvetson - Flickr

nimble and flexible door in a way that doesn’t sacrifice side impact protection.

According to unnamed Tesla suppliers that spoke with Green Car Reports, the doors incorporate stout horizontal beams that necessarily made them heavier, increasing the strain on the hinges and springs. Aluminum is a strong metal, but it is prone to tearing when a lot of force is applied to a small area such as a hinge. The sources sug-

THE VEHICLES

2012 Model X Concept Photo courtesy of Joe Wolf - Flickr

Photo courtesy of Steve Jurvetson - Flickr

Side mirror sidebar

gested that Tesla developed special high-strength alloys for the Model X’s roof and the door hinge A fully-loaded Model X mountings. will accelerate from Tesla isn’t offering any technical details - the website says only that the “battery support structure provides incredible side impact protection” - but MPH in as fast as whatever solution it found seems to be quite sufficient. In NHTSA’s side impact intrusion test, in which a steel pole is smashed into the door, the Model X achieved cabin seconds intrusion of just 215 mm, half that of the next-best car tested (the Audi Q5).

Of course, the X benefits from the same design features that make the S such a safe vehicle - a rigid bottom-mounted battery pack (protected by a layer of ballistic aluminum) and a long crumple zone in the front thanks to the absence of an engine. There’s also an autonomous side collision avoidance system that uses sensors to detect an impending collision and steer the car out of harm’s way.

0-60 3.2

Side mirrors (“wing mirrors” to our British friends) are yet another automotive icon that Tesla would like to smash. There were no external mirrors to be seen on the original concept of the Model X, but by the time a pre-production vehicle was presented at the 2013 Geneva Auto Show, side mirrors had appeared.

Lingering government regulations forced Tesla to add the mirrors, at least for now.

Replacing mirrors with cameras and video displays doesn’t just make cars look cooler - it can reduce wind resistance by 3 to 6 percent, according to Franz von Holzhausen. Alas, as is so often the case, government regulations lag far behind technical innovations. NHTSA regulates rear-view mirrors, and getting rid of them is not an option under current law. Tesla has been negotiating to get the necessary permissions, but soon realized that this wouldn’t happen in time for the launch of Model X. “A lot of these federal rules were written in the 70s and 80s and we still have to adhere to them today, and some of them just don’t make sense anymore,” said von Holzhausen. “That’s definitely one that we’re challenging.”

In case you’re wondering about rollover, Tesla thought about that, too. With the batteries at the bottom of the car, the center of gravity is quite low, the opposite of the case with most SUVs. That, in addition to the intelligent all-wheel-drive traction control system, makes rolling the vehicle “nearly impossible” - half the rollover possibility of the next-safest SUV, according to Tesla.

Musk claims the Model X will be the safest SUV ever built, and predicts that it will earn five-star ratings in every category of NHTSA crash testing, something that no previous SUV or minivan has accomplished.

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It’s really hard to design good seats.

Musk said that customers placing an order today would get their cars in 8 to 12 months. Now the website says that “the estimated delivery for new reservations is the latter half of 2016.”

Having more orders than you can fill may be a good problem to have, but it is a problem nonetheless (albeit one that Tesla has faced down twice, with the Roadster and Model S), and many industry observers believe that quickly increasing production is the greatest challenge that the company now faces.

In a conference call a few weeks after the X launch, Elon Musk said he expects no problem with meeting delivery targets. Tesla recently made improvements to its assembly line that are expected to increase throughput by 35 percent. It has dealt with at least one of its supplier issues by bringing production of the X’s second-row monopost seat in-house.

“Every day I get an update on manufacturing progress, and we see no fundamental issues on the production ramp,” said Musk. “It’s just a question of how

Images courtesy of Tesla Motors

A suspiciously large amount of storage space Thanks to its electric powertrain and floor-mounted battery, Model X has an amazing amount of interior space - room for “seven large adults and considerable luggage.” The rear cargo area is commodious, even with the rear seats up. There’s more space under the seats, and in the frunk, where the engine isn’t.

Each of the rear seats is mounted to the floor with a single post, which allows for a flat storage area underneath the bench. “It’s really hard to design good seats,” said Musk. A lot of energy went into designing these, but they won’t please everybody - the hard plastic seat backs have already drawn some complaints.

It isn’t hard to imagine killer apps for the Model X beyond the soccer set. Its combination of massive storage space and convenient hands-free features (combined with the Snakebot robotic charger) would make it the ultimate self-driving taxi. At least one Teslawatcher smells a secret plan for the company to launch its own automated taxi service. However, a more likely scenario is that Tesla will stick to its core business, and happily sell the cars to Uber and its competitors.

Be that as it may, the problem at this point isn’t stimulating demand, but keeping up with it. According to Tesla, Model X racked up $40 million worth of advance sales the day after its February 2012 launch, and orders have continued to pour in - Musk once compared the situation to a fishing trip in which fish are “jumping into the boat.”

Production is just getting started, and it will take a while to ramp up to full volume. At the delivery party,

THE VEHICLES quickly we can solve each issue. And they are really down to the little things, like the placement of the seal on the door, and whether that results in the bright trim alignment being correct - this is quite nuanced. So we feel very confident of being able get to [several hundred] vehicles per week by the end of the year.”

Towing away emissions Model X is the first electric vehicle with substantial towing capability - up to 5,000 pounds, even while hauling seven people and plenty of luggage (although this is sure to substantially reduce range). At the delivery party, a Model X showed its stuff by pulling a classic Airstream trailer.

To tow 5,000 pounds, the Model X requires the optional ($750) Tow Package, and must be configured with 20-inch wheels.

With the optional 22-inch wheels, the towable capacity is rated at only 3,500 pounds.

The tow hitch can also be fitted with a stylish Tesla-designed rack, which can be attached in seconds and carries up to four bikes or six sets of skis, while still allowing the rear liftgate to be opened and closed.

Towing power is a necessity for any SUV, but it represents a major engineering coup for the Tesla team, because even towing small loads presents a special challenge for an EV. Sustaining maximum output for long periods places a major thermal load on an electric motor, so heavyduty cooling is required. One of Green Car Reports’ sources suggested that the glycol-based coolant system in the Model S P85D may not have been sufficient, and speculated that Tesla may have used a refrigerant-based system in the X.

Filtering out bad vibes Here’s yet another essential feature that you didn’t know you needed: industry-leading interior air quality.

Not only does Model X produce no tailpipe emissions, it also protects you from the emissions of less-enlightened drivers around you.

As Musk explained at the Model X delivery bash, air

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THE VEHICLES

A panoramic view of the future Most of the roof of the Model X is glass, which reviewers say makes it feel as if you’re in a helicopter or a spaceship. The Panoramic Windshield is the largest piece of glass ever used in a production car, and was surely one of the engineering feats that caused delays.

Tesla had to develop special multi-layered glass that allows a clear view in front while blocking the sun from overhead, as well as high-tech sun visors - “the most complicated and technically advanced visors in the

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How much?

As of press time Tesla has not released full pricing details for all of the Model X variants and options.

However, to clear up some internet confusion, Elon Musk stated on September 2nd that, "with same options, Model X is $5,000 more than an S due to greater size & body complexity."

If that's the case, the entry level Model X will start at $80,000 (before tax incentives). In early September, customers who reserved the top-level Model X were invited to configure their fully-loaded Signature Series vehicles at a price of $132,000 (before tax incentives).

world,” said Musk. There’s nothing but glass up front, so the visors are attached to the side pillars, and are deployed by stretching them to reach the rearview mirror, where they lock into place with magnets.

With the Model X launch behind it, Tesla is now ready to move into phase 3 of its Grand Plan, and concentrate on Model 3. “Most of the people inside Tesla are no longer working on the S or X, but are hard at work designing and inventing all the technologies going into the Model 3,” said Chief Technology Officer JB Straubel in a recent talk at the University of Nevada.

Images courtesy of Tesla Motors

pollution in the world’s major cities “translates to a real change in life expectancy.” Urban dwellers can expect to live shorter lives than their country cousins, thanks to air pollution (at least 6 months in New York, 22 months in Beijing).

Model X features two HEPA air filters, the larger of which has a cross section 10 times greater than the filters found in most vehicles, as well as three layers of activated carbon to filter out noxious gases. The system delivers 700 times more filtering capability than other cars have, making the interior air as clean as that of a hospital operating room, according to Musk. Good news for allergy sufferers - it also filters out spores.

And yes, the Bioweapon Defense Mode is for real. It creates positive air pressure inside the cabin to keep contaminants out. Musk assures us that the X’s air filtration system “definitely filters viruses, even the small ones.”

Q&A with

Tesla’s Motor Man The principal motor engineer at Tesla describes why modeling and optimization is so vital to its design process.

By Christian Ruoff

C

reating a start-of-the-art electric vehicle versity of Athens, Greece. There he combined advanced requires a deep understanding of all the methodologies and developed algorithms for motor components. More importantly, it requires geometry optimization. a continual process of analysis and optimiCharged recently chatted with Tesla’s motor guru to zation of the components to push the limits of drivlearn more about the process the company uses to coning range, efficiency, performance and cost reduction. tinually evaluate and optimize motor design choices.

The internal combustion engine has had the benefit of millions of man-hours in engineering analysis and Charged: In general, how are electric motors inherrefinement over the past century, while the collective ently better for traction applications than combusengineering effort of the EV industry has just begun. tion engines?

It comes as no surprise that Tesla, the EV trailblazer, spends a considerable amount of resources on internal Laskaris: When you simply compare any other highR&D to develop better parts for EVs, and that its testend conventional car to a Tesla, you see a tremendous ing facilities and engineering talent are at the forefront difference. This is because of the technology. of the industry.

As for the motor, speAs Tesla’s Principal Mocifically, there is a huge tor Designer, Konstantinos efficiency advantage, and Laskaris is responsible is extremely quiet and When you simply compare any itvibration-free, for the electromechanical with very design and optimization other high-end conventional high power density and of the company’s existing instantaneous direct recar to a Tesla, you see a and future traction mosponse to inputs. All these tors. Before joining Tesla, of electric tremendous difference. This is characteristics Laskaris earned a PhD from motors give an unparalleled the National Technical Unibecause of the technology. performance advantage.

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This is why it was so important for Tesla, as a company, to break the stereotype that’s been out there for years. People needed to see that performance, efficiency and range can coexist in an EV. The dual-motor powertrain Model S is the fastest sedan that has ever been mass-produced. The total motor power exceeds 700 hp, and it spins as fast as 18,000 rpm - speeds that we previously only found in Formula 1 racing vehicles.

You could say that the electric motor is magic from the perspective that it awakens the soulless car.

Charged: When Tesla decides to change a parameter of its vehicles - like increase the peak battery current or add towing capacity - what does that mean for your motor design team? Do you have an iterative design process?

Laskaris: At our factory in Fremont, we manufacture practically every aspect of the car in-house. We have a motor winding and manufacturing facility, so we can optimize every aspect of our motor manufacturing and control the quality of the product. Also, we can implement changes in production very fast, we’re a very agile company from that perspective.

We can generate motor geometries and analyze them with finite element analysis very quickly. We have a big computer cluster with more than 500 core processors that run finite elements - a typical personal computer has two cores, maybe four. That means you can create many virtual models in parallel and do a very large number of calculations. Basically it allows us to solve the loss and efficiency maps very fast and see - according to any metrics that we created - how good any mo-

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tor design is for an application we’re designing for.

Charged: There seems to be an endless array of electric motor topologies, architectures and configurations. How do you begin to evaluate and compare all of the possible options?

Laskaris: Understanding exactly what you want a motor to do is the number-one thing for optimizing. You need to know the exact constraints - precisely what you’re optimizing for. Once you know that, you can use advanced computer models to evaluate everything with the same objectives. This gives you a panoramic view of how each motor technology will perform. Then you go and pick the best.

With vehicle design, in general, there is always a blending of desires and limitations. These parameters are related to performance, energy consumption, body design, quality, and costs. All of these metrics are competing with each other in a way. Ideally, you want them to coexist, but given cost constraints, there need to be some compromises. The electric car has additional challenges in that battery energy utilization is a very important consideration.

Everyone will have a different perception of what tradeoffs should be made. How much driving range are you willing to trade for faster acceleration, for example? Once these parameters are set, you can begin to evaluate options and optimize.

Photo courtesy of Windell Oskay- Flickr

Electric motor cutaway on display at Tesla headquarters in 2013

We have a motor winding and manufacturing facility, so we can optimize every aspect of our motor manufacturing and control the quality of the product.

Tesla's electric motor rotor in 2007

Through good motor modeling we can achieve exotic performance without the use of exotic materials and exotic manufacturing methods.

Photo courtesy of Tinou Bao - Flickr

Charged: You have a background in creating the algorithms that allow computers to simulate how a motor will function in the real world. How do these simulations translate into better vehicles?

Laskaris: The mathematical modeling technology, or methodology, that you use is very important and has tremendous impact on the success of electric vehicles.

When I say “modeling,” I mean to understand the mathematical principles behind a system and then create software tools that will represent accurately how it will act in the real word.

Accurate motor modeling is so important because through it we can evaluate a hypothetical motor before we produce it - the losses, performance capabilities, torque ripple, thermal management, and anything that we are interested in to classify how good or bad is a motor. And, in this way, we avoid unnecessary prototypes and unpleasant surprises.

Beyond that, through good motor modeling, we can achieve the best optimization - which means we can achieve exotic performance without the use of exotic materials and exotic manufacturing methods.

Optimization is the art of being able to navigate through different motor candidates to see what is good and what is bad, and by how much. As you begin to do optimization, you realize that without good modeling, it is meaningless. This is because the process would be based on a bad representation of the motor, and in the end the motor wouldn’t be truly optimal.

Charged: Could you give us an example of some tradeoffs that you would use modeling to optimize for?

Laskaris: Yes. A large portion of the time people spend driving is in low-torque highway situations. However, there are a lot of motors that offer great 0-60 MPH

performance but are very inefficient in the low-torque highway-speed regions. So the question is, can I have everything - both high efficiency and high performance? The answer, unfortunately, is no. But you can make intelligent choices between things that are competing with each other.

This is the beauty of optimization. You can pick among all the options to get the best motor for the constraints. If we model everything properly, you can find the motor with the high performance 0-60 MPH constraint and the best possible highway efficiency.

Another example is the overall motor efficiency versus its cost. There are cases where making a motor in more expensive ways could potentially increase efficiency and buy off multiple times the cost difference by saving money on the battery, or other aspects of the car. So, if you are able to model the motor efficiency and costs accurately, you can plot it against battery cost savings. Now you can see that the optimal motor for total cost minimization is often different from the cheapest motor.

These all come together to form the characteristic metrics of the car that you want to build. It’s a general approach of how we start from parameter design and end up with ultimate configuration.

Charged: At what point do you perform physical prototype tests to verify the results from your virtual models?

Laskaris: We do many verification tests before there is even a prototype for a specific application. They are what we call characterization experiments. And they allow us to get a known correlation point and to see if the isolated modeling tools are in sync with reality. So it’s a back-to-back comparison between what the model predicts and what is actually measured. It might not even resemble a motor, it might just be a piece of iron spinning, for example.

We then, of course, build and test full prototypes as well.

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Determining the reasons why is complicated.

By Charles Morris

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Image courtesy of Mark Mastropietro Image courtesy of Ford

EV MARKETING EFFORTS CONTINUE TO MISS THE MARK

THE VEHICLES

M

ost of us in the EV industry are probably tired of the mainstream media’s constant stream of “EVs aren’t selling” articles, which began around the time the Volt made its debut, and will probably continue until the day the last ICE vehicle rolls off the line.

Well, for the near future, it’s only going to get worse.

Unless some miracle happens, US plug-in vehicle sales for 2015 will be less than 2014’s figures, a fact that will surely lead to a bumper crop of “EVs are dead” articles around the end of the year. So we may as well get a head start on the hand-wringing and finger-pointing.

Cheap gas, new models The first finger always points to low gas prices, but informed observers have long been skeptical of this simplistic explanation. Even when gas is more expensive, for most buyers, today’s EVs, or even hybrids, are not guaranteed to pay for themselves with gas savings, so the 8 million Toyota hybrids and the 200,000 Nissan LEAFs that have sold worldwide must have something else going for them. And cheaper gas doesn’t explain why the US has fallen behind Europe and Asia, where plug-in sales are growing at impressive rates.

Another oft-cited reason for sluggish sales is the fact that we are on the cusp of a second generation of EVs. Many buyers are surely waiting for the new and improved Volt and LEAF, or even the more-distant Chevy Bolt and Tesla Model 3. But unless the new generation of technology is accompanied by a new attitude towards marketing, it will inspire only a minor bump in sales.

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Of cash cows and golden geese The OEMs’ lack of interest in selling their EVs is probably not the product of some oil-funded conspiracy - it’s simply good business sense. Auto sales have been booming for the last couple of years, and carmakers are raking in record profits. Global automakers produced almost 90 million vehicles in 2014, the fifth year in a row of healthy increases. During the first three quarters of 2015, light vehicle sales in the USA increased again, by 5%. GM’s profits have set new records every quarter so far this year. And automakers tend to earn their highest margins on trucks and SUVs. Some analysts estimate that GM makes more than $10,000 in profit on each pickup.

Given these figures, there’s only one sensible thing for a well-run business to do: more of precisely what they’ve been doing. Conventional wisdom says that if any innovation is needed, it would be in the area of selling even more trucks. The last thing the automakers want is to devote resources to selling EVs, on which they make less profit.

None of this is a secret, although most automakers continue to insist that they are leaders in green tech, want to leave a better world to our grandchildren, etc.

At a recent Ford conference, company execs described various initiatives designed to project a hip and modern image to the younger generation, some of which involve dabbling in electrification, car-sharing and other trendy endeavors. However, they also said that the company’s top long-term marketing goal was to increase truck and SUV sales.

Other than Tesla, most automotive decision-makers

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seem to view EVs as an R&D project, not a potential profit center.

They know electrification is coming, but they see it as a gradual shift that will take place over decades.

Anticipating only modest sales of their plug-in models, they commit to producing only modest quantities, so the narrative of EVs as a niche product becomes a selffulfilling prophecy.

In 2014, automakers produced almost

90

million vehicles globally

5th

Increasing for the

Not cheaper: better!

As Elon Musk pointed out when he explained why Tesla wasn’t interested in year in a row selling through traditional dealers, really selling EVs requires explaining why they are better than ICE vehicles, which some dealers and automakers will see as “cannibalizing” their existing highly lucrative business.

The automakers have failed to inspire consumers with any desire to go electric. We EV insiders look at the 2016 Volt and see a marvel of high-tech engineering, a huge step forward. But Joe Car Buyer looks at the Volt, and sees a car that looks like the Cruze, with better gas mileage, at double the price.

Any company that really wants to sell substantial amounts of EVs is probably going to have to establish

Images courtesy of Truck Hardware (CC BY 2.0)

And there’s the real reason that plug-in sales are struggling. Yes, most of the major automakers are now producing at least one EV, but the marketing still isn’t there. We’re inundated with car ads - TV, radio, magazines, newspapers, billboards, online - but few of them mention EVs. And no EV-maker has yet come up with an advertising campaign that effectively conveys the pleasures of plugging in.

THE VEHICLES

CONVENTIONAL WISDOM SAYS THAT IF ANY INNOVATION IS NEEDED, IT WOULD BE IN THE AREA OF SELLING EVEN MORE TRUCKS.

Image courtesy of Ford

a new stand-alone brand, with separate dealerships (BMW has made some exploratory moves in this direction). And these dealers are going to have to say to customers, “Do not buy a gas-powered vehicle. Pay the higher price for an EV, because it’s a better car.”

Disruption in low gear Given the simple economic facts, this isn’t likely to happen any time soon. Does that mean that the saga of electrification will see the dinosaurs of Detroit go the way of extinct species like Kodak and Blockbuster?

Will Tesla, Apple and a crop of China-funded startups elbow them away from the lunch counter? After all, this is pretty much the scenario that has played out in most disrupted industries, from computing to telephony to music.

This may sound great to EV boosters, but there are a couple of problems with this scenario. Cars are big heavy tangible items that need brick and mortar factories to build them, and massive amounts of money and time to design, develop and service them. A healthy dose of old-school auto industry conservatism may be required to build vehicles that last for 10 to 20 years.

There’s a good reason it seems to take forever for the OEMs to design a new model - they do exhaustive testing to make sure things don’t fall apart 50,000 miles down the road. This is a lesson Tesla is learning the hard way - Consumer Reports recently said that Model S’s long-term reliability doesn’t measure up to its performance.

Software and innovative business processes will have a greater impact on the auto industry than most people now imagine, but there are some risky Silicon Valley principles that don’t translate well to the world of tires, windshields and all that bent metal. Any disruption of

the auto industry will surely be a long epic feature, not a 6-second Vine video.

You can lead a horseless carriage to water...

Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your perspective, automakers are not free to run their businesses based solely on the bottom line. Governments tightly regulate almost every aspect of the business, and in most of the biggest markets (China, Europe, California), regulations, specifically those related to emissions, are getting tougher every year. If OEMs want to keep selling gas-guzzling trucks, SUVs and sports cars, they’ll have to sell more and more ZEVs (another, arguably better option would be to electrify the trucks, SUVs and sports cars).

But this brings us back to marketing. Governments can and do force automakers to produce EVs, but they can’t force consumers to buy them (no, not even in China). The burden of persuading buyers with good products and great marketing remains on the automakers, and the Madison Avenue firms they employ.

We industry observers had our interests piqued when GM and Ford recently released new TV ad campaigns for their plug-ins. However, the interest quickly turned to disappointment as we learned more about the efforts.

It was particularly puzzling that Ford chose to start running TV ads for the Focus Electric, which went on sale in early 2012. Yes, these are the very first TV ads for the EV, according to Ford’s PR firm Ogilvy. It seems

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IF THERE’S ANYTHING WE KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORY OF EV ADVERTISING, IT’S THAT NOT ALL OF IT IS MEANT TO ACTUALLY SELL EVS A second ad cracks on the Toyota Prius, comparing its nickel metal hydride battery technology to the more modern lithium-ion batteries used in the Volt, and implying that the former present some sort of disadvantage for consumers.

“We’re going to go head-to-head with LEAF and Prius,” said Chevrolet Global Chief Marketing Officer Tim Mahoney at the San Francisco press launch. “The ads allow Chevrolet to talk in one way and they allow Chevrolet’s personality to come through. We’re going to be taking more risks.”

Has Chevrolet forgotten that it also sells non-plug-in hybrids (Malibu Hybrid) and non-range-extended EVs (Spark EV and the soon-to-come Bolt EV)? Given the amount of hype the company is building for the Bolt EV, playing the range-anxiety card to sell Volts seems like a strategy they may soon regret.

Where’s the beef?

In September, two German organizations (the Roland Berger Automotive Competence Center and the fka Research Institute) published a study called the E-

Image courtesy of Ford

to be a substantial ad buy - Ogilvy declined to talk about budgets, but the firm told us that the TV ads will run in eight major US metro areas on a wide variety of different types of programs, and print ads will run in newspapers and several categories of magazines.

To get a better idea of what Ford is up to here, we talked to EV industry expert Chelsea Sexton, who always seems to have the inside scoop. She believes that the new spot is nothing more than a “halo” ad, meant to establish Ford’s green credentials so it can get on with the business of selling customers the trucks and SUVs that they really want. “If there’s anything we know about the history of EV advertising, it’s that not all of it is meant to actually sell EVs,” said Sexton.

This theory is supported by the fact that the TV ad is actually half an ad - a fifteen-second spot that runs together with ads for other Ford vehicles - and it’s running in cities that are mostly not EV sales areas.

It’s really just part of a larger Ford campaign called By Design.

GM’s recent efforts to promote the new Volt are, at least, more substantial marketing attempts. The company has produced a series of videos that debuted in long form on the internet, and were shortened for broadcast. EV proponents, however, were not thrilled to find that Chevrolet decided to present the Volt’s PHEV system as superior to other forms of electrification, with head-to-head attacks on the LEAF and the Prius.

One ad attacks the Nissan LEAF, showing people stuck between floors in an elevator, and drawing an analogy to what could happen if a pure EV runs out of charge.

THE VEHICLES Mobility Index, which clearly articulated this problem.

The report finds that, while there are certainly other factors, one of the most important reasons that average market share for plug-ins worldwide is stagnating at below 1% is a failure of marketing by the OEMs. “There’s very little, if any, promotion of electric cars going on,” reads the report. “It’s no wonder potential customers are not getting interested in them. The lack of coherent sales concepts is partly responsible for the weak sales figures.”

Finding good data on specific marketing efforts is nearly impossible. The automaker’s aren’t quick to share how much they spend on ads, what products they focus on, and in what markets. Even with hard numbers, discerning what’s actually going on would be difficult. “There are so many layers of both actual truth and motive,” said Chelsea Sexton.

The automakers are being forced to sell ZEVs in certain markets, and at least some of them are doing so unwillingly - the continued lobbying efforts

to have those requirements relaxed make that obvious.

So there’s still a real concern that some may be trying to sabotage EV sales in an effort to have the mandates loosened or overturned.

Sexton points out that, beginning in 2018, the California Air Resources Board ZEV program will require automakers to actually sell EVs, not just offer them.

“We will see some companies trying sincerely to do that, and some putting a lot of effort behind looking like they tried,” she said.

Another problem is that the category of plug-in cars is so new that each model brings challenges of marketing in completely uncharted territory. “Even the companies that are ‘sincere’ don’t necessarily know how to do this well,” said Sexton. “Add in the fact that most pass the job to agencies, who are even less in touch with the market we’re aiming at, and it all gets murky fast. And in that environment, it’s easy to drop millions on ads that aren’t effective at selling EVs, whether accidentally or by design.”

Image courtesy of GM

IT’S EASY TO DROP MILLIONS ON ADS THAT AREN’T EFFECTIVE AT SELLING EVS, WHETHER ACCIDENTALLY OR

BY DESIGN.

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CURRENTevents

ChargePoint and Constellation offer EVSE to business with no upfront cost

Charging at home is a snap for those of us with garages, but for the 88 million Americans living in apartments, condos and other multi-unit dwellings, installing EV charging infrastructure can be a difficult and time-consuming process.

And as more drivers go electric, an even bigger obstacle may crop up: each building complex has a finite supply of power, so if several tenants were to install EV chargers, that capacity could quickly fall short without costly upgrades to the electrical system.

EverCharge, a California company that offers an intelligent EV charging solution for multi-unit dwellings, has received a seed investment of $1.4 million led by the venture fund Bolt.

The company will use the new funds to continue its national expansion, and to further develop its SmartPower technology platform.

SmartPower uses real-time charging management to allow more EVs to be charged using a building’s existing supply of power, enabling multi-unit dwellings to offer EV charging facilities without costly infrastructure upgrades.

“Every day we hear from more car owners and property managers who need an easy way to get power to parking spots in an economical way,” said EverCharge founder and CEO Jason Appelbaum. “And it’s clear this problem will only get bigger as the demand for EVs grows.”

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Network operator ChargePoint has partnered with Constellation, a provider of energy management services, to allow businesses to purchase ChargePoint charging stations – including installation and service – through their existing Constellation electricity or gas supply agreements.

Constellation’s Efficiency Made Easy program enables its commercial and industrial supply customers to implement various types of energy efficiency technology, and spread the cost over the term of their supply agreements.

“Constellation is always looking for new and innovative energy solutions for our customers,” said Divesh Gupta, Constellation’s Manager of Energy Solutions.

“Efficiency Made Easy allows customers to implement technology such as ChargePoint’s EV charging stations to better manage their energy use and support their environmental goals.”

“This channel partnership is a great example of how energy companies can help to spur EV growth the right way,” said Pasquale Romano, CEO of ChargePoint.

“Minimizing the upfront cost to buy and install charging stations makes it possible for even more businesses to offer EV charging to their employees and customers.”

Image: Charged EVs

EverCharge’s power management system for MUDs attracts $1.4 million in seed funding

THE INFRASTRUCTURE

Elon Musk has discussed the possibility of sharing Tesla’s Supercharger network in the past, and at a recent press conference in Germany, Elon Musk he hinted that it may soon become a reality.

“Our Supercharger network is not intended to be a walled garden,” said Musk. “It’s intended to be available to other manufacturers if they’d like to use it. The only requirements are that the cars must be able to take the power output of our Superchargers, and then just pay whatever their proportion their usage is of the system.

We’re actually in talks with some manufacturers about doing just that, and it will be exciting to share that news.”

“The general philosophy of Tesla is to do whatever we can to accelerate the advent of electric cars,” added the Ambassador of Electrification. “Electric cars…are really the key to a sustainable future. It’s incredibly important that we transition away from fossil fuels.”

Speaking later at the Economy for Tomorrow Conference in Berlin, Musk hinted at one automaker that has recently expressed interest in sharing the Supercharger network.

“The CEO of one European car company, not a German car company, has approached us recently about doing exactly that, and we’re super supportive of anyone who wants to do that.”

Image: Charged EVs

Tesla is in talks with other automakers about sharing the Supercharger network

Following the Transatlantic Economic Council’s decision to promote EV and smart grid interoperability, the European Commission has inaugurated the European Interoperability Centre. Together with its partner facility, the US Smart Grid Interoperability Center, the new lab’s mission is to ensure that the next generation of EVs and smart grids are fully interoperable, based on harmonized standards, technology validation and testing.

The European Commission notes that interoperability between EVs and the smart grid is “a key issue for the deployment and full exploitation of transport electrification, the integration of renewable energy sources and storage, and the deployment of innovative energy-related services to consumers.”

Interoperability will not only allow for communication among plug-in vehicles, their recharging hardware and the smart grid, but should also enable features such as automatic billing, EV roaming and more efficient energy management.

The new facility consists of four labs, focused on: vehicle energy efficiency; the interoperability of smart grids; electromagnetic compatibility; and battery testing.

“Smart grids and electric vehicles are rapidly evolving, but we have not yet harnessed their full potential,” said European Commission VP Maroš Šefčovič. “Developing harmonized standards across the Atlantic will minimize trade barriers and increase the global market for innovative products and services for EU and US producers and consumers.”

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Image courtesy of Renault

European Interoperability Centre aims to harmonize US and EU EV methods

CURRENTevents

The Seaward Group has introduced a new diagnostic tool for validation and fault-finding on all types of EV charging and supply equipment.

The EV110 tester can perform a number of tests to ensure that a charger is operating correctly and safely, in accordance with the SAE J1772 standard.

The lightweight, handheld EV110 simulates all the most commonly used charging cable ratings. It tests output voltage, maximum available charging current, ground loop impedance and GFCI trip time. It also simulates a number of vehicle faults and measures the EVSE response, including disconnection time and the amplitude, frequency and duty cycle of the PWM signal.

Detailed diagnostic data can be transferred to an Android app using NFC wireless communications and sent to a specialist engineer or head office location for remote fault diagnosis.

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Image courtesy of Seaward Group

Seaward offers new handheld EVSE diagnostic tool

Like a lot of other things, charging stations are turning into mini-computers that need software to reach their potential.

To this end, two heavy hitters in their respective industries, ABB and Microsoft, have announced a partnership.

All ABB chargers will now be connected to Microsoft’s Azure suite of cloud-based services, which provides several “value-adding services.” According to the companies, the collaboration will take advantage of “machine learning and predictive analytic capabilities to drive future innovations.”

“Platform performance and stability are critical differentiators for the successful operation of a modern, data-dependent EV charging station,” said Pekka Tiitinen, president of ABB’s Discrete Automation and Motion Division. “By partnering with Microsoft, ABB will be able to offer innovative advanced services – what we call the Internet of Things, Services and People.”

“Today we live in a mobile-first, cloud-first world, and this is ever apparent in the global electric vehicle market,” said Microsoft Executive VP Peggy Johnson. “Our partnership with ABB aligns to one of our company ambitions to build the intelligent cloud platform.”

Image courtesy of ABB

ABB charging stations to feature Microsoft’s Azure cloud-based platform

THE INFRASTRUCTURE

Image courtesy of Chargemaster

Chargemaster’s new UltraCharger features Automatic Number Plate Recognition

British charging station manufacturer Chargemaster has revealed its new UltraCharger DC fast charger.

EV owners can access the UltraCharger using an RFID card or a contactless debit or credit card. Another nifty feature is Automatic Number Plate Recognition – the unit can recognize a vehicle’s license plate number and automatically start charging.

The 50 kW UltraCharger offers three cable options, so it’s compatible with all fast-charging EVs. The user interface features a 12-inch touchscreen and automated text messaging, and the retractable cable makes for a safer and more aesthetically pleasing installation.

The UltraCharger is designed to be small (120x60x60 cm) and light compared to other fast chargers, so in many instances installation doesn’t require permission from the local planning board.

The UltraCharger is manufactured at Chargemaster’s plant in Luton – the first rapid charger to be designed

and built in the UK, according to the company. Chargemaster expects to build 1,000 units in the first year, and will be exporting the UltraCharger globally.

“With a host of innovations, such as Automatic Number Plate Recognition and contactless payments, the UltraCharger will make life even easier for EV owners,” said Chargemaster CEO David Martell. “We are proud to be able to manufacture these in the UK, supporting the local economy, while offering high-quality good-value rapid chargers to the electric vehicle market.”

CURRENTevents

Fortum’s network in the Nordic countries currently consists of over 450 public chargers, including 200 DC fast chargers.

“We expect that many of our customers want to drive EVs from Norway to Finland, and through this expansion in the charging network, we can offer a convenient and safe journey,” says Anders Gadsbøll, Managing Director, Renault Norway.

“We want to be an enabler on the market and provide increased mobility to users of electric vehicles. We are dedicated to delivering the best possible customer experience,” said Jan Haugen Ihle, Country Manager for Fortum Charge & Drive in Norway.

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Images courtesy of Fortum

The Fortum Charge & Drive network, which operates in Norway, Sweden and Finland, will cooperate with Renault to install seven new charging units in the northern Finnish region of Lapland. The new 22 kW Level 2 chargers will be located along typical tourist routes between Finland and Norway.

ClipperCreek’s new ProMountDuo, aimed at the fleet and commercial markets, provides single or dual Level 1 or Level 2 charging - making it possible to charge two vehicles from one post.

The ProMountDuo supports two stations and two 120 V outlets per pedestal (sold separately), and is compatible with ClipperCreek’s ACS, HCS, and LCS product lines. It features an integrated cable wrap and low-profile connector holsters.

The American-made ProMountDuo is priced at $434, and can be paired with a ClipperCreek ACS-15, ACS-20 or LCS-20 for $813; an ACS-25 or LCS-25 for $903; or an HCS-40 for $999. No additional mounting kit is necessary for the second charger.

“Once the customer has invested in the installation of the pedestal for one station, adding the second station will be very cost-effective,” said ClipperCreek Sales Manager Will Barrett. “Many businesses choose to have a mix of lower and higher power charging stations to match vehicle needs and maximize the number of charging spaces available while staying within their electrical infrastructure limitations.”

“At this time, the ProMountDuo can be paired with any combination of 10 different ClipperCreek charging stations, ranging from 120 to 240 V charging at 12 to 48 amps, suitable for workplace, tenant, and fleet charging,” said President and founder Jason France.

Image courtesy of ClipperCreek

ClipperCreek launches ProMountDuo pedestal

Scandinavian charging network expands to Lapland

THE INFRASTRUCTURE

Several prominent firms in the EV charging industry have formed the Electric Vehicle Charging Association (EVCA), a non-profit trade association created to encourage continued innovation in the field, advocate for pro-EV policies, and serve as a resource for information and expertise.

The founding members of EVCA are ABM, ChargePoint, Clean Fuel Connection, Envision Solar, EV Connect, NRG EVgo, Plugless Power, SeaWave Battery, and Volta, all of which are headquartered or have a significant presence in California.

California leads the development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, technology, and services,” noted ChargePoint VP Colleen Quinn. “The continued growth and diversity of this industry is critical to meeting California’s ambitious clean air and climate protection goals, and the EV industry supports more than 2,000 California jobs.”

“Ubiquitous charging is critical to the mass adoption of electric vehicles,” said NRG EVgo VP Terry O’Day. “The charging industry is committed to making electric vehicles accessible to everyone and to improving and simplifying the charging experience.”

The new group has released a report called The State of the Charge, documenting the industry’s rapid growth in California and the economic opportunity it presents for the state.

According to the new report, there are now more than 20,000 charging outlets in California, including 9,000 public and workplace locations. The Golden State represents 40% of the US EV market, and the industry is expected to generate $4.5 billion in California sales by 2023. Governor Jerry Brown recently signed into law SB 350, which includes provisions to expand charging networks.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has decreed that all gas stations must be equipped with public EV chargers

by November 2016, the Moscow Times reported.

Critics immediately pointed out the incongruity of such a sweeping measure in a country that is currently home to a grand total of about 500 EVs, according to the market research agency Autostat (neighboring Norway has over 50,000).

The Mitsubishi i-MiEV arrived in Russia in 2011, followed by EVs from Tesla, BMW and Nissan. Russian manufacturer AutoVAZ introduced its EL Lada in 2011, but has sold fewer than 50 units so far. And sales are not growing – au contraire, in the first half of this year, they declined 25 percent.

Other than free parking for EVs in Moscow, the Russian government currently offers few incentives for EV purchases. Installing chargers at gas stations makes little sense unless coupled with steps to stimulate demand, analyst Vladimir Bespalov of VTB Capital pointed out.

The new decree does not specify what type of charger must be installed. The cost to install a basic 220-volt charger starts from 100,000 rubles ($1,480), according to Maxim Osorin, General Director of Revolta Motors, which sells EVs and operates a chain of charging stations around Moscow. A DC fast charger, which is more likely to see some usage, would cost more like 3.5 million rubles ($51,720), said Osorin. However, he does believe that the government’s measure will have a positive effect on the market.

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Image courtesy of Statsministerens Kontor (CC BY-ND 2.0)

The Electric Vehicle Charging Association, a new trade group for the charging industry

Russian Prime Minister orders all gas stations to install EV charging stations

CURRENTevents

It’s increasingly clear that EV charging equipment (like everything else in our lives, it seems) needs to be connected to the mighty cloud. Connectivity enables not only remote control and monitoring, but also utility-driven demand response capabilities.

The growing market for EVSE supports an ecosystem of associated communications equipment and services. A new report from Navigant Research analyzes this market, describing the major categories of communications tech used in EVSE networks, as well as the key vendors and utilities active in the field.

The report, Communications Technologies for EV Charging Networks, explains the connectivity requirements for four types of charging sites: residential, workplace, public, and private/fleet.

According to Navigant, EVSE-related communications equipment and services will generate global revenue of $62.8 million in 2015, which will grow to more than $709.7 million in 2024.

“EV charging networks represent another element of the burgeoning Internet of Energy,” said Navigant Principal Research Analyst Richelle Elberg. “Increasingly, car charging stations are expected to be connected by communications technologies – typically some combination of cellular and near-area connectivity solutions like RFID and WiFi.”

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Nissan and Ecotricity, the operator of the Electric Highway charging network, have called on the UK government to introduce official road signage for the UK’s growing number of EV charging points.

The two companies are mounting a campaign to encourage the Department for Transport and Office for Low Emission Vehicles to take action to raise awareness of the country’s EV infrastructure by introducing universal symbols for the different types of EV charging points available, such as standard and rapid chargers.

There are over 9,000 EV charging points in the UK, but there is still no official, recognizable signage to direct motorists to them. On the other hand, there are official signs for “migratory toad crossings,” of which the UK has only 140.

Image courtesy of Ecotricity

Navigant: Market for EVSE communications tech will grow to $710 million by 2024

UK charging operators call for standardized signage for public charging stations

THE INFRASTRUCTURE

EV charging stations are getting connected, allowing users to remotely manage charging, and utilities to take advantage of demand response capabilities. The market for EVSE communications tech is expected to take off like an EV on an onramp.

The Californian company eMotorWerks includes considerable connectivity capabilities in its JuiceBox line of chargers, and now offers similar features to other EVSE manufacturers through its JuiceNet smart grid platform.

ClipperCreek will now offer JuiceNet capabilities with its HCS line of chargers, initially in the flagship HCS-40 and HCS-40P. According to eMotorWerks, JuiceNet controls EV charging stations via a cloud-based, self-learning software platform: “JuiceNet communication, revenue-grade telemetry, and control hardware, combined with a cloud software layer and smartphone/web front-ends, will provide greater control and convenience to customers. JuiceNet-enabled HCS stations will allow anytime/ anyplace control via a mobile app, and reductions in emissions and electricity costs based on user-defined charging preferences.”

“Bringing advanced smart grid capabilities to the ClipperCreek product line further validates our vision for JuiceNet as a universal platform for managing large, shiftable loads,” said eMotorWerks founder Valery Miftakhov. “eMotorWerks will deliver a top-notch consumer experience, while helping utilities and grid operators save money and make our electric grids more reliable and resilient.”

The HCS-40 JuiceNet Edition is now available for pre-order from eMotorWerks, and will start shipping at the end of October.

Image courtesy of ClipperCreek

China proposes “gameClipperCreek incorporates changing” goals for EV eMotorWerks smart grid charging infrastructure The Chinese government has proposed an ambitious charging platform plan to improve the country’s EV charging infrastruc-

ture. The new strategy, announced in September by the State Council, envisions a charging infrastructure capable of supporting up to 5 million EVs by 2020.

Market analysis firm CCM estimates that the program, which calls for 12,000 public charging stations and 4.5 million charging points, will require an investment of up to 120 billion renminbi ($19 billion), and calls it a “game-changer” for the country’s EV market.

China’s EV fleet is growing quickly – 123,500 units were produced in the first 8 months of 2015, according to think tank ChinaEV100. However, that figure sounds less impressive compared to the 15.5 million total vehicles produced during the same period. A lack of charging infrastructure is often cited as a major roadblock to faster growth.

“China’s willingness to pour money into the EV market has never been in doubt – what is new is that the government is approaching things more systematically, and making sure that the money is being spent more efficiently,” said Stanley Wang, Editor of China Li-ion Battery E-News. “Until recently, support was provided mainly through subsidies to make EVs more price-competitive, but not enough attention was paid to other barriers such as the chronic lack of charging infrastructure, and policies were often uncoordinated, meaning that the infrastructure that was installed was incompatible with many vehicles. But we have seen real progress in recent weeks, and the government now appears to be on the right track.”

Beijing has announced several other EV-friendly measures – legislation aimed at standardizing charging and battery-swap stations is now in effect, and new universal standards for charging points are expected to be published in early 2016.

The State Council has also called for measures to lower entry barriers to the charging infrastructure market, to encourage private capital, and to allow private companies to collect fees for charging.

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THE INFRASTRUCTURE

ABB introduces automated fast charging system for city buses

Image courtesy of Tritium

New Zealand network operator ChargeNet has begun building the country’s first fast-charging network.

The first Veefil fast charger, designed and manufactured by Australian company Tritium, is going operational this week at a supermarket in the town of Kaiwaka, between Auckland and Northland.

Future units will be deployed in and around major cities such as Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch.

Tritium has shipped 23 Veefil fast chargers for the first phase, and ChargeNet plans to install 75 units over the next three years.

“The small size and weight of the Veefil make it an ideal fast charger for ChargeNet,” explained Paul Sernia, Tritiums’s Commercial Director. “It was designed to be used in areas where motorists want the convenience of fast charging, such as shopping centers, coffee shops and highway services, and it can add 50 km of range to an EV battery in 10 minutes.”

Steve West, ChargeNet’s founder and CEO, hopes to establish New Zealand as a world-class EV nation. “Steve West is an enthusiastic EV driver and evangelist who decided that someone had to break the ‘chicken and egg’ situation of which came first – the EV or the charging network – which is usually the main barrier to people deciding to drive electric,” said Sernia.

Battery-electric buses are operating on a trial basis in dozens of cities around the world, but some planners are still concerned about the constraints common to all pure EVs: short driving ranges and long charging times.

Electronics giant ABB has introduced an automated fast charging system that aims to relegate these problems to the past.

ABB’s fast charging system uses an automated rooftop connection to charge a typical e-bus in 4–6 minutes, and is designed to be easily integrated in existing bus lines by installing fast chargers at terminals, depots and/or intermediate stops. The aim is to enable electric city buses to operate 24/7.

The system is based on the IEC 61851-23 charging standard, and features a modular design offering 150 kW, 300 kW or 450 kW of charging power.

It uses a pantograph, a retractable connecter that’s a familiar sight on trains and trams. However, ABB’s pantograph is mounted in inverted position on a pole.

When a bus arrives at the charging stop, a wireless signal tells the pantograph to come down and make contact with the rooftop interface, which can be installed on any electric bus.

The rooftop module consists of 4 simple contact bars that weigh around 10 kg. This allows e-bus manufacturers to keep the vehicle weight low.

The system includes connectivity features such as remote diagnostics and over-the-air software upgradeability.

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Image courtesy of ABB

New Zealand’s first public fast charger goes live

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Photos courtesy of Zero Motorcycles

CHAdeMO port installed on Zero Motorcycle

THE INFRASTRUCTURE

HERE’S WHY INTEROPERABILITY TESTING IS SO IMPORTANT:

ZERO MOTORCYCLES WAS FORCED TO ABANDON PLANS TO ADD A

CHADEMO FAST CHARGING OPTION IN 2013 IEEE recently took a significant step in the right direction, but there’s still work to do.

By Christian Ruoff

D

iscussing standards and certifications in a compelling way is not always easy in an industry filled with sexy stuff to write about. There are the sleek fast cars, no shortage of controversy, and industry-wide distribution happening right before our eyes.

Compared to these topics, the details of charging standards can seem like a real snoozer.

However, the story of Zero Motorcycles’ attempts to add a DC Fast Charging option offers a powerful illustration of why better standards and certifications are important.

Back in 2013, Zero announced that it was adding a CHAdeMO accessory option to its bikes. At the time there were, essentially, no SAE Combined Charging Standard (CCS) chargers available for public use, and using that standard was never an option in any case, because of the relatively small size of a motorcycle’s battery pack.

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CCS’s protocol goes down to

50 200 volts

volts

“The CHAdeMO protocol defines that the chargers must go all the way down to 50 V, whereas the CCS specification stops at 200 V,” Kenyon Kluge, Zero’s Director of Electrical Engineering, explained to Charged.

“Our bikes had 100 V nominal packs, so we needed chargers to go down to about 90 V.” The plan was to develop a CHAdeMO port attachment that only needed a few basic wiring connections and could be installed by Zero’s dealers when a customer requested it. The company bought a CHAdeMO charger made by ABB and used it to test the system in-house. It worked great, so they hit the road for some beta testing, and that’s when the problems arose. “We found out that many chargers were not adhering to the CHAdeMO spec,” said Kluge, “even though they were clearly marked as CHAdeMO chargers.”

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Our bikes had 100 V nominal packs, so we needed chargers to go down to about 90 V. Problems in the wild Attempting to use chargers from many different manufacturers, Zero found a variety of issues.

In some cases, the chargers deviated from the CHAdeMO spec in ways that created problems specific to the motorcycle’s system. For instance, there were chargers that did not go down to 50 V, instead stopping at 200 V. This particular quirk is not something that would be easily illuminated by the other passenger EVs in production, as their battery packs have nominal voltages in the 300 V range.

There were also more general problems, like isolation check circuits that “were checking it to some insanely harsh value that was beyond what the spec dictated,” said Kluge. “It would come up with an isolation failure fault all the time, even though we met the CHAdeMO spec with megaohms of resistance.”

Other chargers had major communications problems, like noise issues that could get coupled to the CAN bus, or initial negotiation timing that was out of

Photos: Left -Charged EVs, Right - courtesy of Zero Motorcycles

CHAdeMO’s protocol goes down to

THE INFRASTRUCTURE

Photos: Top - courtesy of Zero Motorcycles, Bottom - courtesy of ABB

The driver only sees an electric motorcycle with a CHAdeMO option that won’t work with every CHAdeMO charger.

sync with the specification. “One charger had a noise issue that led to our bike-side CAN network going down,” said Kluge. “Not to mention the mouse pad on my laptop going wild. I had to disable it and use the keyboard only while charging.”

In the early days of EV rollout, from around 2010 to 2013, we heard similar reports of problems with Level 2 AC charging from many plug-in vehicle drivers.

EVers took to the internet to share stories of chargers not working, working one day but not the next, and in some cases, not working when it was raining or humid outside.

It’s not uncommon to have bumps in the road in the

early days of any new technology.

And, to the credit of the big auto OEMs and charger manufacturers, we know that they worked tirelessly to increase the interoperability of the cars on the road and the installed base of chargers.

“It’s not a lack of desire,” said Kluge. In fact, Zero found some charging manufacturers to be very accommodating when it came to working through interoperability issues found in the field. “One company took one of our bikes to their test facility and worked for a few weeks to try and resolve all the issues, then pushed a firmware update out to their units.”

Others, however, ranged from “mildly responsive” to “unresponsive.”

The biggest problem for Zero is that its customers don’t want to hear about the technical details of an interoperability problem, whose fault it is, or how the company is doing its best to fix it. From a driver’s perspective, they simply see an electric motorcycle with a CHAdeMO option that won’t work with every CHAdeMO charger.

That’s a bit of a nightmare from a public relations standpoint, when even rumors of reliability problems can do serious long-term damage to your brand. So, Zero decided to discontinue the CHAdeMO fast So, Zero charging project.

Zero’s story is a caudecided to tionary one for other independent companies discontinue that are planning to build the CHAdeMO EVs enabled with DC Fast Charging options. fast charging Expect to spend considerable resources to ensure project.

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THE INFRASTRUCTURE

Improved software communication timings and diagnostic abilities will enhance the reliability of the connection to the vehicle

50

CHAdeMO-certified chargers

compatibility with chargers from dozens of different manufacturers. The big automakers have the manpower and deep pockets to make it happen, but for smaller companies it could be a daunting engineering effort.

The larger issue, however, is the lack of widely adopted certification processes that encourage everyone to meet the same clearly-defined specifications.

CHAdeMO 0.9 and 1.0 Beginning in 2012, the CHAdeMO Association started conducting certification tests to ensure interoperability between chargers and vehicles. Only certified chargers are

80

Only

3

are certified to CHAdeMO ver.1.0

allowed to display the smiley-face CHAdeMO logo.

The association’s website lists chargers from about 50 companies that have been certified. However, only three of those companies have designed their chargers to CHAdeMO’s latest and greatest specification, version 1.0. We asked ABB, the only global charger supplier on that short list, about the differences between CHAdeMO ver. 0.9 and ver. 1.0.

“CHAdeMO 1.0 enhances safety and protection of the vehicle,” explained Crijn Bouman, VP of ABB’s EVCI Product Line Management. “For example, better detection of equipment earthing [grounding] problems and better defined fusing protect the car in case of serious failures. Furthermore, improved software communication timings and diagnostic abilities will enhance the reliability of the connection to the vehicle.”

“ABB is a strong supporter of independent thirdparty testing and certification of both sides: the charger and the car interface,” said Bouman. “This will be a vital step to create true interoperability and a seamless charging experience in all cases. At the moment the industry is still in its infancy, with limited independent testing on SAE Combo, and some initiatives on CHAdeMO. We were the first global charger manufacturer to achieve CHAdeMO 1.0 certification by independent test house IDIADA. But more needs to be done.”

Photo courtesy of ABB

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lem is separate in that a charger can be safe to use but not function properly with all vehicles.

Recently, however, the industry took a big step towards a resolution by forming an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) working committee to develop a draft standard. IEEE P2030.1.1 is a technical specification for DC Quick Charging, and it was approved on September 3rd.

IEEE is the world’s largest association of technical professionals, with more than 400,000 members. It’s not a body formally authorized by any government, but rather a community of engineers and stakeholders that

Photos courtesy of ABB

The fix So what exactly needs to be done? In essence, there needs to be more industry pressure to push everyone towards a common DC Fast Charging certification process. It’s a critical step that has largely been ignored, in part because the big automakers have funded most of the fast charging infrastructure to date. That tight circle of OEMs has been able to work out all of the early interoperability issues with their cars, so there hasn’t been a strong push for certifications. The absence of third-party tests to tightly-defined standards has left others, like new EVSE manufacturers and vehicle builders serving niche markets, to figure it out on their own.

To be clear, there are worldwide validations and certifications specifically for safety. All charging products are tested for safe use to be sure they don’t present a shock hazard, for example. The interoperability prob-

You can have a de facto standard simply by the quantities of a product in a marketplace, but an IEEE standard is about gaining international acceptance formally and allowing easier access to the technical details.

THE INFRASTRUCTURE

As long as my vehicle design and your charger design can pass this standard certification test, they will work together.

develops global standards in a broad range of industries. There is a lot of respect for the thorough process it uses to develop and approve specifications, giving new momentum to the issue of DC charging certifications.

The chairman of the P2030 working committee is Nissan’s Joseph Thompson, an electronics engineer at the company’s North American Technical Center.

“One of the main benefits of having an IEEE standard is to formally recognize a proven technology,” Thompson told Charged. “You can have a de facto standard simply by the quantities of a product in a marketplace, but an IEEE standard is about gaining international acceptance formally and allowing easier access to the technical details. IEEE members are international and across all industries, not just automotive. Members can log in to the IEEE site and get access to the spec - it’s a process they’re used to.”

A testable standard IEEE P2030.1.1 includes technical specifications for both CHAdeMO and CCS charging systems.

Thompson believes that IEEE P2030.1.1 is detailed enough to be used as a basis for the certification process. He says the committee referenced the latest CHAdeMO and SAE CCS specs - with approval from the respective associations - and added a very comprehensive list of international standards that should be considered when developing a charger. They also added an annex about performance testing for the charging couplers with environmental screening. “Those plugs sit out in pretty tough environmental conditions, so we added a screening procedure for an equipment manufacturer to test their couplers’ reliability,” said Thompson. “That’s something new we’ve done that I haven’t seen in other standards.”

Some in the industry continue to express concern that SAE CCS technical definitions - which the IEEE standard points to - are still open to too much interpretation, and that it’s more of a guideline for design than a set of specifications. So, it’s likely that we’ll see more revisions to tighten things up as higher-volume EVs designed to use CCS hit the road in the next few years.

The next step towards eradicating future interoperability problems is working with product testing outfits like Intertek, TUV, and UL to offer a certification specifically for DC Fast Chargers using this common document. After that, it’s up to the marketplace to insist that chargers carry the certification.

The ideal is to have a single testable standard, so anyone can say, “As long as my vehicle design and your charger design can pass this standard certification test, they will work together.”

As Kenyon Kluge and Zero Motorcycles can attest, “that really wasn’t the state of the spec before.”

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INSIGHTS FROM PLUGSHARE DATA’S

INFRASTRUCTURE REPORT 2015 Q3 P

lugShare works closely with automakers, utilities, and charging networks to maintain the most comprehensive and high quality charging infrastructure data in North America. EV drivers have access to the latest info via PlugShare’s charging station locater app. The company also offers the EV industry a comprehensive infrastructure analytics tool - giving customers the ability to leverage its database to steer EV market research, infrastructure planning, charging site prospecting, and public agency reporting activities.

PlugShare Quarterly is the firm’s regular report that contains a comprehensive chart gallery delivering key highlights about recent EV infrastructure growth. The publication includes infrastructure census maps and tables, year-over-year growth charts, and current totals and trends.

PlugShare gave Charged access to a few insights from the latest set of data: 2015 Q3.

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DC Fast Charging maps highlight differences between Tesla and CHAdeMO/CCS rollouts Tesla touts its Supercharger network as a no-compromise solution for electric road trips, and has strategically placed Superchargers along well-traveled highways. Elon Musk himself has embarked on a coast-to-coast adventure in a Model S to demonstrate that it can be done in about the same timeframe as with any other vehicle.

On the other hand, DC Fast Chargers using the other two US standards – CHAdeMO and the SAE Combined Charging Standard (CCS) – have been deployed with a clustering strategy. So far, automakers and charging networks have largely focused on deploying these stations in concentrated regions for a variety of reasons – mainly because the EVs that use these standards don’t have

THE INFRASTRUCTURE Tesla Supercharging Locations

Tesla has strategically placed Superchargers along well-traveled highways.

On the other hand, CHAdeMO and CCS stations have been deployed with a clustering strategy. battery packs as large as Tesla’s that make long road trips a practical option.

Arun Banskota, the President of NRG EVgo, recently told Charged that “it is not just about that ability city to city. It is arguably even more important to provide that confidence in the greater metro area of a city.”

The NRG EVgo network has quietly become the DC fast charging leader with more sites installed than anyone else. “We believe that the vast majority of EV owners purchase their vehicles for intra-city driving,” added Brendan Jones, East Region VP at EVgo and a former Nissan exec. “That is why EVgo began with comprehensive metropolitan coverage of EV infrastructure, and we are now serving 26 cities.”

New maps generated from PlugShare’s latest data clearly highlight the difference in charger rollout strategies.

There have also been a few corridor charging plans announced for CHAdeMO and CCS chargers, but these are not nearly as aggressive as Tesla’s sprawling coverage.

This strategy is unlikely to change until EVs using these standards begin to offer at least 200 miles of range. That should happen in a couple of years, when the Chevy Bolt and a next-generation LEAF come on the market.

CHAdeMO DC Fast Charging Locations

CCS DC Fast Charging Locations

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Both Tesla Superchargers and the lower-powered destination chargers saw large increases in US installations in 2015 Q3. Supercharging locations grew by 91%, from 117 sites in September 2014 to 224 at the end of September 2015. Destination charging locations grew 202%, from 371 sites in September 2014 to 1,122 at the end of September 2015.

Image: Charged EVs

Tesla continues to add more public charging locations

Tesla’s Public Charging Locations in the US Figures represent number of charging sties, not total number of charging stations or ports

Destination chargers

Image courtesy of Tesla Motors

Supercharger Locations

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THE INFRASTRUCTURE J 1772 Level 2 Hotel/ Lodging: 9%

Dealership: 16%

Workplace: 14% Parking Garage/Lot: 11% Other: 7%

Store/ Retail: 11%

Another useful data set tracked by PlugShare is the point-of-interest (POI) type where a station is installed. Charging locations are assigned a POI type such as Dealership, Parking Garage/Lot, School/ University, Shopping Center, Hotel/Lodging, etc.

Pie charts created for the most common POIs in the US reveal how the installations are concentrated differently depending on the specific type of charging.

POI Group

nector type

CHAdeMO

HAdeMO

ry lre

Top points-of-interest for installations vary for each type of charging

POI (group) Dealership Dealership

SAE CCS

Shopping Center Shopping Center

Tesla Supercharger

Store/Retail Store/Retail Workplace Workplace

Dealership: 16%

Hotel/Lodging Hotel/Lodging Dealership: 31%

Restaurant Restaurant Parking ParkingGarage/Lot Garage/Lot

Shopping Center: 23%

Work: 8% Shopping Center: 16%

Store/ Retail: 17%

Other Other Gas GasStation Station

Work: 9%

Government Government

Store/ Retail: 20%

School/University School/University Street StreetParking Parking Park Park Residential Residential Library Library

Tesla Supercharger

Healthcare Healthcare

Tesla Destination

Shopping Center: 35% Hotel/Lodging: 70%

Restaurant: 15%

Hotel/Lodging: 20%

Full access to PlugShare’s quarterly reports and infrastructure analytics tools can be purchased Government Parking at Dealership GasStreet Station company.plugshare.com 1% 1% 4% 1%

Other 12% Dealership 31%

SEP/OCT 2015

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Lithium Battery Power ....................... 16 knowledgefoundation.com

ABB ....................................................... 2 abb.com/evcharging

eVgo Network ..................................... 92 Lord .................................................... 13 lord.com info.evgonetwork.com/dcfast

AEGIS .................................................. 88 est-aegis.com

Fuji Electric ......................................... 91 americas.fujielectric.com

Midtronics ........................................... 55 midtronics.com

Arbin Instruments .............................. 21 arbin.com

Gigavac ............................................... 15 gigavac.com

Seal Methods ...................................... 37 sealmethodsinc.com

Bitrode ................................................ 11 bitrode.com

IATA ..................................................... 27 iata.org

Seaward .............................................. 81 seawardgroupusa.com/EV110

ClipperCreek ....................................... 45 clippercreek.com

Interplex ............................................... 9 interplex.com

Utility Solar Conference ...................... 18 solarelectricpower.org/usc

Efacec ................................................. 39 efacecusa.com

Intertek ............................................... 69 intertek.com/energy-storage

Voltabox ............................................. 19 voltabox.com

To inquire about advertising and sponsorship opportunities visit ChargedEVs.com/Advertise

AABC

25 - 28 January 2016

Congress Centrum Mainz, Mainz, Germany

“Complete overview, from material to system.”

Program Highlights: • • • • • •

Latest Assessment of the xEV & xEV-Battery Market

•

- Frank Moebius, AG xEV Battery Charging – AC,BMW DC, or Wireless

xEV Battery Technology Updates [Audi, Daimler,

•

The Latest in Advanced Electrolytes for Lithium-Ion

•

Beyond Lithium-Ion – Challenges & Opportunities

•

• • • • •

EC – Advances Conventional xEVCapacitors Battery Charging – AC,inDC, or Wirelessvs.

Hybrid Systems The Latest in Advanced Electrolytes for Lithium-Ion Automotive Batteries in Industrial Applications Beyond Lithium-Ion – Challenges & Opportunities Batteries for Light EVs with Insights from EC Capacitors – Advances in Conventional vs.

China & Europe Hybrid Systems

•

Automotive Batteries in Industrial Applications

•

Batteries for Light EVs with Insights from China & Europe

Program Highlights: Porsche, Toyota & Volkswagen] • • • • • •

14V Architecture Expansion [PSA & Valeo] Latest Assessment of the xEV & xEV-Battery Market Batteries for 48V Systems [Audi & Hella] xEV Battery Technology Updates [Audi, Daimler, Thermal & Toyota Mechanical Pack Engineering Updates Porsche, & Volkswagen] [Renault, Daimler & Valeo] 14V Architecture Expansion [PSA & Valeo] Battery Safety Testing: Materials, Cells, Batteries for 48V Systems [Audi & Hella] Packs & In-Vehicle Thermal & Mechanical Pack Engineering Updates [Renault, Daimler & Valeo]

Battery Safety Testing: Materials, Cells, Packs & In-Vehicle

Register Early & Save

AdvancedAutoBat.com

COMPETITION

A new California bill attempts to harmonize how utilities fit into the charging business.

E

lectric utilities aren’t exactly known as hotbeds of innovation. In fact, they’re quite the opposite. They move slowly, they are very conservative, and they need approval from state regulators to make any significant changes to their businesses. So the idea of a utility monopolizing the EV charging experience in its service area makes a lot of people uneasy. Private companies are afraid of losing business opportunities, and EV proponents are afraid that handing utilities all the power will stifle much-needed innovation in the charging industry.

That’s why the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) recently put the brakes on Pacific Gas & Electric’s dreams of an enormous deployment of 25,100 charging stations in northern and central California.

The plan was to use $654 million in ratepayer dollars, adding about 70 cents more per month to a typical customer’s bill. “We must consider the requirement to protect against unfair competition and the demonstrated costs and benefits of any utility electric vehicle charging station proposal,” CPUC Commissioner Carla Peterman wrote in her ruling. “We find that a more measured approach to utility ownership in PG&E’s service territory is warranted.”

In October, Governor Jerry Brown signed a new law that made finding that more measured approach mandatory. California Senate Bill 350 - aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions - contains provisions for encouraging drivers to choose EVs, and specifically requires utilities to invest in EV charging infrastructure and support EV adoption in a way that leverages

California flag image courtesy of Nicolas Raymond (CC BY 2.0)

MANDATING

private-sector funding, protects competition and allows consumers choices in equipment and services.

The language of the law seems to have pleased all parties in the charging industry. ChargePoint CEO Pasquale Romano, a very vocal critic of PG&E’s initial deployment plan, joined Jerry Brown at the bill signing and applauded the landmark legislation. ChargePoint told us that, while the CPUC has been reviewing currently pending applications based on a balancing test that includes competition, there was no precedent for this new role for utilities - leading to a lot of uncertainty.

Language in SB 350 now requires the Commission to review future utility applications filed after January 1, 2016 for competition, ratepayer benefits and customer choice. So, it gives regulatory certainty for how future applications by utilities will be reviewed.

Big Electric was delighted too, because the law officially awards them a central role in building out comprehensive charging networks. “We really need to have a big push for charging,” said PG&E CEO Tony Earley.

“The charging station ought to be part of our grid infrastructure.”

Utilities hope the push for EVs will help offset the drop in electricity demand expected under other provisions of SB 350. By 2030, all buildings in California must double their efficiency. “Even with mass adoption of electric vehicles, we anticipate 1 to 2 percent growth in load, perhaps even flat to declining load,” says Pedro Pizarro, President of Southern California Edison.

Alas, the electric companies’ newfound love for EVs is matched only by their horror of rooftop solar, which they are “trying to smother in its crib,” Michael Brune, Executive Director of the Sierra Club, told Bloomberg.

Utilities have asked the CPUC to impose extra fees and less generous net metering provisions on distributed solar generation. The proposed rules would make converting to solar power two to three times more expensive for the consumer, according to Bernadette Del Chiaro, Executive Director of the California Solar Energy Industries Association. The CPUC will rule on the issue by the end of the year.

Where you’re going, we’ve already been.

We offer the largest public DC Fast Charging network in America.

Visit info.evgonetwork.com/dcfast to learn more.

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