CHARGED Electric Vehicles Magazine - Issue 27 SEP/OCT 2016

ELECTRIC VEHICLES MAGAZINE

ISSUE 27 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 | CHARGEDEVS.COM

iPerformance BMW 330e

BMW electrifies its best-selling model: The plug-in hybrid 3 Series launches in the US p. 44

MOTOR POTTING POTENTIAL

CLAD METAL BATTERY SOLUTIONS

p. 20

p. 28

STREETLIGHTS WITH CHARGING STATIONS p. 70

UTILITIES AND EV CHARGING p. 76

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THE TECH CONTENTS

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20 | Motor potting potential LORD Corporation builds on its work to impregnate electric motors with conductive epoxy - reducing hot spots by up to 40%

28 | Clad to help

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Engineered Materials Solutions brings a century of clad metal experience to the battery industry

current events 10

Protean raises $70 million for in-wheel drive systems New X-ray microscopy observes battery particles in real time

11 Peugeot Citroen evaluates free-piston linear generator for range extender 12 Apple EV may use a novel hollow battery design

14

Battery startup Cadenza Innovation raises $5 Million in Series A funding

13 Maxwell delivers ultracapacitor-based energy storage for Beijing subway 14 New Audi system uses electric motors as regen shock absorbers

19

Researchers make advance in silicon anodes

15 Nanolithia is used to improve longevity of lithium-air batteries 17 Johnson Matthey and 3M complete NMC patent license agreement 19 Is improved formation cycling the key to lower battery costs?

THE VEHICLES CONTENTS

44 | BMW 330e

BMW electrifies its best-selling model: The 330e iPerformance plug-in hybrid launches in the US

54 | Plug-and-play electrification

44

A plan to sell hardware leads Torque Trends to some profound insights about fleet conversions and emission reduction

86 | EV-spotting in Oslo, Norway current events

54

36 Thai oil company partners with six automakers to develop EVs

Tesla introduces 100 kWh battery option

37 Electric Bus Charging Cost Calculator helps agencies estimate costs 38 MIT study: Existing EVs can meet most drivers’ needs

Study of the EV shopping experience finds room for improvement

39 Orange EV now taking orders for its new T-Series electric terminal truck 40 Guide offers strategies for encouraging EV adoption in underserved areas

39

Insights into EV ownership from Norway

41 VW will show a new EV at the Paris Motor Show, go to market by 2019 42 California budget gaps leave heavy-duty EV projects in limbo 43 New venture aims to redefine the EV buying experience IDENTIFICATION STATEMENT CHARGED Electric Vehicles Magazine (USPS PP 46) September/October 2016, Issue # 27 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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70 | Light & Charge

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76 | Utilities and EV charging

Two industry thought leaders discuss the growing interest of electric utilities in EV charging infrastructure

76

62 ClipperCreek introduces ruggedized PMD-10 Charging Station Pedestal

Geneva electric buses use ABB flash charging technology

63 EV4 Oregon’s charging station features a solar canopy and battery storage 64 Porsche foresees 800-volt DC charging 65 Fastned: More powerful fast charging offers economies of scale 66 NovaCharger NC-5000 charging stations are built for branding

Nissan: More EV charging stations in the UK than petrol stations by 2020

67 Duke Energy offers $1.5 million to help develop public charging 69 Missouri utility to install six highway fast chargers

62

Charging companies fear $2-billion VW settlement could hurt competition

64

Publisher’s Note Under the microscope

The anticipation of the next generation of EVs is palpable. Buyers are eager for availability of more affordable 200-mile vehicles - most notably, the Chevy Bolt EV, due out at the end of this year, and the Tesla Model 3, scheduled for production at the end of 2017.

The media is swarming over every tidbit of information or rumor, looking for a good story to tell.

One recent report caused a stir, claiming that the Bolt EV was delayed by as much a year.

GM quickly denied the claim, the blog issued a retraction, then images surfaced of a “production intent” Bolt being tested in public - suggesting that it’s on schedule. GM has also been battling rumors that drivers on the Lyft network - the ride-sharing app that GM is a major investor in - will get dibs on the first available Bolts. Potential non-Lyft customers were obviously annoyed, since the company has been implying that everyone will have access starting this year. Official comments from GM did not offer much clarity, and it seems that some portion of the early units is indeed slated to go the Lyft drivers.

The media interest surrounding Tesla’s Model 3 is on another level. Rightly so, considering that the car could make or break the entire company - currently valued at around $30 billion. In August, Tesla announced a new high-end P100D battery pack option that makes the Model S the third-fastest-accelerating production car ever built, with a 0-60 time of 2.5 seconds. Tesla fans and automotive pundits must have been thoroughly impressed by the new achievement, right? Not so fast. Most observers greeted it with a yawn. Some called it a pointless distraction from what Tesla should be focusing on: bringing Model 3 into production.

During a media conference call, Tesla attempted to explain the importance of updating its expensive high-end models by emphasizing that every sale helps pay for the Model 3 development. The company also explained that the new battery pack is in fact a major, and necessary, step forward because it contains new cooling technology with key improvements “on the roadmap for the technologies that make Model 3 possible.”

Tesla confirmed that design of the Model 3 is largely complete, and that pencils were down as of mid-July. The major challenges for Model 3 have shifted to the production line, so it’s safe to assume that the vehicle design teams have some free time, and it’s likely that we’ll see more system updates on Tesla’s existing product line. Stay tuned for more “Focus on Model 3!” critiques from the peanut gallery.

One EV builder that seems to be escaping criticism at the moment is Nissan. All the hubbub surrounding the Bolt and Model 3 has distracted many people from asking an obvious question: When can we expect the second-generation LEAF? It’s clear that early reports of a brand-new LEAF for model year 2017 were off. So, Nissan, what’s the hold-up?

EVs are here. Try to keep up.

Christian Ruoff Publisher

ETHICS STATEMENT AND COVERAGE POLICY AS THE LEADING EV INDUSTRY PUBLICATION, CHARGED ELECTRIC VEHICLES MAGAZINE OFTEN COVERS, AND ACCEPTS CONTRIBUTIONS FROM, COMPANIES THAT ADVERTISE IN OUR MEDIA PORTFOLIO. HOWEVER, THE CONTENT WE CHOOSE TO PUBLISH PASSES ONLY TWO TESTS: (1) TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE THE INFORMATION IS ACCURATE, AND (2) IT MEETS THE INTERESTS OF OUR READERSHIP. WE DO NOT ACCEPT PAYMENT FOR EDITORIAL CONTENT, AND THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED BY OUR EDITORS AND WRITERS ARE IN NO WAY AFFECTED BY A COMPANY’S PAST, CURRENT, OR POTENTIAL ADVERTISEMENTS. FURTHERMORE, WE OFTEN ACCEPT ARTICLES AUTHORED BY “INDUSTRY INSIDERS,” IN WHICH CASE THE AUTHOR’S CURRENT EMPLOYMENT, OR RELATIONSHIP TO THE EV INDUSTRY, IS CLEARLY CITED. IF YOU DISAGREE WITH ANY OPINION EXPRESSED IN THE CHARGED MEDIA PORTFOLIO AND/OR WISH TO WRITE ABOUT YOUR PARTICULAR VIEW OF THE INDUSTRY, PLEASE CONTACT US AT CONTENT@CHARGEDEVS.COM. REPRINTING IN WHOLE OR PART IS FORBIDDEN EXPECT BY PERMISSION OF CHARGED ELECTRIC VEHICLES MAGAZINE.

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 Lisa Jerram Michael Kent Charles Morris Christian Ruoff Paul Stith Contributing Photographers Clay Gilliland Charles Morris Nicolas Raymond CC-BY-CarImages (Flickr) Elbilforeningen (Flickr) nakhon100 (Flickr) Cover Images Courtesy of BMW Group Special Thanks to Kelly Ruoff Sebastien Bourgeois For Letters to the Editor, Article Submissions, & Advertising Inquiries Contact Info@ChargedEVs.com

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Protean Electric, a developer of inwheel electric drive systems, has generated $70 million in funding from an equity financing round. The company will use the new money to ramp up production in China of its PD18 product line.

Protean is setting up a manufacturing site in Tianjin, China, and plans to form a manufacturing joint venture with Chinese auto parts manufacturer Zhejiang VIE to produce other in-wheel motor products.

According to Protean, its in-wheel motors, which are suitable for both passenger and commercial vehicles, can boost an electrified vehicle’s energy efficiency by up to 15 percent compared to a centralized motor.

“This funding accelerates the adoption of our innovative technology in the booming electric vehicle market in China,” says Protean CEO KY Chan.

“VIE’s strong China customer base, its broad range of chassis products, and its manufacturing prowess are highly complementary to Protean’s technology leadership,” said Leal Jiang Chen, President of VIE Group.

“Protean has developed a next-generation power train with greater potential than anything I have seen in my 30 years in the automotive industry,” said Frank Chao Lyu, Chairman of Tianjin THSG.

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Photo courtesy of Protean

Protean Electric raises $70 million for in-wheel drive systems, will ramp up China production

A new technique developed at Berkeley Lab’s Advanced Light Source is providing researchers with nanoscale images of electrochemical reactions to observe battery particles as they charge and discharge in real time.

In “Origin and hysteresis of lithium compositional spatiodynamics within battery primary particles,” published in Science, a team of researchers from the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Berkeley Lab, Stanford University, et al describe their specially designed “liquid electrochemical STXM nanoimaging platform,” which uses soft X-rays to image lithium iron phosphate particles as they charge (delithiate) and discharge (lithiate) in a liquid electrolyte.

“The platform we developed allows us to image battery dynamics at the mesoscale, which is between a few nanometers and a few hundreds of nanometers,” says team leader Will Chueh. “This is a very difficult length scale to image in a functioning battery, but it’s critically important, because this is the scale that controls the fundamental processes involved in battery degradation and recharge time.”

“Our STXM-based platform provides the ability to image these electrochemical changes within a single battery particle,” adds team member David Shapiro.

Previously, scientists have used transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to study working batteries at the nanoscale. This approach offers good spatial resolution, but X-ray microscopy can image a larger field of view and thicker materials than TEM, so it can study materials that more closely resemble real-world batteries.

Shapiro and colleagues are now building even more powerful X-ray microscopes, hoping to improve the platform’s spatial resolution by a factor of ten.

Image courtesy of SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

New X-ray microscopy observes battery particles in real time

THE TECH

Photo courtesy of PSA Group

Peugeot Citroen evaluates free-piston linear generator for range extender PSA Group, the maker of the Peugeot, Citroen and DS brands, is preparing to test a free-piston linear generator from Israeli startup Aquarius Engines as a range extender for its EVs. “We are evaluating the technology,” said PSA Research and Development Director Gilles Le Borgne. “Nothing has been decided yet.”

The free-piston linear generator has a single piston, and generates electricity directly rather than driving a drive shaft.

According to Aquarius, several prototype vehicles using its free-piston generator will be road-tested by the carmaker early in 2017. The company expects costs to undercut both conventional hybrids and pure EVs. “If the concept works, in reality it’s going to have a lot of potential,” IHS Automotive powertrain analyst Pavan Potluri told Reuters. “But vehicle manufacturers are always very risk-averse, so the biggest challenge may be

getting one to sign up to it.”

Toyota unveiled its own free-piston generator design in 2014, but has yet to announce any production plans.

Renault, a partner of Nissan and a rival of PSA, also reviewed Aquarius’s technology, but decided to pass, said Senior VP Arnaud Deboeuf.

Aquarius, founded in 2014, has filed three patents and raised $8 million in a first funding round.

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is still purely hypothetical, but there’s no longer any question that Apple is delving ever deeper into the automotive space. The company has invested millions of dollars in R&D, and assembled a team of nearly 1,000, including some high-profile auto industry veterans with deep experience, especially in the battery department.

The latest clue to what Apple is up to comes from the Korean media outlet etnews, which recently reported that Apple has struck a deal with an unnamed South Korean battery company that’s made up of about 20 or so “expert technologists in batteries.” The mystery firm is said to be working on a new type of cylindrical battery pack that features a hollow center.

“Because batteries create most heat from the center due to chemical reactions, this company has created batteries where air flow and cooling are smooth in the center of batteries and this can minimize installation of separate cooling devices or a device that prevents over-heating,” etnews reports. “They are also advantageous in high output. By utilizing this space, it is easy to design parallel connections to expand battery capacity.”

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Energy storage provider Cadenza Innovation has raised over $5 million in growth capital, which it will use to expand product development, secure additional certifications, extend initial deployments and make key new hires.

Cadenza says its novel pack architecture enables longer range in a smaller footprint, and its integrated fire protection eliminates fires caused by thermal runaway.

Its battery pack features a simplified design using readily available components, which allows it to approach price parity with ICE powertrains.

“Cadenza Innovation is capitalizing on its intellectual property, combined with the massive industry learning curve, advancements in manufacturing and increasingly mature supply chains, to create a very low-cost approach for the packaging of lithium-ion chemistries,” said founder Dr. Christina Lampe-Onnerud.

Photos by ChargedEVs

Battery startup Cadenza Innovation raises $5 Apple EV may use a novel Million in Series A hollow battery design funding The Apple iCar

THE TECH

Photo courtesy of Maxwell

Maxwell delivers ultracapacitor-based energy storage for Beijing subway system Like cars, trains waste large amounts of energy during braking. Until now, however, there has been no practical way to recover this energy by using regenerative braking.

Locomotives do not carry large batteries, and they are typically connected to an electrical grid that can’t handle quick bursts of energy.

Ultracapacitors, which offer extremely high charge/ discharge rates and long cycle life, could provide a solution.

Ultracapacitor specialist Maxwell Technologies has announced that it is supplying its technology for a regenerative braking energy storage system used by the Beijing subway system.

The China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation will use Maxwell’s 48-volt modules in two sets of regenerative braking energy storage devices for the system’s No. 8 line, which runs through the heart of China’s capital.

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THE TECH

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Photo courtesy of Audi

Audi is working on a system called eROT, which replaces the typical hydraulic dampers of a vehicle’s suspension with electromechanical rotary dampers to recover kinetic energy and give a more comfortable ride.

“Every pothole, every bump, every curve induces kinetic energy in the car. Today’s dampers absorb this energy, which is lost in the form of heat,” said Dr. Stefan Knirsch, Board Member for Technical Development.

“With the new electromechanical damper system in the 48-volt electrical system, we put this energy to use.”

The eROT system is an actively controlled suspension, so it can adapt to irregularities in the road surface and the driver’s driving style, and damper characteristics can be defined by software. Unlike conventional hydraulic dampers, it allows the rebound and compression strokes to have different characteristics.

The eROT system can also convert kinetic energy into electricity. A lever arm absorbs the motion of the wheel carrier, and transmits this force to an electric motor. The recuperation output averages between 100 to 150 watts, but can range from 3 watts on a freshly paved freeway to 613 watts on a rough secondary road.

The eROT technology is based on a 48-volt electrical system, which is a central component of Audi’s electrification strategy. In the next version, planned for 2017, the 48-volt system will serve as the primary electrical system, and feed a mild hybrid drive, offering potential fuel savings of up to 0.7 liters per 100 km.

Bulk silicon is able to accommodate enormous quantities of lithium, but the migration of the lithium ions destroys the silicon’s crystal structure. Now a team from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) Institute of Soft Matter and Functional Materials has observed for the first time how lithium ions migrate into thin films of silicon.

In “Lithiation of Crystalline Silicon As Analyzed by Operando Neutron Reflectivity,” published in the journal ACSnano, Professor Matthias Ballauff and colleagues show that extremely thin layers of silicon may be sufficient to achieve the maximal load of lithium.

The team was able to observe a lithium-silicon halfcell during its charging and discharge cycles, and found that lithium ions do not penetrate deeply into the silicon.

During the charge cycle, a 20-nanometer anode layer develops, containing a high proportion of lithium.

“We were able to precisely track where the lithium ions adsorb in the silicon electrode using neutron reflectometry methods, and also how fast they were moving,” says Dr. Beatrix-Kamelia Seidlhofer, who carried out the experiments using the neutron source at the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble, France.

Dr. Seidlhofer discovered two different zones. Near the boundary with the electrolytes, a roughly 20 nm layer formed, with extremely high lithium content: 25 lithium atoms were lodged among 10 silicon atoms. An adjacent layer contained only one lithium atom for ten silicon atoms. Both layers together are less than 100 nm thick after the second charging cycle.

After discharge, about one lithium ion per silicon node in the electrode remained in the silicon boundary layer exposed to the electrolytes. Seidlhofer calculates from this that the theoretical maximum capacity of these types of silicon-lithium batteries is about 2,300 mAh/g. This is more than six times the theoretical maximum capacity for a lithium-ion battery constructed with graphite (372 mAh/g).

Image courtesy of HZB

Researchers make advance in silicon anodes

New Audi system uses electric motors as regen shock absorbers

Nanolithia is used to improve longevity of lithium-air batteries In “Anion-redox nanolithia cathodes for Li-ion batteries,” reported in the journal Nature Energy, researchers demonstrated a new variation of a lithium-air, or lithium-oxygen, chemistry, which could be used in a conventional fully sealed battery, and that overcomes the major drawbacks of lithium-air technology. The paper’s authors are Ju Li, the Battelle Energy Alliance Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering at MIT; postdoc Zhi Zhu; and five others at MIT, Argonne National Laboratory, and Peking University in China.

Conventional lithium-air batteries draw in oxygen from the outside air to drive a chemical reaction with the battery’s lithium during the discharging cycle. The oxygen is then released again to the atmosphere during the reverse reaction in the charging cycle. In this new approach, the same kind of electrochemical reactions take place without letting the oxygen revert to a gaseous form. Instead, the oxygen stays inside a solid and transforms directly between three redox states, while bound in the form of three different solid chemical compounds which are mixed together in the form of a glass.

This reduces the voltage loss by a factor of five, from 1.2 volts in other lithium-air technologies to 0.24 volts, so only 8 percent of the electrical energy is turned to heat. “This means faster charging for cars, as heat removal from the battery pack is less of a safety concern, as well as energy efficiency benefits,” Li says.

The new formulation creates minuscule particles, at the nanometer scale, which contain both the lithium and the oxygen in the form of a glass, confined tightly within a matrix of cobalt oxide. The researchers refer to these particles as nanolithia.

The nanolithia particles would normally be very unstable, so the researchers embedded them within the cobalt oxide matrix, a sponge-like material with pores just a few nanometers across. The matrix stabilizes the particles and also acts as a catalyst for their transformations.

The new battery is also inherently protected from overcharging, the team says, because the chemical reaction in this case is naturally self-limiting — when overcharged, the reaction shifts to a different form that prevents further activity.

In cycling tests, a lab version of the new battery was put through 120 charge-discharge cycles, and showed less than a 2 percent loss of capacity, indicating that such batteries could have a long useful lifetime.

Because these “solid oxygen” cathodes are much lighter than conventional lithium-ion battery cathodes, the new design could store as much as double the amount of energy for a given cathode weight, the team says. And with further refinement of the design the new batteries could ultimately double that capacity again.

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THE TECH

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Johnson Matthey and 3M complete NMC patent license agreement Johnson Matthey and 3M have entered into a patent license agreement that aims to expand the use of nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries. 3M has granted Johnson Matthey a license to several of its NMC-related technologies.

Cathodes composed of nickel, manganese and cobalt offer a balance of power, energy, thermal stability and cost, making them suitable for a wide range of automotive applications.

Patents on NMC date back to 2000, when Argonne National Laboratory filed the first one, based on the work of Dr. Michael Thackeray. Shortly thereafter, 3M filed a patent based on research by Dr. Jeff Dahn at Dalhousie University. In 2014, the US Patent and Trademark Office confirmed the novelty of NMC patents for both

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Argonne and 3M. However, competing patent claims have led to high-stakes court battles, bringing intrigue and excitement to the normally staid world of battery research.

“The rapid growth of the electric vehicle market is driving the need for NMC-based cathode materials globally, and especially in China,” said Christian Milker, Global Business Manager of 3M’s Electronics Materials Solutions Division. “Johnson Matthey is well-positioned to supply lithium-ion battery customers in this dynamic environment.”

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THE TECH

Image courtesy of thyssenkrupp

Is improved formation cycling the key to lower battery costs?

European conglomerate thyssenkrupp, BMW and several other firms and research institutions are collaborating on a project called EffiForm, which aims to make a detailed study of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer formation process in Li-ion batteries.

While the ins and outs of forming an SEI layer may seem arcane, in fact there’s a highly practical goal here.

Scientists tell us that formation cycling, the final step in the battery manufacturing process, typically accounts for about a third of battery production costs.

Formation cycling refers to the electrochemical side reactions involved with creating the SEI layer, which forms during the first several charge/discharge cycles. An ideal SEI layer should be thin, minimally porous, electrochemically inert, electronically resistive, and ionically conductive.

In “Prospects for reducing the processing cost of lithium ion batteries,” published in the Journal of Power

Sources, David L. Wood III and colleagues explain that, to form stable SEI layers that cover all of the electrode surface area and ensure good lithium ion conductivity and rate capability, there must be complete wetting of the electrode and separator pores.

“In practice, however, there are substantial barriers to wetting – the separator pores, the electrode binder, and the conductive carbon black additive. A period of 12-24 hours under vacuum is required to achieve adequate wetting during the cumbersome electrolyte filling process of cell assembly, and it still leaves a substantial fraction of the smallest pore volume unwetted.”

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MOTOR

POTTING POTENTIAL

By Christian Ruoff

LORD Corporation builds on its work to impregnate electric motors with conductive epoxy reducing hot spots by up to 40%

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I

n 2013, Shafigh Nategh completed his doctoral thesis on the thermal management of high-performance electrical machines at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, and by 2014, the results of his doctoral work had begun to pique the interest of some heavy hitters in the electric motor industry.

For his thesis, Nategh designed an oil-cooled permanentmagnet motor and compared the performance of identical motors when they were either varnished or potted with two different materials. He had seen a talk on LORD Corporation’s new highly thermally conductive, electrically insulating silicone material, Thermoset SC-320, so that was one of the two materials he chose. The other was an epoxy product called Epoxylite, which is widely used to seal electric motors for applications with harsh environments.

THE TECH

The research results, in short, showed that hot-spot temperatures for the motors using LORD Corporation’s SC-320 were 35 to 40° C lower than the motors with just varnish, and 20 to 25° C lower than the motors using Epoxylite.

Naturally, once LORD got wind of Nategh’s findings, the company saw a huge opportunity and far-reaching benefits for electric motors using a thermally conductive material like SC-320, including increased horsepower, longer lifetimes, and higher efficiency.

Charged detailed Nategh’s work back in our June/July 2014 issue. At that time, LORD told us that they were actively working to validate the potential benefits of their thermally conductive materials for electric motors and seeking development partners and early adopters to test prototypes.

We recently caught up with LORD Staff Scientist, Dan Barber, to get an update.

Q Charged: It’s been about two years since we first

learned about Nategh’s thesis and LORD Corporation’s excitement about the results. How has the technology and market matured since then?

The research results, in short, showed that hot-spot temperatures for the motors using LORD Corporation’s SC320 were 35 to 40° C lower than the motors with just varnish.

A Dan Barber: The article Charged published in 2014

was really where customer pull started for our technology. It was there that we announced the plan to begin testing our materials specifically for thermal improvements in motors. That is also when we began to identify customers who wanted to validate the technology with us.

Since that article was published, we have worked with Dr. Keith Klontz and his team at Advanced MotorTech to validate the initial finds. We have also completed accelerated aging tests with the Motors and Drives Test Laboratory at Advanced Energy.

Shafigh Nategh’s PhD work was completed using our

SEP/OCT 2016

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Q Charged: Could you explain how the validation tests

Performance test results of a 3 hp commercial industrial motor with varnish only (unpotted) or potted with two competitor epoxy materials and a LORD high thermal conductivity 3.5 W/m·K epoxy, operated at 174% of the rated motor torque. Note that Competitor 2 had an advertised bulk thermal conductivity of 4 W/m·K.

were performed? What were the results?

A Barber: The tests that Advanced MotorTech per-

formed were using 3 hp off-the-shelf motors. Some motors were impregnated with our 3.2 W/m∙K silicone, and others used the 3.5 W/m∙K epoxy.

Then, the folks at Advanced MotorTech chose two other epoxies made by different companies for comparison. The ones they chose are known as workhorses in the industry because a lot of manufacturers use them to protect motors from corrosive chemicals or moisture. Usually in these cases, it’s seen as an added benefit that when you replace air gaps in the motor with epoxy, it reduces operating temperatures as well. In other words, improving thermal conductivity has not typically been the main reason people used these materials. The data sheets for these epoxies advertised a thermal conductivity of 1.4 W/ m∙K for one material and 4 W/m∙K for the other. However, the effective thermal conductivity of the 4 W material in both lab tests and motor performance tests was about 1.6 W/m∙K. One explanation for the large difference in advertised versus effective thermal conductivity could be that the material didn’t fully impregnate throughout the motor because it was too thick. This is a common issue for highly-filled epoxies that we have worked hard to improve in our high thermal conductivity epoxy.

The test results showed that when the 3 hp motors were operated to 175% of their rated horsepower, the end winding temperature of the unpotted control motor was about 140° C. Those potted with our competitors’ epoxies were about 120° C, and our materials reduced

22

I assumed that when we tested offthe-shelf air-cooled motors, we’d see maybe 15° C lower temperatures. What we actually found was 35° C lower temperatures in motors impregnated with our materials. the temperature to about 105° C. We have published all of that data in a webinar and a white paper, entitled How Proper Application of Thermally Conductive Materials Will Improve Motor Power Density.

The temperature readings were taken at the end windings with 6 thermocouples at each end of the motor. So reported temperatures are an average of the temperatures at each end of the motor. In general, the end windings are considered to be a problem hot spot, and if you can get the heat away from the windings, you can reduce the overall temperature as well.

The team at Advanced MotorTech also did some simulations and thermal models that predicted the rotor itself would operate about 9° or 10° C cooler because it was next to a cooler stator. It would be very hard to measure the actual rotor temperature, but it’s safe to assume that if you can open up the heat flow away from the bottleneck in the end windings, then you can remove more heat from the motor in general.

Figures courtesy of LORD Corporation

SC-320, which is a flexible elastomeric silicone material with high thermal stability and a thermal conductivity of about 3.2 W/m∙K. Since then, we have developed a 3.5 W/ m∙K rigid epoxy with high thermal stability.

We have completed a fair bit of work to validate and confirm Nategh’s results. We also wanted to be sure cooling effects extended to different types of motors.

Frankly, I was surprised by what we found. Nategh had used a liquid jacketed motor, and he saw about 50° C lower temperature. I assumed that when we tested offthe-shelf air-cooled motors, we’d see maybe 15° C lower temperatures. What we actually found was 35° C lower temperatures in motors impregnated with our materials, with no other special attempts at cooling. Our customers who are using liquid jackets are still seeing improvements approaching 50° C, which is great.

THE TECH Photo courtesy of LORD

Q Charged: Did you use the same motor-epoxy setups

for the accelerated aging test as well? What did you learn from those tests?

A Barber: Yes, we took those exact same motors to

Advanced Energy for accelerated aging tests. We wanted to beat them to death to see whether the materials could survive both the high temperatures and constant temperature cycling.

Our goal was to cause the motors to fail in a relatively short amount of time, so they were pushed far beyond their thermal limit. The motors tested were Class F, which means they have a 155° C maximum, and we were operating them above 200° C. The test protocol had over 400 starts per hour with very high torque, low speed, and short cycle durations, so the in-rush current would heat the motors to their equilibrium temperatures, which varied depending on whether or not they were potted, and with what material.

Motors were operated for about 6 to 8 hours per day, and then we would let them cool down to room temperature overnight. We repeated the cycle for about 25 days, which gave us additional information on thermal cycling stability. The test was run without any attempt to actively cool the motors externally, just natural convection.

At the highest temperatures, the unpotted motors were running at about 260° C. The motors that were potted with our competitors’ epoxies were running about 20° C cooler than that, and the motor that was potted with our epoxy was running 40 to 45° C cooler.

All of the motors that we ran in the accelerated aging test eventually failed. The tests with two of our competitor’s epoxy failed first, at different times, and the motors with our materials eventually failed as well.

Accelerated aging test set-up showing test motors on the bottom rack and load motors on the top.

a

b

Q Charged: What were the failure mechanisms at the

end of the accelerated testing?

A Barber: There were a few different failure modes. The

motors that we were testing had a varnish applied to them, and we impregnated the epoxies on top of the

We wanted to beat them to death to see whether the materials could survive both the high temperatures and constant temperature cycling.

Average motor end winding temperature (a) and temperature difference from unpotted motor (b) for epoxy-potted motors during the 25-day life test. Note that Competitor 2 motor failed due to lead wire short and seized rotor and bearing on Day 13.

SEP/OCT 2016

23

a

b

Post-test views of motors potted with (a) competitor 1.2 W/m·K epoxy, showing multiple radial stress cracks, and (b) LORD 3.5 W/m·K epoxy, showing no cracking of epoxy after test.

varnish. Most motors have some kind of varnish applied to the windings, particularly motors that aren’t potted, because something needs to protect the wires and keep them from moving and chafing during vibration. One of the key failure modes that we saw was that the varnish under the potting materials was liquefying. In some cases, it would liquefy while running during the day then solidify overnight in the motor’s air gap. So it would jam up and cause the motor to seize and not run anymore.

We also had a couple of motors with electrical shorts, which were most likely due to the overheating of wire insulation at a certain location.

The most interesting finding for us was that one competitor’s epoxy lasted longer than the other. However, even though it lasted longer in the test, there were about six to eight stress cracks throughout the epoxy when we opened the motor up afterward. Our materials had no stress cracks at all.

Q Charged: Why exactly do you think LORD Corpora-

tion’s materials performed so much better in both tests?

A Barber: Our materials have a few different properties

that make them ideal for this application.

High thermal conductivity and low viscosity are the two properties that make them so effective at reducing hot spots in the motors. It’s very important to have both for this application. Our 3.5 W/m∙K conductivity material, for example, has about one third the viscosity of materials from our competitors with comparable conductivity, which means that our material flows and levels like

24

Another important property is a high glass transition temperature (Tg), which is the reason there were no stress cracks in our material. cake batter rather than like paste. When the material is too thick, it makes it really difficult to impregnate all the fine areas that you need to reach when potting a motor.

Another important property is a high glass transition temperature (Tg), which is the reason there were no stress cracks in our material after the accelerated aging tests. Tg is the temperature where materials go from being more rigid to more elastic, so it gets a little bit softer. At that point, the thermal expansion coefficient also changes pretty dramatically.

The thermal expansion of copper and steel is in the 10 to 15 ppm/degree C range. Ideally, you want a potting material that does not create any mechanical stress.

Silicones accomplish this by being so soft that they can deform without causing any issues. If you use a more rigid epoxy, you need to have it match the thermal expansion of the material around it to minimize the mechanical stress.

When you exceed a material’s Tg, the expansion coefficient can increase by about five- or six-fold. You may have an epoxy with a 20 ppm/degree C expansion below the Tg and about 100 or 120 ppm/degree C above the Tg. As you’re cycling back and forth across that temperature,

Figures courtesy of LORD Corporation

Photo courtesy of LORD

THE TECH

you’re constantly changing the thermal expansion of your material - pushing and pulling in every direction. We think that’s the reason for the stress cracks.

So, we design our motor potting materials to have not only a high thermal conductivity and low viscosity but also a high Tg. Our 3.5 W/m∙K epoxy has a Tg over 200° C, so it should be good for at least a Class H motor. It also has a very low expansion coefficient of 12 ppm/degree C. That’s comparable to the steel and copper, so you don’t get a loss of adhesion or additional mechanical stress.

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Q Charged: How are you able

to design a material with such great properties, while your competitors appear to fall short?

A Barber: That’s the magic of

the formulation, which is a trade secret. Getting those materials to be as low-viscosity as possible but also high-conductivity has been the chief goal of our chemical research group over the past few years. We’ve achieved it in our silicone materials, and now we’re extending it into our epoxy materials as well.

Q Charged: You mentioned

that you’re working with some customers on impregnating motors. What applications do you think are best suited for potted motors? Are any customers close to using your material in production?

A Barber: We’ve been actively

pursuing applications where you need a really high power density,

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THE TECH because removing more heat allows you to make the motor smaller and lighter. Based on theoretical calculations that we have done on industrial motors, you can get about a 15 to 25% percent decrease in the weight of the motor for a given horsepower by using our material.

We’ve also done tests with a few customers, and depending upon the configuration, we’ve seen improvements in maximum power output between 20 and 30% at the same peak temperature. Getting in on the design phase of the motor can really help because the motor can be designed to maximize ease of potting and take full advantage of the high thermal conductivity of the potting material.

Motors are limited by their maximum temperature range, mainly because the insulation material that keeps the wires from shorting has a temperature limit. There is also an efficiency loss as you get hotter because the resistance of copper increases.

We also have customers that want to reduce operating temperatures to extend a motor’s lifespan as much as possible. We’re actually starting production of our 3.5 W/m∙K epoxy for a customer who is going to use it in a marine application. They are very concerned about the product’s lifetime because it’s going in an inaccessible location, and they essentially need the motor to last forever.

It’s a liquid-cooled motor, and it was getting up to about 135° C. By potting with our new material, they were able to drop the temperature by 40° C. So they were thrilled, and we’re going into production by the end of October.

cost, so our solution has to be the most economical way to reliably reduce temperatures. We need to validate in every customer’s design that the added cost of using our material in a potting process is economical for them. If they can solve it with a different method, then that’s what they’re going to do.

We have potted some EV motors just to prove to customers that there is a real benefit. We’re hoping to bring some of those projects to a resolution in the next few months. The testing has been going on for quite some time, and we’ve had at least one automotive customer that sees a lot of promise with our solution on the financial side. We’re hoping that will keep moving forward.

We’re also working with a number of different motor manufacturers, most of whom build products for both EVs and industrial applications. In most cases, we are trying to validate in their industrial versions first.

Q Charged: What about EVs? Do you think automakers

Q Charged: How long before we could potentially see

will be impregnating motors someday in the near future?

A Barber: We’re already heavily into the EV industry

with products on the power electronics side, so we’ve been talking to a lot of our current customers about the potential to make motors lighter weight with a smaller footprint and still high power.

There are a variety of new things that these companies are looking at to improve motors in the future, and we think this will be seen as an additional option.

There are a couple of ways to get more power or more efficiency out of your motor. Most of the time that involves making the motor bigger, or adding more copper and steel. Our material has about the density of aluminum, which is half the density of steel and copper. So, you can take the same motor and make it act like it’s 25% bigger.

Everything in the automotive industry is driven by

Our material has about the density of aluminum, which is half the density of steel and copper. So, you can take the same motor and make it act like it’s 25% bigger.

the technology in production EVs? Will it take 6 to 8 years - the typical design cycle for cars?

A Barber: It really depends on the customer. If you’re

solving a big problem for them, then they’re very motivated to get your material into their application as soon as possible.

There is also a lot more to EVs than just consumer automobiles with shorter development cycles. Before it gets into mainstream automotive, it will probably be 3-5 years, but there are a lot of other applications that we could hit a little sooner than that. We’re still quite early in the development stages.

The first commercialization for our new material with 3.5 W/m∙K conductivity is the marine application, but it’s not a drive motor. That customer has already started purchasing the material, and we’re in scale-up mode, moving towards production.

SEP/OCT 2016

27

Photo courtesy of EMS Clad

28

THE TECH

CLAD TO HELP Engineered Materials Solutions brings a century of clad metal experience to the battery industry

By Michael Kent

T

he methods that automakers use to join Liion cells together are almost as diverse as the sizes and shapes of the cells themselves. EV builders are using spot welding, mechanical fasteners, wire bonding and other joining techniques.

It’s safe to say that there is no consensus on an ideal solution, and that there’s a lot of room for innovation in the field of battery pack packaging.

SEP/OCT 2016

29

Engineered Materials Solutions (EMS) believes its clad metal technology is one of those innovations. The company recently told Charged that automakers are looking closely at using more clad metals in Li-ion battery packs to provide joining solutions, lower costs, increase conductivity and improve thermal management.

There are so many applications where using a single mono-metal is not ideal.

Photo courtesy of EMS Clad

Clad metals Cladding is a process of bonding together dissimilar metals, and it is commonly achieved by extruding multiple metals through a die, or by pressing and rolling sheets and coils together under high pressure.

The technique has been used by metalworkers for over a century. Perhaps the most commonly known clad metal application is coin currency. The US Mint, for example, uses clad metals to produce coins such as the US quarter and dime.

EMS was originally founded in 1916 when it began creating specialty clad metals for the jewelry industry.

At that time, the company’s products included materials that had a surface of precious metal for the desired appearance and cosmetic characteristics, but incorporated additional metals that would enhance mechanical properties and reduce cost.

Today, clad metal materials are widely used in household appliances and circuit breakers in the form of thermostatic bimetals, and one of EMS’s two divisions is specifically dedicated to this technology.

Thermostatic bimetals use two or three different types of metals layered together. The materials are designed in such a way that they will change shape when heated to a certain temperature. This occurs because each metal has a different coefficient of thermal expansion, so they expand at different rates when heated, causing them to bend. That shape change is then used to open up a circuit and cut off power in a circuit breaker or an appliance like a toaster or a dishwasher.

The other half of EMS’s business - specialty clad

30

THE TECH

materials - includes highly engineered products for applications like truck bumpers, heat exchangers, button cell batteries, cookware, shielding for buried telephone cables, catalyst foils for exhaust applications…and the list goes on. “There are so many applications where using a single mono-metal is not ideal,” said EMS Vice President Jim Glennon.

EMS also produces two products that it says are ideally suited to improve connections in the advanced battery packs found in EVs. The company’s SIGMAclad and Corelok product lines were developed specifically for Li-ion battery packs using cylindrical, prismatic or pouch cells.

Cylindrical cells One of the most common methods for joining cylindrical cells into a pack is to use strips of pure nickel that are spot-welded to the cell’s terminals. However, as the power requirements and number of cells in a pack increase, so does the heat generation. So, engineers are constantly looking for more advanced solutions to mitigate the higher temperatures, which can

reduce efficiency and increase battery degradation and the risk of fire.

EMS says it can improve both cost and performance by replacing pure nickel or alloys with SIGMAclad - a five-layer sandwich of copper, stainless steel and nickel.

The main benefits of nickel are that it has a natural corrosion resistance and that it is easily spot-welded or soldered, while offering high-strength welds. After nickel tabs are spot-welded to the cells, many pack de-

SEP/OCT 2016

31

signs also include a BMS with leads that are soldered to different points of the nickel bus.

“However, the problem with nickel is that it has very high resistivity and poor conductivity,” said Michael Hardy, Business Development Manager at EMS. “Heat is a function of the material’s resistivity, so high loads generate a lot of heat.”

The first logical step to try to use cladding to improve the material properties is to sandwich a layer of copper between layers of nickel. However, EMS found that the result was too conductive. “If you use a clad nickelcopper-nickel bus, it’s going to be a very poor alloy to resistance-weld,” explained Hardy. “The copper dominates the conductivity so well that it removes the local heat too quickly when you’re trying to spot-weld the material to the battery.”

So, EMS then developed a five-layer product with copper in the center surrounded by stainless steel and then a nickel exterior. “The stainless steel layer keeps the heat

32

The stainless steel layer keeps the heat localized long enough for resistance welding and it also adds strength. localized long enough for resistance welding and it also adds strength,” said Hardy. “The result is our SIGMAclad material, which reduces the resistivity in the bus by

Photo courtesy of EMS Clad

Photo courtesy of EMS Clad

SIGMAclad is a five-layer sandwich of copper, stainless steel and nickel.

There are so many applications where using a single mono-metal is not ideal

THE TECH “So when it’s thermally stressed, one side of the copper wants to act in one direction and the other side wants to act in the other direction, and they cancel each other out. When it cycles, it sees a balanced system that will not stress the weld joints.”

The company said some of its customers are currently conducting long-term durability tests with SIGMAclad, evaluating joint stress and weld performance, and they’re well into the program “without any failures.”

50% or greater, and can be easily welded.”

SIGMAclad is available in three ratios corresponding to 30%, 40% and 60% IACS (a unit of electrical conductivity for metals and alloys relative to a standard annealed copper conductor) depending on electrical and thermal requirements.

EMS says that because the SIGMAclad material has a symmetrical design, the expansion effects counteract each other. “The five layers give it a symmetrical configuration on both sides of the copper,” explained Hardy.

Prismatic and pouch cells The fundamental joining challenge with pouch and prismatic Li-ion cells is that the connecting tabs for the anode and cathode are dissimilar metals - aluminum and copper. Historically, these two metals are not typically weldable in a reliable and repeatable way.

If the cells are joined in parallel, there is no issue, but in vehicle applications they are often joined in series, and packs can have hundreds of copper-aluminum connections. So manufacturers need to be able to spotweld them in a very controllable and predictable way.

“We’ve seen people trying everything they can to weld

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Photo courtesy of EMS Clad

We’ve seen people trying everything they can to weld copper and aluminum, but the result is a brittle joint that’s very prone to fracture. copper and aluminum, but the result is a brittle joint that’s very prone to fracture,” said Glennon.

To address these challenges, EMS developed Corelok. It’s an edge-bonded copper-aluminum product that allows pack manufacturers to weld similar metals during assembly. The company uses multiple metal strips to create a clad finger joint. “We’re cladding the metal in a multi-stack configuration by feeding a number of layers into the mill,” said Hardy. “This increases the surface area for the bond zone between the copper and aluminum.”

EMS says the requirements of the automotive industry are well within the capabilities of clad metals. At extreme temperatures the atomic-level bonds of the metals

34

THE TECH could weaken. However, the maximum temperature found on a vehicle is about 300° F. The company says that its products will not delaminate anywhere near that temperature. “Vehicles are way below what we would consider to be risky temperatures for these materials,” said Hardy.

Cutting costs No matter how well a new technology performs, the auto industry is extremely sensitive to its cost structure. EMS believes that its battery joining solutions will pencil out to a win for EVs. In fact, the company says using SIGMAclad for joining cylindrical cells will not carry a cost premium over pure nickel. “It’s actually very competitive,” said Hardy. “And for the industries that have significant thermal management issues, the alternative mitigation techniques tend to be much more expensive than SIGMAclad. Some alternatives we compete against include using an aluminum heat sink or spot-welding copper to nickel, and both carry a cost premium.”

In terms of using Corelok to join prismatic and pouch cells, EMS says that there really isn’t a good monometal solution to compare costs to.

“Some people claim to be able to weld copper to aluminum, but we haven’t seen a reliability that is up to the standards of the auto industry,” said Hardy. “You may get 1,000 good welds, but if the 1,001st is poor, that can be problematic in a vehicle.”

Edging into automotive EMS’s ambitions for expanding in the growing EV industry don’t stop at its battery joining solutions. It is currently working on clad metal products for power electronics cooling, and also battery applications that are internal to the cell. The company told us that it is in the testing and development

phase with materials that will be part of the cell’s chemistry.

For the more established SIGMAclad and Corelok technologies, EMS has “a couple of programs going on right now, like an electric delivery truck design with cylindrical cells,” said Hardy. “And a number of programs with different OEMs for the pouch and prismatic type applications that are 2017-2020 timeframe designs.”

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Thailand’s state-controlled oil company PTT has signed contracts with local units of six automakers (BMW, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche and Volvo) to cooperate in developing EVs, and to build a network of 20 charging stations.

Thailand is a regional auto industry production and export hub, and the sector accounts for 10 percent of GDP. The current military government’s policy is to promote the electric vehicle industry and strengthen the security of the country’s energy supply.

According to Reuters, Thailand already has 68,000 “electric vehicles” [it seems likely that they mean electrified vehicles, including hybrids]. Energy Minister Anantaporn Karnchanarat said the government hopes to boost that number to 1.2 million by 2036. The government currently offers tax incentives for makers of EV auto parts, including batteries and motors.

36

Photo courtesy of Clay Gilliland (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Thai oil company partners with six automakers to develop EVs

So that’s it! Elon Musk, as is his wont, teased us with tweets of a new product announcement. Some speculated that it would be Autopilot 2.0, some the new solar roof that he has hinted at.

Nope. It’s a bigger and better battery. The new 100 kWh battery option increases range to an estimated 315 miles (on the EPA cycle) for Model S and 289 miles for Model X. It also makes a quick car even quicker. “The Model S P100D with Ludicrous mode is the third fastest accelerating production car ever produced, with a 0-60 mph time of 2.5 seconds,” says Tesla. The LaFerrari and Porsche 918 Spyder may be a little faster, but they are million-dollar two-seaters that are no longer in production.

Buyers who have ordered a P90D Ludicrous can upgrade to the 100 kWh pack for $10,000. Existing P90D Ludicrous owners can upgrade for $20,000.

Tesla is also trying out a new wrinkle in marketing, presenting the purchase of the new $134,500 super-sedan as an act of philanthropy: “We want to emphasize that every sale helps pay for the smaller and much more affordable Tesla Model 3 that is in development.”

Photo courtesy of Tesla

Tesla introduces 100 kWh battery option

THE VEHICLES

Photo courtesy of Prottera

Electric Bus Charging Cost Calculator allows transit agencies to estimate charging costs The California Air Resources Board has published a downloadable macro-enabled worksheet tool for estimating electricity costs for electric bus deployments.

Transit agencies considering purchases of e-buses can use the spreadsheet to calculate their cost savings.

The tool estimates monthly electricity costs for e-buses that are charged at the depot or en route. It allows numerous variables to be factored in for the nine California utilities that are included. It uses current utility rate structures, but will be periodically updated.

While the calculator is aimed at California transit agencies, it could presumably be modified for use by fleet operators in other regions.

Study of the EV shopping MIT study: Existing EVs experience finds room for can meet most drivers’ improvement needs, and reduce carbon A recent Union of Concerned Scientists and Consumers Union survey found that 55 percent of drivers in Northemissions eastern states and 65 percent in California are interested A new paper by MIT Professor Jessika Trancik and colleagues, published in the journal Nature Energy, reports that current EVs could meet the needs of about 90 percent of drivers, at a total cost no greater than that of legacy ICE vehicles. EVs could also play a significant role in meeting emissions reduction goals. Furthermore, assuming battery technology improves at the expected rate, by 2020 up to 98 percent of vehicles could be replaced.

“Roughly 90 percent of the personal vehicles on the road daily could be replaced by a low-cost electric vehicle available on the market today, even if the cars can only charge overnight,” Trancik says, “which would more than meet near-term US climate targets for personal vehicle travel.” Overall, when accounting for emissions from today’s power plants, this would lead to a 30-percent reduction in emissions from transportation.

The MIT researchers integrated two huge datasets: a detailed set of second-by-second driving behavior based on GPS data, and another more comprehensive set of national data based on the 2009 National Household Travel Survey, which studied households across the country to learn how and where people actually do their driving.

Together, the two datasets encompass millions of trips made by drivers all around the country.

Another interesting finding was that the potential for shifting to EVs is fairly uniform for different parts of the country. “The adoption potential of electric vehicles is remarkably similar across cities,” Trancik says, “from dense urban areas like New York, to sprawling cities like Houston. This goes against the view that electric vehicles – at least affordable ones, which have limited range – only work in dense urban centers.”

The study did identify one caveat: there will always be a small number of driving situations that require a greater range than that offered by lower-cost EVs. The writers suggest that such needs could be met by renting an ICE vehicle or using a car-sharing service (the study did not consider the possibilities of PHEVs).

38

in EVs. So why are EVs still only capturing about one percent of the auto market? Could there be a bottleneck at the dealership level?

The Sierra Club has conducted a multi-state study of the retail EV market, under the title Rev Up EVs. Volunteers called or visited 308 auto dealerships across ten states to check out and test drive plug-in vehicles.

Surprise, surprise! The study found “tremendous room for improvement among both the dealerships and the automakers to provide customers with a better EV shopping experience.”

The Rev Up EVs study found that some dealers are doing a great job of selling EVs – they have good inventory, informed salespeople and strong EV advertising. “These best practices are not rocket science. But many other dealers and automakers are falling short.”

The Rev Up EVs project found that many dealerships, especially outside of California, had not a single EV on the lot for customers to see, test-drive, and buy.

Availability may be the first step, but dealer knowledge is also critical. About one third of the salespeople at surveyed dealerships failed to provide their customers with information on available tax credits and rebates, which make EVs significantly more affordable, and are proven to increase sales.

Automakers continue to lobby lawmakers to water down the ZEV regulations, claiming that they’ve tried and failed to interest consumers in EVs. The Sierra Club is having none of it: “We can’t lower the bar for the auto industry. We need the industry to step up and put best practices to work to sell EVs and comply with the ZEV regulations. Once they’re on dealers’ lots, EVs need to be charged, ready for test drives, and prominently displayed.

Auto dealers and makers need to train their salespeople on the ins and outs of EVs so that salespeople can answer customer questions. Finally, automakers need to increase advertising of their EVs which, in turn, will encourage dealers to advertise more at the local level.”

THE VEHICLES

Photo courtesy of Orange EV

Orange EV now taking orders for its new T-Series electric terminal truck Kansas City-based Orange EV is now accepting orders for its all-new T-Series electric terminal truck. The company’s initial T-Series, a complete re-manufacture of legacy diesel trucks, has been operating for up to 24 hours per charge in applications such as railroad inter-modal, LTL freight, retail distribution, waste management and warehouse container handling since 2014.

Fleets that place a $10,000 refundable deposit by the end of this year can lock in price, production priority, and Orange EV’s telematics service free of charge on trucks ordered by March 31, 2017.

“With addition of the new truck and rise in overall order volume, production capacity is at a premium,” said Orange EV CEO Wayne Mathisen. “Fleets have been telling us for two years that they want a new truck option.

Now they can get it in the same industry-leading chassis they already know and rely upon. Orange EV’s Priority Program will help us gauge the demand and allocate

resources, while rewarding fleets that help us plan ahead.”

Various financial resources are available to lower the upfront cost of electric trucks, including traditional equipment financing and federal and regional incentive programs.

Carbon credits can generate even more savings.

“Even without incentive programs, the total cost of ownership for Orange EV’s electric vehicles is often less than what many fleets spend to purchase and operate their diesel trucks,” according to Chief Commercial Officer Mike Saxton. “The incentives help fleets invest in their initial vehicles, but it’s the per-truck savings of up to $60,000 annually that will drive fleet-wide adoption.”

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New guide offers strategies for encouraging EV adoption in underserved areas The criticism that EVs are playthings for the rich is one that resonates with local government officials and community groups. Many of them want to implement measures to advance EV adoption, but they don’t want to advocate policies that leave lower-income groups behind.

The high up-front cost of EVs and the difficulties of providing charging infrastructure to apartment residents may be holding back adoption of these vehicles in communities that arguably need them most.

A new online toolkit from The Greenlining Institute offers advice to advocates and officials on how to help right that imbalance.

“Electric Vehicles for All: An Equity Toolkit” includes recommendations for increasing EV awareness and making EVs more affordable, as well as information about specific tools and resources for policy-makers. It discusses purchase incentives, financing assistance, EV car-sharing and charging infrastructure, and provides examples of how California has helped low-income residents get into EVs via the state’s Charge Ahead California Initiative.

“Low-income communities and communities of color often breathe the dirtiest air and are most vulnerable to climate change,” said Greenlining Institute Environmental Equity Legal Counsel Joel Espino. “EVs can help clean the air and save low-income drivers money on gas and repairs. We know how to design policies that make clean cars a real option for underserved communities, and we hope officials and advocates nationwide will take these ideas and run with them.”

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Anyone needing data on how electric drivers use their vehicles would be well-advised to look to Norway, the world’s undisputed EV capital. As of May, there were over 105,000 plug-in vehicles registered in the country.

A recent survey of 8,000 vehicle owners by the Norwegian Institute of Transport Economics found a number of insights that should be of interest to automakers, infrastructure providers and policymakers.

The survey found that buyers of pure EVs and buyers of PHEVs tend to have different transport needs, and different demographic profiles. This seems fairly obvious to most industry observers, but a number of automakers still seem to imagine that a PHEV can compete with a pure EV for the same buyers (and quite a few folks are still unclear about the difference between the two).

Some EV pundits fear that many plug-in hybrids will seldom or never be plugged in, but that doesn’t seem to be the case in Norway: the survey found that PHEV owners drive electrically 55% of the time.

EVs are often bought as second cars: the study found that 71% of EV owners also own a legacy ICE vehicle.

The most “multipurpose” EV, Tesla’s Model S, is twice as likely to be the only vehicle in a household.

Plug-in owners love their vehicles. Less than 1% of EV owners, and about 2% of PHEV owners, said they will not buy electric again (if Norway approves plans to phase out ICE vehicles by 2025, those folks might be out of luck).

Here’s an interesting insight into the validity of automakers’ range claims: drivers estimated that electric range averages about 20% lower than the official range in summer, and 30% lower in the winter.

How important are public chargers? Norway has plenty, but they may not be widely used. Survey respondents said they mostly charged their vehicles at home or at work, and “rarely elsewhere.”

Photo courtesy of Elbilforeningen (CC BY 2.0)

Insights into EV ownership from Norway

THE VEHICLES

Photo courtesy of VW Group

VW will show a new EV at the Paris Motor Show, to go on the market by 2019 In an interview with the German business mag Wirtschafts Woche, Volkswagen Brand Manager Herbert Diess said that the company would present a near-production prototype of a new EV at the Paris Motor Show in September.

The new model will have the external dimensions of a Golf and the internal space of a Passat, and offer a range of 400-600 km (249-373 miles). It will go on the market around the end of 2018 or the beginning of 2019.

Over the next five years, under the slogan “Makes life better,” VW will introduce a whole family of “New Urban Vehicles,” including a city SUV, a coupe and a small delivery van (foreshadowed by the BUDD-e concept shown in January), all using the same battery technology and on the same platform.

“By 2025, our brand will take on a global leadership

role in e-mobility, and will be building one million EVs per year,” Diess told Wirtschafts Woche. These will be built not only in Germany, but also in China and quite possibly in the US.

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THE VEHICLES

California budget gaps leave heavy-duty EV projects in limbo The state of California has approved a number of measures to advance sustainable transportation. Governor Jerry Brown has both a Zero-Emission Vehicle Action Plan and a Sustainable Freight Plan, and the senate passed a landmark climate bill last year. California’s leadership on environmental causes was highlighted last year in Governor Brown’s talks with Pope Francis on climate leadership.

However, when it comes to implementation, the industry sees an entirely different picture.

In 2015, there was a $260-million budget shortfall between what the California Air Resources Board (CARB) investment plan said was going to be allocated to Low Carbon Transportation and what was actually allocated by the legislature. This year, all of the 2016-2017 funding for the same program was pulled out of the budget altogether, leaving shovel-ready project applications at CARB in limbo. This budget gap has frozen heavy-duty pilot projects, which include millions of dollars in partner matching funds, effectively stopping both public and private investment statewide until awards are made. This hurts industry growth, job stability, and the trajectory towards clean air.

Pilot projects with CARB represent a huge opportunity, if they are properly funded. When the Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Solicitation was announced with a budget of $23 million, the industry responded with requests for $290 million in projects. This over-subscription to the program reflects a high level of optimism and commitment from the industry. Hopes for effective public-private partnerships brought together air districts, commercial and municipal fleet operators, technology providers, manufacturers, and community groups in multi-stakeholder projects.

These projects rely on huge amounts of matching funding, labor and in-kind equipment, and every day of delay hurts an industry that’s not on the cutting edge, but the bleeding edge of transforming our economy to a carbon-neutral and sustainable future.

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During such delays, Californians continue to breathe harmful emissions. Diesel particulate matter from heavy-duty vehicles is estimated to be responsible for 70% of total known cancer risks related to air toxins in California. The production, refining, and use of petroleum is responsible for almost half of California’s greenhouse gas emissions and 80% of smog-forming pollution.

Furthermore, the economic benefits of investing in zero-emission vehicles remain unrealized. According to an economic assessment of plug-in electric vehicle deployments, a dollar saved at the gas pump and spent on household goods and services creates 16 times more jobs than a dollar spent on refined petroleum products.

Money saved by driving electrified vehicles is spent largely in the state economy, creating diverse, bedrock local jobs – and that money continues to circulate in the local economy.

While California’s political leadership claims to care about the environment, public health, and economic growth, the investment signals are not aligned with the stated goals. Until our governor and legislators recognize the urgency of sustainable funding for proposed programs, these plans are not worth the paper they’re printed on, and will remain unrealized fantasies. If you are a California resident who values clean air and a sustainable future, call your state representatives today and remind them that funding delays are unacceptable, and that you support fully funding our state’s low carbon transportation plans.

Photo courtesy of Motiv Power Systems

Opinion by Urvi Nagrani, Director of Marketing & Business Development, Motiv Power Systems

New venture aims to redefine the EV buying experience Auto dealerships have emerged as a major roadblock on the way to widespread EV adoption. Most (but not all) dealers have little knowledge of or interest in EVs, and some actively discourage customers from buying. Tesla’s direct-sales model seems to work well enough, but even the Prophets of Palo Alto can’t save the world alone.

A new venture called EVEN Electric has announced that it will take up the quest, forming a global sales and distribution network to offer new and pre-owned EVs from multiple brands.

“The traditional dealership model has proven unable to deliver the sales and service experience that EV owners want and need,” said Mike Elwood, CEO of the new Canada-based firm. “Our EVEN model was developed to combine the best aspects of both an online and in-store retail experience to make it easy for EV customers to find and acquire exactly what they want, when and where they want it.”

“Moving from dealership to dealership to shop one car at a time is simply an outdated process. EVEN has created an entirely new distribution model – one that is enabled by technology to offer customers an unprecedented level of choice and convenience,” said John Gordon, EVEN’s COO. “At the same time, EVEN will significantly lower costs across the entire supply chain by optimizing the flow of EVs directly to the global markets when and where they’re needed.”

EVEN plans to maintain inventories at centralized processing centers in key countries. Once selected, a vehicle will be shipped to the nearest Customer Centre, a streamlined and less capital-intensive version of a dealership, to be delivered either at the Customer Centre or directly to an owner’s driveway.

EVEN grew out of a pilot project in Iceland that took place during 2013 and 2014. “What we learned in Iceland is that consumer demand for EVs is high, provided the proper distribution and infrastructure services are in place” says Gisli Gislason, Chairman and founder of EVEN. “The EVEN model quickly sold 100 cars and left an additional 200 orders unmet simply due to supply constraints. Overall, our biggest problem was sourcing enough EV products to meet demand.”

EVEN is now consulting with governments, fleets and NGOs in Canada, Norway, Panama, Ireland, Belgium and the UK, and has gathered a lineup of top EV talent.

“You can’t find a more dedicated or experienced team anywhere,” says Elwood, “because there’s nobody who’s been more directly involved with and committed to EV commercialization than the team we’ve assembled.”

“EV infrastructure is improving, political will is changing, incentives continue and lifecycle ownership costs of an EV are one tenth of an ICE. That makes the whole EV ownership process more accessible, more desirable and more fun.”

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Photo courtesy of BMW Group

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THE VEHICLES

By Christian Ruoff

BMW 330E iPERFORMANCE BMW electrifies its best-selling model: the 330e iPerformance plug-in hybrid launches in the US

SEP/OCT 2016

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US PLUG-IN VEHICLE SALES

AS A PERCENTAGE OF OVERALL VEHICLE SALES

W

hich major automaker has Automaker sold the highest percentage of plug-in vehicles relative to its overall US sales? You may be BMW surprised to learn that it’s BMW - aside from Tesla, of course, which sells 100% VOLVO EVs. GM In the first half of 2016, BMW’s four plug-in vehicles - the i3, i8, X5 xDrive40e NISSAN and 330e iPerformance - accounted for about 3.5% of its total vehicle sales in the US. We’re still talking about a very small fraction of the overall cars sold, but a lead is a lead, right? Let’s give credit where it’s due. According to a recent article published by Green Car Reports, BMW’s 3.5% lead is followed by Volvo with 2.8% PEVs, GM with 0.8% PEVs, and Nissan with 0.7% PEVs. EV advocates have long argued that you can build better cars by adding more electric components, and BMW appears to be proving that to its customer base.

Its strategy of adding PHEV variants to its most popular models is paying off. From January to July 2016, about 13% of BMW’s X5 SUVs sold in the US were the xDri-

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JANUARY - JUNE 2016 Plug-in vehicle model (total sales)

Total plugin sales

Total vehicle sales

% PEV

i3 (2,880), i8 (620), X5 xDrive40e (2,577), 330e (137)

6,214

178,580

3.48%

XC90 T8 (1,006)

1,006

36,520

2.75%

Volt (9,808), Spark EV (1,779)

11,587

1,438,915

0.81%

Leaf (5,793)

5,793

798,114

0.73%

Odisti optat velitrt dol up tatur dolup tatur accu msfds dolup taturer Source: Automaker Sales Reports via GreenCarReports.com

ve40e plug-in variant (3,226 of 24,948 total US X5 sales).

In Europe, BMW reports that PHEV sales have surpassed even the company’s own expectations. Overall, about 4% of 2016 BMW European sales were plug-ins, similar to the US. But in EV hotspots with favorable incentives, the numbers were much higher. In the Netherlands, 43% of BMW 3 Series registrations are for the plug-in 330e version, and 26% of 2 Series Active Tourer registrations are for the 225xe (not available in the US).

In Scandinavia, PHEV versions account for 45% of 3 Series sales and 55% of 2 Series Active Tourer sales.

THE VEHICLES

The 3 Series really epitomizes what BMW is in terms of sportiness and driving dynamics.

Photos courtesy of BMW Group

330e, fully loaded Back in March, Charged did a cover story on the launch of the X5 xDrive40e, detailing BMW’s plan to redefine plug-in capabilities as the latest and greatest premium option. Adding PHEVs to its high-volume vehicle models makes perfect sense for the luxury brand. Plugging in offers an array of new driving modes and performance upgrades like more torque, superior acceleration and smooth and totally silent driving modes. If BMW can effectively communicate those advantages to its high-end customer base, it could continue to expand its lead in a fast-growing new segment of the auto industry.

The 330e iPerformance PHEV arrived in the US in March. The 2016 model got off to a slow start, selling only a few hundred in the first five months, but BMW assured us that it had planned a “soft launch,” and that we should see more and more 330e sales as the company ramps up US production for the 2017 model.

First introduced in 1975, the 3 Series has grown into BMW’s best-selling model, and now represents about 30% of the brand’s annual total sales. “The 3 Series really epitomizes what BMW is in terms of sportiness and driving dynamics,” John Shipley - BMW’s Manager, Product Planning and Strategy for 3 Series - told Charged. “It really is the heart of the BMW line-up.”

SEP/OCT 2016

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THE VEHICLES The arrival of the 330e also carried BMW’s latest branding strategy in the new iPerformance model designation. Shipley explained how the company will use it on PHEVs in the future.

John Shipley: iPerformance is the way we want to communicate to our customers that this is technology that’s derived from i.

Imagine in your head you have the core model of BMW. On one side of the spectrum you have M vehicles, like M3 and M4, and on the other side of the spectrum you have the i brand: i3 and i8. So, slotted in between M and the BMW core models you have what we call M performance, like the M235i and the X4 M40i.

And iPerformance is the same type of strategy, where we have the 330e and the X5 xDrive40e as well as the 740e slotted in between the BMW core models and the i3 and i8 brand. So the iPerformance strategy is basically plug-in hybrid vehicle variants of our most iconic models, and it’s enhanced with BMW i technology.

It is a perfect combination of dynamics and efficiency. And certainly it’s important to the future of the BMW brand. We really wanted to make a commitment to these vehicles, and this is why we created the iPerformance strategy.

The market for low electric range The 330e has an official all-electric range of 14 miles at speeds up to 75 MPH, according to BMW. That is relatively low among current PHEVs. However, BMW appears to be proving that, contrary to the opinion of EV devotees, there may be a strong market for low all-electric range PHEVs. BMW’s X5 xDrive40e also has a 14-mile EV range, and it’s selling pretty well for a plug-in.

So, while it’s hard to imagine for hardcore EV drivers that value long range above all, there are many car buyers out there who don’t seem to care, or are confused by, what’s actually fueling the vehicle. The advantages of electrification are plentiful, and there are other meaningful ways to tempt these buyers to plug in. Shipley described the tradeoffs that drove the design of the iPerformance models.

John Shipley: I think there are a lot of things that we needed to take into account when we created these vehicles. Certainly we needed to balance the size of the battery with the space constraints that we have. And Photos courtesy of BMW Group

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Certainly we’re trying to get higher numbers and longer range, but we need to balance the size, the cost, the space and the technology.

the overall costs of the batteries and the technology that we’re putting into the car. We had to be mindful of what our consumers want to pay.

Certainly we’re trying to get higher numbers and longer range, but we need to balance the size, the cost, the space and the technology.

I think one of the appeals of [the 330e] is the fact that it is driving without compromise. So you’ve got the performance that BMW is widely recognized for, and certainly we have the substance to back it up with eBoost, which gives you this higher [gas engine and electric motor] combined horsepower and torque figures. If you haven’t driven the car, once you do you’ll become a believer in eBoost and how it works.

We also deliver on efficiency. The 72 MPGe is great for the 330e. This car is also very adaptable. You can choose between drive modes. You can refuel at a regular gas station.

You can charge when you want, and it really is adaptable to our customer lifestyles.

330e vs 330i The idea of more efficient driving without compromise leads to a comparison between the 330e and its gasoline counterpart, the 2017 330i (which replaced the 2016 228i). On most of the important metrics, the two vehicles are neck and neck. The engine and electric motor

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Photos courtesy of BMW Group

in the 330e produce a combined 248 hp, compared to 240 hp in the 330i. But thanks to the attributes of EVs, the 330e produces more torque - 310 lb-ft versus 258 lb-ft. The 0-60 mph times are also very close: 5.9 seconds for the 330i and 5.7 seconds for the 330e.

There is a price premium for plugging in - the 330e has an MSRP of $44,100 (before the federal tax credit of $4,001) compared to the 330i’s MSRP of $38,750. So for an extra $1,349 after tax credits, customers are offered all the electric advantages of the 330e, including all-electric driving modes, more torque and significantly higher fuel economy. The 330e’s official EPA rating is 72 MPGe, but as other PHEV drivers have learned, if you maximize the EV mode you can average higher figures. And if, for some strange reason, someone buys a 330e and doesn’t ever want to be bothered with plugging it in, it will still achieve 31 MPG, which is higher than the 330i’s 27 MPG.

Nice car, what’s with the marketing?

A few years ago, when the major automakers first started to bring new plug-in vehicles to the market, the press would inevitably pit them against other plug-ins. When BMW unveiled the i3, many headlines asked, “How will this affect sales of the LEAF, Volt and Model S?” At that time, most automakers were quick to dismiss the idea of a head-to-head competition. BMW, for example, would say that the i3 is in a different price range than those vehicles, and its REx range-extender option is unlike anything else on the market. In 2013, while the press was calling Porsche’s new Panamera PHEV a potential Tesla-killer, the company told Charged that it viewed the vehicle largely as a competitor to other Panamera options.

Nowadays, however, the automakers are coming out swinging with ads promoting one plug-in model while

50

2017 BMW 330e iPerformance Power

248 hp combined

Torque

310 lb-ft

Acceleration

0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds

Electric range

14 miles (EPA estimate)

Efficiency

72 MPGe (EPA gasoline and electric estimate)

Battery Gross battery content

7.6 kWh

Net usable battery content

5.7 kWh

Onboard charger

3.7 kW

Starting price

$44,100 (before the US federal tax credit of $4,001)

attacking their competitors. And to the chagrin of those who would like to see increased electrification across the board, many of these ads seem to feature very odd messaging choices, with hybrids attacking EVs or vice versa.

In 2014, an ad for Lexus hybrids poked fun at BMW i3 drivers who had to stop to plug in the car on a road trip.

The ad neglected to mention that the i3 is also available with a gas engine range extender for those who expect to take trips outside the EV’s range.

In 2015, EV proponents were not thrilled to find that Chevrolet decided to present the new Volt’s PHEV system as superior to other forms of electrification, with head-to-head attacks on the specific technology used in the LEAF and Prius. The company produced videos that ignored the fact that GM also sells hybrids and

THE VEHICLES EVs that use technology that’s almost identical to what they were attacking.

With the 330e, BMW is the latest to join in the absurdity. The company recently released a pair of video spots that targeted Tesla reservation holders, implying that, instead of waiting for a Model 3, folks might prefer to buy a BMW 330e PHEV, which is available now.

The first problem with this is that a PHEV and an EV are two quite different products, which are going to appeal to two different types of drivers. “It’s the car you’ve been waiting for, without the wait,” says one of the spots. But it’s not. As many Tesla reservation holders were quick to point out, BMW is missing the point by implying that the type of customer who will put down a $1,000 deposit years in advance for a Tesla is going to be persuaded to buy a plug-in hybrid with a minimal electric range.

Second, Tesla’s brand ranks very high in surveys.

Wouldn’t it make more sense to try to hitch your wagon to theirs, instead of going at them head-on?

“It nearly always looks overly snarky and defensive for

It nearly always looks overly snarky and defensive for one of the other premium brands to go after Tesla, in part because the tone is usually wrong. one of the other premium brands to go after Tesla, in part because the tone is usually wrong,” Chelsea Sexton, the venerable EV advocate, recently told Charged.

When we asked BMW about the negative reaction to the ads, a spokesman suggested that it was just a lighthearted attempt to help build awareness for the company’s new plug-ins. “iPerformance branding is something that is new for us,” said Phil DiIanni, BMW Corporate Communica-

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We want to showcase our plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and the iPerformance branding, and we just wanted to showcase that in a fun and creative way. tions Manager. “It’s something that’s obviously a big focus for us and, really, that was the simple reason for the spots. We want to showcase our plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and the iPerformance branding, and we just wanted to showcase that in a fun and creative way.”

“If you didn’t know 330e existed before, you do now,” Shipley later told Forbes.

Perhaps there is something to be said for the idea that all press is good press, but Chelsea Sexton is not buying it. “Well, that’s an interesting spin...and a little odd that they’d claim that as the launch of iPerformance branding, since there was nothing really performance-oriented or fun (about the 330e) portrayed.”

“BMW also showed that it misunderstands the market it’s aiming at with the 330e - most won’t get the ‘joke’ they think they were trying to tell,” she added.

“Lastly, and worst of all, BMW is the third automaker I’ve seen take the ‘don’t wait for Model 3, buy our plugin car instead’ tack...so they weren’t even original in this strategy.”

In the past, BMW has been ahead of the curve with creative EV advertising. During the launch of the i3, the company made some big investments in marketing (which can’t be said for all automakers that claim they’re serious about selling plug-ins). BMW even ponied up big bucks to run a very clever Super Bowl ad for the i3 that implied that EVs are as innovative as the internet.

We hope the company returns to that style of messaging. Adding a plug to the 3 Series makes it a better vehicle in a few very cool ways. Why not focus resources on explaining those advantages to the hordes of 3 Series fans? Smooth, silent, clean, efficient and fast as ever. The ultimate no-compromise driving machine.

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Photos courtesy of BMW Group

THE VEHICLES

BMW 330e first drive reports Lots of hybrids can run in pure EV mode. The beauty of the 330e is that it can run as an electric car while asking you to make very few compromises anywhere else. You can toggle the operating modes between Auto eDrive, Max eDrive, and Save Battery (to, er, save the battery’s charge) if you want, but there’s not much point. If you plug your destination into the navigation and it looks like 200 miles of freeway driving and 20 miles of city driving, the computer will save the battery’s charge anyway, knowing cities are the most efficient places to drive in EV mode.

Michael Taylor, autoblog.com

What we have here is a winner in our book. That’s not only because the 330e iPerformance can be used as a daily driven EV but also because when you want it to be, it turns into a proper BMW with the dynamics and grunt you’re so familiar with. Even the sound the 2-liter 4-cylinder engine makes in Sport mode makes you forget that you’re actually driving a hybrid. Chip in the instant torque and the great balance of the car and this eco-friendly car will become your best friend even on curvy mountain roads.

Gabriel Nica, BMWBlog.com

Yes, BMW has managed to make a plug-in hybrid that drives every bit as well as its gasoline engine-only twin, but unless you have a short commute or can plug in at every stop, the vehicle will consume gasoline. That may not be good enough for some EV purists.

Liane Yvkoff, Forbes

From standstill, the new BMW is programmed to operate in electric eDrive mode provided there is sufficient charge within the battery. The generous torque loading of the electric motor sees the new BMW glide away from traffic lights in silence with abundant thrust that belies the 1735 kg kerb weight.

Greg Kable, AutoCar

A dip in the Toyota Prius pool might elevate your state of environmentally responsible bliss, but surely you’d miss the driving joy that hybrids sacrifice to trim their CO2 footprints. Good news: Salvation has arrived in the form of a plug-in-hybrid sedan that’s actually fun to drive. The 2016 BMW 330e sedan tested here exploits lessons learned from BMW’s i3 and i8 models (now part of the iPerformance sub-brand, along with plug-inhybrid versions of the standard cars) to resolve the classic rub between low consumption and high performance.

Don Sherman, Car and Driver

Is it a real 3 Series? Yes. The handling remains terrific, the ride is fine. The only debit is an unprogressive brake pedal as the effort is shuffled between regeneration and friction. The cabin isn’t as gorgeously appointed as a new A4 or C Class, mind, but the same applies to any 3 Series these days. You still get a flat-floored boot with folding rear seats. But there’s no Touring version because this car will sell mostly in the US and China, and they don’t like estates there.

Paul Horrell, Top Gear

SEP/OCT 2016

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THE VEHICLES

PLUG-AND-PLAY

ELECTRIFICATION A plan to sell hardware leads Torque Trends to some profound insights about fleet conversions and emissions reduction

By Charles Morris

S

tartup companies often evolve as they grow, and sometimes they stumble on a new application for a prosaic product that leads to a new way of doing things, with the huge opportunities that implies. For Mitchell Yow, the CEO of Torque Trends, the journey started with a gearbox, and has led to a complete electrification package that could be a solution for short-range government, commercial and municipal fleets around the country.

Mr. Yow worked nearly twenty years for a company called Gear Vendors, which makes a bolt-on overdrive auxiliary transmission that has been used as an OEM product by several major automakers (Volvo owners: remember the little button on the shift lever that engages overdrive? That’s the one).

“We were getting more and more requests for a reduction or underdrive - just the opposite of what Gear Vendors made,” Yow told Charged. “Most of that interest was coming from the EV crowd, outfitters and DIYers that were looking for a reduction, something to multiply the torque of their small AC electric motors.”

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Photos courtesy of Torque Trends

We thought that if we go in with a complete plug-and-play package we’ll be able to sell a lot more gearboxes.

Yow couldn’t convince Gear Vendors to develop a reduction product. “They said the electric thing was just a fad, it would come and go, and they weren’t interested in spending any development dollars on it,” he explains. “I researched it, got passionate about the whole EV movement, and decided that this was going to be something much more than a niche market. So, in 2012, I resigned from that job. I didn’t think San Diego was very start-up friendly, so my wife/business partner and I moved to Surprise, Arizona, where we found a great start-up incubator and lots of support.”

After two years in development and testing, Torque Trends now has its Torque Box in production.

Of truck fleets and gearboxes A series of serendipitous events led to the development of Torque Trends’ electrification solution for light-duty fleet vehicles. The original idea was simply a plan to sell the gearboxes it manufactures. “We thought that if we go in with a complete plug-and-play package we’ll be able to sell a lot more gearboxes,” said Yow. “So we started talking to [motor manufacturer] UQM and [control system

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THE VEHICLES The city wanted to buy us a new vehicle for the pilot, but we wanted something that had records to do a true back-toback test. supplier] New Eagle about partnering on doing a package deal.”

Torque Trends converted a Mazda Miata to an EV as a demo vehicle for testing its product. “It’s also been our show vehicle, it’s won awards, and now it’s a race car Solo 1 SCCA car. So, we started with that, and it was actually unveiling that car here in the City of Surprise the Mayor drove the car - that started a great relationship.

They wanted to partner with us, to convert their fleet to green.”

“The Mayor drove our test car, and then the city offered us a truck and the money to do a conversion,” said Yow. “I asked what range they would be happy with, and they said if you give us 50 miles a day, that’d be great. The city wanted to buy us a new vehicle for the pilot, but we wanted something that had records to do a true back-toback test. So for this particular pilot we’re doing a 2013 Ford F-150 Crew Cab. The powertrain that came out is a 5-liter, with a six-speed, and the truck averaged about 11 MPG.” Yow has thoroughly researched the fleet market, and has concluded that about 50% of light-duty fleet vehicles could get by just fine with a 50-mile range. “So that’s our market. We’re starting with the F-150, and you could build a company on that vehicle alone. It’s the numberone-selling vehicle in America. We also have plans in the works for prototyping trucks and delivery vans from other manufacturers.”

“We wanted to keep the truck as Ford as possible, and not have to drill a hole, or weld, or modify the truck in any way,” Yow explains. “So, it was quite an ordeal in engineering and prototyping it, because we had to use all the existing holes that Ford originally designed for mounting everything. What we came up with was a complete bolt-on plug-and-play conversion package.”

We wanted to keep the truck as Ford as possible, and not have to drill a hole, or weld, or modify the truck in any way.

Maximize emissions reduction, save money In the passenger car market, conventional wisdom is that it’s much better to design an EV “from the ground up” than to convert an existing model. When it comes to the

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Photos courtesy of CC-BY-CarImages (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Photos courtesy of nakhon100 (CC BY 2.0)

commercial market howing vehicle, and convert When you start with an ever, Yow makes a convincit to electric, you have the existing vehicle, and convert ing case that converting a lowest carbon footprint fleet’s existing vehicles is possible, as opposed to it to electric, you have the the best way to go. building a new electric In a widely-cited book vehicle. If I’ve got a bunch lowest carbon footprint called How Bad are of late-model vehicles in possible, as opposed to Bananas?: The Carbon my fleet, I’m not going to Footprint of Everything, until they’re worn out building a new electric vehicle. wait Mike Berners-Lee pointed and tired before replacing out that manufacturing them. Let’s say a vehicle is vehicles results in a large amount of carbon emissions and going to be in my fleet for another ten years, burning gas, other pollution, so considering only a vehicle’s emissions and I’m offered an opportunity to convert it to electric from use doesn’t tell the whole story. This does not mean, now, and not buy all that gas for the next ten years, and as some writers would like to believe (the topic has been maybe even extend the life of that vehicle several years. worried to death on the blogs), that it’s greener to keep That’s when the ROI really starts to get good.” gas-guzzlers on the road than to replace them, but it does Torque Trends expects that they can show about a 4- to mean that upgrading an existing gas-burning vehicle to 5-year payback, depending on usage and fuel costs, with an EV can maximize the potential emissions reduction. about a 60% reduction in overall maintenance costs.

“The big part of the carbon footprint of the vehicle is “When you add in financing options, it’s a no-brainer,” building it,” said Yow. “So, when you start with an existsaid Yow.

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THE VEHICLES The company recently announced that it has partnered with Paramount Financial Services, a Scottsdale-based equipment leasing and finance company. Potential customers can now apply online, receive quotes and get approval within 24 hours. Torque Trends financing options are available for a new gearbox, a complete conversion package or a converted new or used truck.

The company plans to build several electric F-150s to offer on short-term leases, giving potential customers that are on the fence an opportunity to test the waters without a long-term commitment. “We can also lease customers a truck while we are converting one of theirs,” said Yow. Torque Tends expects to have as many as five trucks available for lease in the first quarter of 2017, with room for fleet growth based on demand.

Yow also told us that the company is looking into options for pricing packages that include the cost of conversion, less the battery pack, which can be separately leased.

“This gets the package price down, and our customers just pay for their electrons with a monthly lease payment,” he said.

While several companies are building electrified

When you add in financing options, it’s a no-brainer. medium-duty trucks, there are surprisingly few options when it comes to light-duty pickups and vans, according to Yow. “There is a consortium of about seventy power companies in the nation that have made a commitment with the Department of Energy to use 5% of their new vehicle purchase budget to create a zero-emissions fleet. That 5% is equivalent to about $90 million a year. So, there’s a big opportunity there, but there’s nothing really viable for this light-duty, short range vehicle.”

The Package Torque Trends’ electrification package includes the motor, gearbox, charger, DC to DC convertor, electric AC compressor, coolant pump, heater, electronics, batteries, mounts and crossmembers - everything needed to

Photos courtesy of Torque Trends

electrify an F-150, with no welding or cutting. A fleet can choose to purchase the package and do their own installation or provide a truck to Torque Trends and let them do it.

The battery is located where the fuel tank and exhaust were, using the existing mounting points. “We stay out of the truck bed because no one wants to give up any of that space,” says Yow. “So we split a 30 kWh pack into four cases. It’s totally plug-and-play, so the mechanics don’t see the cells or BMS, they just mount the box using the existing mounts on the frame. Trucks give you lot of room to work with.

“We’re probably getting about 2.5 to 3 miles per kilowatt-hour, and so we’ve got a 30 kWh battery pack in the truck. The city asked for a 50-mile range per day between charges - to charge at night, and run it every day. It’s a small city. The vehicle has no business outside of the city it supplies, and the speed limit there is 45 miles per hour.

So, we really geared the truck to make it urban-specific, limiting it to 65 miles per hour.”

“We found that in a day’s time there is about an hour

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or so when drivers are sitting in the truck, with the AC on, and not driving. They are doing paperwork or waiting for something. So when they asked for a 50- mile range, we actually gave them about 75 miles to account for that cushion. After the pilot is finished, we may find that we can downsize that cushion for other fleets.

At low volume, Torque Trends offers its package for around $40,000. “Also, the legacy drivetrain coming out of the vehicle has a value of about $5,000,” said Yow. “So you can either sell it or keep it to service the remaining fleet.”

Running the numbers Torque Trends is just beginning to analyze telematics data from the Surprise pilot. “It’s a very intense telematics software that we have on there - it’s a lot of data. We just got our first report from the city, and they’re excited about it getting great range. It’s a little premature - we’re still doing some tuning and tweaking on the package, with the help of the software firm, and we think we can make it even better.”

THE VEHICLES The gearbox Torque Trends’ gearbox, called the Torque Box, is designed for EVs. “We did a lot of research, we talked to a lot of customers, this really kind of grew out of the demand at international trade shows, where more and more people were asking for underdrive,” said Yow. “And, kind of following Tesla’s lead, we decided not to build a multispeed transmission, but to go with a single-speed, and focus on the urban fleet vehicle.”

“A couple of different ratios are available - most of the aftermarket was asking for a 2-to-1, so that’s our primary product,” said Yow. However, “We’ve got several outfitters that want a little bit different ratio than we currently have, that we’re working with to create a product. The different ratios depend on what motor you’re using it with, and the intent, what speed is necessary, and so on. Some of the outfitters, for example, one out of China is looking for something more in the area of 2.3-to-1, so we’re in the process of creating a product for the outfitter market that would work for light-duty and some medium-duty trucks.”

The aftermarket for specialty gearboxes is pretty small,

The aftermarket kind of follows the OEM industry, and it fills in these niches with aftermarket product. so Torque Trends doesn’t have a lot of competition.

“Most of the guys doing conversions have taken electric motors and put them to ICE transmissions, one way or another,” said Yow. “The larger-volume companies worked out deals with the top-tier suppliers, but even those guys have come to us when they need something heavier-duty. The aftermarket kind of follows the OEM industry, and it fills in these niches with aftermarket product. That’s where we feel we have a place. We’re not looking for GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota OE type contracts. The outfitter, and the fleets, making packages for converting existing fleet vehicles, is the niche that we’re after.”

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Geneva electric buses use ABB flash charging technology

ClipperCreek introduces ruggedized version of PMD-10 Charging Station Pedestal

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ABB will deliver 13 flash charging stations, capable of topping up the batteries in 15 seconds at 600 kW, along the route, as well as three terminal and four depot stations.

Stationary storage located near the charging stations flattens out demand, reducing the required current by up to 10 times. This reduces the size of the power supply required and avoids stressing the grid.

A 4- to 5-minute charge at 400 kW at the terminus fully recharges the batteries. The terminal charger consists of an IGBT-based rectifier that is able to maintain output voltage at a desired level independent of fluctuations on the AC network. A third type of charger is used at the depot, where a longer charge is applied.

Photo courtesy of ABB

ClipperCreek’s PMD-10 Universal Pedestal, a mounting solution for the company’s line of EV charging stations, is now available with a “Ruggedized” option. Designed for fleet, parking lot, coastal, and extreme weather environments, the Ruggedized ProMountDuo Universal Pedestal (PMD-10R) features fully powder-coated stainless steel construction, stainless steel machine hardware and plastic bushings for ease of installation.

The American-made PMD-10R costs $695, and can be paired with any ClipperCreek ACS, LCS or HCS charger, starting at $1,074. Each pedestal supports two stations and two 120 v outlets. It also supports the Tesla second-generation Wall Connector.

“We’ve had customers request a stainless steel pedestal for certain environments and applications,” said ClipperCreek President Jason France. “We felt it was important to offer an enhanced version of our universal pedestal, so we developed a powder-coated stainless steel option that will last for many years, even in the toughest environments. We stand behind this pedestal’s durability with a three-year product warranty.”

Photo courtesy of ClipperCreek

The Swiss city of Geneva plans to deploy 12 electric buses that use a high-power flash charging system provided by ABB. The city began a pilot of the system in 2013.

The new e-buses will be built by Swiss manufacturer HESS, using several components from ABB, including integrated traction and auxiliary converters, roof-mounted battery units and energy transfer systems and permanent magnet traction motors. When fully commissioned in 2018, the e-buses will run on Line 23, connecting suburban Geneva with the airport.

THE INFRASTRUCTURE EV4 Oregon’s ETM charging station features a solar canopy and battery storage

Photo courtesy of EV4 Oregon

EV4 Oregon’s Energy Transfer Merchant (ETM) is a complete system for charging EVs with renewable energy – a solar carport with battery storage and both AC and dual-mode DC chargers.

The ETM is a completely bolted system that covers two parking spaces. Its foundation is a concrete slab or an underground vault, depending upon the site.

It is delivered to the job site as a kit and can be assembled in a few days.

The standard station is equipped with 15 solar modules (capacity 4 kW), one Level 2 charger, and one DC fast charger offering both CHAdeMO and CCS Combo connectors. The fast charger can be modified to handle other protocols including Tesla and future SAE standards.

The ETM’s structure protects the chargers from collisions, shelters drivers from the elements and provides security with lighting and surveillance. It collects rain water from the solar roof and filters it before delivery to landscaping. An LED sign can be installed on the canopy to display digital ads.

The battery system is gridtied with a 3-wire single phase 120/240 VAC connection, and

can provide power system back-up, grid support and load balancing services. The standard battery configuration is 50 kWh.

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THE INFRASTRUCTURE Porsche foresees 800-volt DC charging

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ber finds that a shift to a higher voltage will be inevitable.

Doubling the voltage to 800 volts could theoretically reduce charging time to about 15 minutes with the same electrical load on the charging pins, just enough time for a bathroom break and a quick snack.

Faster charging would be good news not only for drivers, but also for station owners. The costs of installing charging stations are high, so in terms of the price per kW, a higher-power charging infrastructure would be significantly more cost-effective.

Images courtesy of Porsche AG

If there’s one thing everyone can agree on about EVs, it’s that ranges need to become longer. That means battery capacities need to grow, and therefore charging levels will have to increase as well, if charging times are to stay the same (or, preferably, become shorter).

One company that’s been working on higher charging levels is Porsche, which has set its sights on 800volt DC charging technology. The VW Group subsidiary developed an 800-volt charging system (double the voltage of the current CCS standard) for its Mission E concept, which was shown in Frankfurt last September.

In a lengthy recent article in Porsche Engineering Magazine, Volker Reber explains the benefits of higher charging levels, pointing out that current EVs require frequent recharging, and that, even with overnight charging, the range that is gained remains relatively small.

When it comes to long-distance driving, a rapid-charging infrastructure needs to offer a convenient ratio of driving time to break periods. “It should be possible to get a sufficient charge for roughly 400 kilometers within the usual break time of 15 to 20 minutes.”

Unfortunately, technical factors currently stand in the way. Today’s DC fast chargers typically run at 400 volts, with 50 kilowatts of power. Even if charging levels could be increased, the capacity of the charging pins in the charging plug maxes out at roughly 100 kW, which still translates to about 40 minutes to add 400 km of range.

Further increases in charging power require some sort of cooling, and various companies are working on such systems.

However, to get to the desired charging time, Mr. Re-

Photo courtesy of Fastned

Fastned: More powerful fast charging offers economies of scale

EV charging is still a new frontier – companies involved in the fast-growing industry still have a lot of questions about what kind of charging, and what levels, will prove to be the most cost-effective.

Fastned, a Dutch operator of public fast charging stations, has published a blog that explores how charging speeds and station capacity affect the total cost of infrastructure.

Fastned CTO Roland van der Put argues that economies of scale can dramatically lower the cost of operating fast charging stations, and translate to lower prices for consumers. Greater capacity may cost more upfront, but can yield big benefits in the long run.

Based on historical data on the fast charging behavior of Fastned’s customers, Mr. van der Put conservatively estimates that a station with two typical 50 kW fast chargers can provide a maximum of 560 kWh per day. With more powerful chargers, a single station could serve more EVs – and accommodate the higher charging levels that will be the norm in the future.

“What happens when we upgrade a 2×50 kW station to 4×150 kW or to 8×150 kW?” asks Mr. van der Put. “An existing station has a capacity of 204,000 kWh annually, and an upgraded station more than 1.2 million kWh. A next-generation station thus provides 6 times more capacity on the same land area, and 12 times more capacity with 8 chargers. That’s an order of magnitude improvement.”

“The kWh capacity of a station 2.0 is six times that of a current fast charging station. However, the one-off costs such as permits, grid connection, equipment, construction, installation and project management of a station equipped with four 150 kW chargers are far below that of constructing 5 additional stations. Recurring costs such as technical maintenance and cleaning are only slightly higher for the 2.0 station. Capacity thus rises much faster than costs do. Therefore the cost per kWh can decrease.”

By no means all EVSE manufacturers are located in California. NovaCharge, founded in 2008, makes its home in Florida’s Tampa Bay region.

The company’s new NC-5000 line of chargers features a compact design with a customizable front panel that’s designed to enable businesses to showcase their brands to customers and employees.

This Level 2 charger is built for heavy usage in all weathers, with a rugged housing and a hardened rubber charging gun. It is available in both wall- and polemount configurations.

“The NC-5000 line is the perfect solution for businesses, hotels and similar organizations wanting to offer complimentary charging as an amenity to their customers and employees,” said Helda Rodriguez, President of NovaCharge. “It is also a differentiator, allowing businesses to brand these chargers, while promoting their commitment to environmental sustainability.”

Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) has installed four NC-5000 charging stations in its shortterm parking lot. Charging is complimentary for airport customers.

“We selected the NC-5000 due to its compact design and the ability to customize it to include SRQ branding,” said SRQ CEO Rick Piccolo. “Providing these charging stations further supports our initiatives in integrating sustainability throughout the airport.”

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Photo courtesy of NovaCharge

NovaCharger NC-5000 charging stations are built for branding

As EV adoption accelerates, some parts of the world already have more charging facilities than gas stations, including Japan and Manhattan.

Now Nissan is predicting that the UK will follow suit by 2020. The maker of the LEAF (and a tireless promoter and financer of public charging stations) forecasts that in 2020 there will be around 7,870 petrol stations in the UK, and over 7,900 public charging locations.

The UK’s first fuel station opened in 1919, and the number peaked in the 1970s. More than 75% of UK petrol stations have closed in the last 40 years, whilst the number of EV charging locations has increased from a few hundred in 2011 to more than 4,100 locations in 2016.

Within Central London’s congestion-charge zone, only four petrol stations remain. The historic Bloomsbury Service Station, which opened in 1926, closed in 2008.

Meanwhile, EV charging points proliferate. 98% of UK motorway services locations (akin to American rest stops, but with fuel stations, restaurants, etc.) have EV charging stations, including DC fast chargers.

“As electric vehicle sales take off, the charging infrastructure is keeping pace and paving the way for convenient all-electric driving,” said Edward Jones, Nissan’s EV Manager for the UK. “Combine that with constant improvements in our battery performance and we believe the tipping point for mass EV uptake is upon us. As with similar breakthrough technologies, the adoption of electric vehicles should follow an ‘S-curve’ of demand.

A gradual uptake from early adopters accelerates to a groundswell of consumers buying electric vehicles just as they would any other powertrain.”

Photo courtesy of Nissan

Nissan: There will be more EV charging stations in the UK than petrol stations by 2020

THE INFRASTRUCTURE

Photo by ChargedEVs

Duke Energy offers $1.5 million to help municipalities develop public charging Electric utility Duke Energy, which serves some 7 million customers in several Midwestern and Southern states, plans to provide $1 million to help cities and towns develop public charging stations for residents.

Duke’s EV Charging Infrastructure Support Project will pay 100% of costs, up to $5,000 per charge port, $20,000 per site, or $50,000 per city.

Another part of the project will make an additional $500,000 available to cities and towns for the construction of electric bus charging stations. Duke will pay 100% of the cost for bus charging infrastructure, up to $250,000 per municipality.

The programs are part of a recent settlement with the EPA and environmental groups.

Interested parties can apply for the program before September 1, using the public EV charging form or the bus charging form.

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THE INFRASTRUCTURE EV charging companies fear $2-billion VW settlement could hurt competition

St. Louis-based electric utility Ameren Missouri is seeking approval from the Missouri Public Service Commission to build six public charging stations between St. Louis and central Missouri.

Five of the stations will be located along I-70 between St. Louis and Boonville, the busiest stretch of highway in the Show-Me State. The other will be in Jefferson City on US 54. They will be spaced 20 to 45 miles apart.

Missouri has nearly 1,000 public charging stations, but most are in Kansas City, St. Louis and their suburbs.

“The need we are addressing is the need for charging infrastructure that is fast and located along long-distance driving corridors,” said Project Leader Mark Nealon.

Ameren Missouri is proposing a “pay at the charger” transaction that mirrors a typical gasoline fueling experience. Each station will include a DC fast charger and a Level 2 charger. The fast charger will cost about $2.50 per quarter hour of plug-in time, and the Level 2 charger will cost about 30 cents per quarter hour, Nealon said.

Ameren Missouri estimates the cost of the charging stations at around $600,000. Construction is to begin later this year.

Photo courtesy of VW Group

Photo courtesy of Nicolas Raymond (CC BY 2.0)

Missouri utility to install six highway fast chargers

As part of its punishment for hoodwinking the whole world in its dirty diesel debacle, Volkswagen has agreed to invest $2 billion in EV charging infrastructure in the US, $800 million of it in California. The exact plan, which is yet to be released, will be overseen by the California Air Resources Board and the EPA. More infrastructure investment is doubtless a good thing, but 2 billion is rather a lot of money, and some EV charging companies are afraid that having that much cash to wave around in a still-nascent industry could give the German automaker unprecedented influence over the market, hurting competition.

In a letter to the US Justice Department, via Reuters, 28 companies, including ChargePoint, EV Connect and the Electric Vehicle Charging Association, called for an independent administrator to be appointed, to ensure that the program treats all industry participants fairly.

“The agreement shouldn’t pick winners and losers, especially given that this emerging market transition will in no small part define 21st-century transportation,” said the letter. “The program should be structured to benefit drivers in California and across the nation, not enable the settling defendants to enter or influence the markets for charging and fueling equipment and services.”

The group of companies also told the DOJ that regulators should earmark some of the funds for a rebate program to incentivize employers, apartment owners, workplaces and other players to install EV charging stations.

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LIGHT & eluminocity combines lighting and charging to save costs and enable smart city features

Photo courtesy of eluminosity

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THE INFRASTRUCTURE

CHARGE

By Charles Morris

T

he EV of the future will be a mobile part of what some are calling the “smart city” - an integrated network that ties together EV charging, renewable energy generation, energy storage and various devices that control everything from escalators to crosswalks to streetlights. These devices depend on sensors and control circuits that keep track of how humans are using the systems, and operate them in the most energyefficient way possible.

Michael Rockwood has been in the sensing and control business his whole life, working with major manufacturers including Honeywell and GE on residential and industrial sensing, controls and automation. About five years ago, he became enamored of

the emerging EV industry, so when Munich-based eluminocity, a partner of BMW, needed help to bring its products to the US market, he jumped on the opportunity, and became the company’s US General Manager. eluminocity’s modular Light & Charge System consists of a luminaire, a sensor pack, a network interface module, and an EV charger. Customers can buy the components separately, or together as an integrated system. It has been pilot tested at six locations in Germany over the past two years. eluminocity introduced its products to the US in January at the Consumer Electronics Show, and now has pilot agreements in the planning stages in half a dozen cities, including Chicago, New York,

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Los Angeles and Seattle. The company hopes to be selling products by the fourth quarter of this year.

“Our focus is on the light pole, and in companies close to smart city and smart grid developments, not just because of electric vehicles, but autonomous vehicles,” said Rockwood. “We’re working with a number of US manufacturers to develop products that can be either mounted on, or communicated with, the light pole. We offer the luminaire, and a communication module that can connect by WiFi, cell or mesh network.”

Sensors for the smart city One component of the system is a sensor pack, which can enable many smart city functions. “There are several significant applications, like using radar for vehicle sensing, and using infrared for presence/absence in crosswalks - called pedestrian sensing - either to dim the light or flash the light when there’s a pedestrian in the crosswalk. We can easily measure parking space availability and we can measure traffic speed.” Data from the sensors can be sent to the cloud, to any database in which the customer can use the sensor data.

“There are many opportunities for sensing, and everyone is enamored with it,” said Rockwood. “But it is frustrating that customers aren’t spending money on it right now. Many want to pilot, but few want to invest. We’re still waiting for use cases that have a strong ROI. And I think they will probably have to do with pedestrian safety.”

The luminaire is a high-performance, highly-designed LED lighting fixture, “very much an architectural product,” with an integrated sensor. It incorporates up to four 35-watt modules that can be individually controlled, so it can serve as a powerful safety light on a street intersection, or as a lower-powered parking lot light.

“Our lighting and our sensing products will most often be sold together, in workplace and municipal parking lots, at park-and-ride sites, or at important venues where people are going to dwell for three or four hours,” said Rockwood.

“Many planners of electric vehicle infrastructure are looking at site development, and realizing that to maximize use they need to consider lighting, security, egress, advertising and information and ADA regulations to make the site a statement of what the host is all about.”

Finding the right light pole Many, in fact most, light poles are not suitable for EV charging. “But approximately five percent represent a really good opportunity, where there is enough power, good access, good security, and a dedicated circuit,” said Rock-

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Photos courtesy of eluminosity

THE INFRASTRUCTURE

Approximately five percent [of light poles] represent a really good opportunity, where there is enough power, good access, good security, and a dedicated circuit. wood. “So, when you find those, installing a charger on a light pole is a good and inexpensive solution, because you don’t have an additional transformer or panel and you can use the pole itself to be compliant with ADA cord handling. You can get a networked Level 2 40-amp charger installed for about half of what it would otherwise cost.”

Finding the light poles that are good candidates for EV charging can be a challenge. Some cities confess that they have lost track of their light poles over the years. “In many instances the utility owns some, the city owns some, private developers own some, and until recently there hasn’t been a need to keep good records of what they’ve got,” explains Rockwood. “So when we ask for a good, secure location, with 240 volts and a 40amp circuit, they actually have to go out and open up poles to find what is needed. That’s probably one of the

reasons why we don’t have more Smart Light Poles.”

One way that eluminocity is finding customers is through help from Silver Springs Network, which offers a networked LED street lighting solution. LED lights, of course, save cities money on electricity out of the box, and Rockwood explains that it’s possible to realize an additional 15% or more in savings if they are managed efficiently from a network. “The savings comes from - number one - more accurate control. Some cities allow dimming when there’s no activity. Not so much in the US, but in Europe, they like the idea of dimming down to 75% or even 50% if there’s been no activity in a parking lot for 20 minutes or so, and that greatly extends the life of the LED. The other savings is in maintenance and operations, and Los Angeles proved that to the world. When an LED is run on a network, you know immediately when there’s a day-burner, and you know immediately when there’s a light out. So your trucks roll to the spot - they don’t have to wait for a concerned citizen to call it in - and they know exactly what parts to bring, because you already have that information.”

One approach to generating business is to pitch cities that are upgrading to LEDs to install EV charging at the same time. “We have a strong value-add story to tell there,” says Rockwood. “Lighting is the lead, because it’s such a huge savings. If a city can save as much as 60%, as LA did, then they can consider adding services, taking some of that savings to achieve some of their other goals: greenhouse gas emission reductions, congestion reduction, or parking enhancement.”

Rockwood estimates that there are at least 5,000,000 street and parking lights in the US. If about 5% of those are appropriate for EV charging, that means a quarter million potential spots for chargers. “Keep in mind that

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THE INFRASTRUCTURE

Photo courtesy of eluminosity

For every one of the issues, there is a workaround and it helps for planners to know that up front.

there are only about 40,000 publicly available chargers now. That’s a significant increase in opportunities to add charging sites economically.”

One potential snag, however, is that there aren’t a lot of successful examples of municipalities owning charging hardware. “It’s been a hot potato passed around - who wants to own the equipment? NRG EVgo and Car Charging Group have proven that it is a difficult business model to run profitably, mostly because maintenance is difficult.

Right now, the ball is in the automakers’ and the utilities’ court. Public opinion is coming around to accept that, if we are going to achieve our green goals, that EV infrastructure is part of it, and ratepayers and taxpayers should pay some of it.”

Workplace charging etiquette “A lot of private companies are interested in our solutions too,” says Rockwood. “Large employers want to provide EV charging convenience for employees, but struggle with the need to have employees move their cars at the end of a charging session. It can be a productivity issue. By distributing the chargers around the parking lot, where four vehicles can access one charger, co-workers can share a charger without having to move their cars during the workday.”

Available power can be a complex issue, as some lights run on dedicated circuits and some don’t, says Rockwood. “But, for every one of the issues, there is a workaround and it helps for planners to know that up front.” eluminocity offers 30- and 40-amp charging options.

“Most site planners want to go to 40-amp models so that as batteries and vehicle range improve, they can charge faster.”

There are several networking options. “Some utility customers have an AMI network - like a Silver Springs or iTron network, or their own network. Then we can communicate on that network. We go from our charger to their mesh network. When that isn’t the case, then we usually have at least one cell GSM module in one of the units, which we call our Gateway model, and the others, because it’s much less expensive, communicate with that one by WiFi. That’s the most common setup, by far.”

Accommodating disabled drivers Public EV chargers also need to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). “California planners are really paying attention to it and other states will, as well. There are mainly three issues with regard to the new ADA rules. The height needs to be 44 inches for the operator, and the cord must be up off the ground. The third has to do with egress, insuring that you leave enough room that a wheelchair can get from the vehicle to the venue easily.”

This can pose a challenge with a pole in a parking lots. “Parking lot poles sometimes have a cement base, so that if the cars roll too close, it hits the cement base.

To hang our charger above that cement base takes it up too high, not ADA-compliant. To work around this challenge, we use a stand-off, a traffic signal light extension that holds the charger about 10 inches off the pole, and slightly below that base.”

“Applying EV chargers to light poles is not simple, so a lot of people just dismiss it. But, with a variety of proven solutions, we can usually convince planners that using parking lot light poles for EV charging is a great option.”

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Utilities in some of the top US EV markets are starting to take steps to encourage EV market growth, and to manage loads to benefit grid operations.

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THE INFRASTRUCTURE

UTILITIES AND EV CHARGING Two industry thought leaders - Lisa Jerram of Navigant Research and Paul Stith of Black & Veatch discuss the growing interest of electric utilities in EV charging infrastructure.

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UTILITIES COMING OFF THE SIDELINES IN THE EV MARKET

By Lisa Jerram, Principal Research Analyst, Navigant Research t’s been a little over five years since the modern EV market was launched in the US, and growth has been steady - EV sales are expected to approach 200,000 in 2016. EV charging, the partner to the EV market, has grown as well. Today, the DOE’s Alternative Fuels Data Center reports that there are around 35,000 public charging outlets across the US. Chargers are being deployed at offices, hotels, airports, and auto dealerships.

So far, the charging market has grown with limited direct engagement by utilities, thanks largely to regulations that forbid utilities from owning EV chargers. But even in deregulated markets, many utilities have shown little interest in a larger role in the market, and governments and the private sector have been the ones leading the charge in infrastructure investments.

Considering the rapid pace of change that US utilities are facing today, it is not surprising that EVs have not been a top priority. But this wait-and-see posture

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is changing. Utilities in some of the top US EV markets are starting to take steps to encourage EV market growth, and to manage loads to benefit grid operations.

For utilities seeking to engage with the EV market more directly, what is the best leverage a firm can apply in the market? There is no single right answer to this question.

The right approach will vary depending on a particular utility’s business model and regulatory structure. Utilities will want to understand where there are gaps in the EV charging market in which they can play a valuable role.

They will also need to consider the long-term impacts of EVs on load, and how they can make EVs a valuable asset as they shift toward the greater use of renewable, distributed generation.

Multiple pathways for utilities A recent Navigant Research report on the impacts of EV charging provides an overview of the US market for EV charging services and how utilities might participate. The

THE INFRASTRUCTURE

Utilities will want to understand where there are gaps in the EV charging market in which they can play a valuable role.

2016 US EV sales are expected to approach

Public charging outlets across the US:

thousand

thousand

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One potential point of entry for utilities...is as owners or operators of EV charging facilities. report highlights how the geographical spread of EVs will expand over the next five years. Up until now, sales have been concentrated in the West Coast states. But eight Northeastern states are likely to see plug-in vehicle sales increase considerably as automakers stress EV deployments and marketing efforts to comply with the region’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandates for EV production. The expansion of the EV market will broaden the appeal of these vehicles to more diverse socioeconomic

classes and geographies. This in turn will result in a need for increased charging infrastructure in the public sphere, in multi-unit dwellings, and at workplaces.

If utilities are able to secure regulatory approval, they can play an important role in meeting this need for infrastructure. Consider workplaces, where vehicles are often parked for eight hours or more. Workplaces are widely considered the second most likely location for drivers to charge, and workplace charging effectively extends the daily range of an EV. Companies in Silicon Valley have embraced EV charging as an employee perk, but for most US employers, EVs are not yet on their radar, and they may not see that the benefit of installing EV chargers outweighs the up-front costs. The multi-unit dwelling market has also been tough to crack, thanks to a combination of logistical hurdles and uncertainty over the benefits of making such an investment.

One potential point of entry for utilities in the EV market is as owners or operators of EV charging facilities.

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This could be a significant market disruptor, as utilities can afford to wait for a longer payback from deploying charging stations than commercial entities, while at the same time receiving other ancillary benefits from their installation.

That said, utilities may remain nervous about making large investments in charging networks without a clear understanding of when and how many EVs are likely to be sold in their territory.

Utilities also need to understand where their investments are likely to have the most impact, and what business model to pursue in a market where there are already many third-party providers of EV charging services. Automakers are also in the EV charging market as a matter of necessity. Utilities will need to analyze the potential return on investment from various types of charger deployments, and manage partnerships with charging vendors and auto companies with deployments in their service territories.

EVs and the smart grid Apart from direct ownership and operation of EV charging, what can utilities do to engage in the market?

EV charging presents opportunities for utilities in new revenue generation, and also in cost avoidance. Utilities need some degree of smart charging infrastructure to fully realize these potential opportunities, as well as to help manage load additions. Utilities in some fastgrowing EV markets already operate rebate programs for the purchase and installation of residential charging infrastructure that can communicate with the utility.

Many utilities also offer time-of-use (TOU) rates specific to EV-owner households. These TOU rates provide discounts for charging at off-peak times, which can increase the energy cost savings of EV ownership. However, it is unclear how much TOU rates influence a decision to buy an EV, given how little it already costs to charge an EV. Some automakers have noted that TOU rates can confuse customers, or worse, give the impression that they need to worry about the best times to charge. A better avenue may be the use of demand response signals.

Again, utilities need to consider these options, and there are pilot programs underway that can offer experience and guidance.

Indeed, EV drivers offer an opportunity for utilities to test-drive new services related to a move toward the smart home. EVs are a natural fit here, as they are simply another connected appliance. And EV drivers, in the near future, are still likely to be early adopters with an interest in new energy technologies such as solar or home energy

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THE INFRASTRUCTURE

Some automakers have noted that TOU rates can confuse customers, or worse, give the impression that they need to worry about the best times to charge. A better avenue may be the use of demand response signals. management systems. Some automakers are looking to engage their EV customers in a whole ecosystem of home energy management. This presents an opportunity to test smart home solutions to see what customers respond to.

Ultimately, utilities may look to vehicle-to-grid services as a way to make EVs a revenue-generating asset.

High-power fast charging is coming DC fast charging is poised to become the next front in public charging infrastructure. Automakers that are introducing long-range EVs that can travel 200 miles or more on a full charge now see DC charging as a necessity for their customers. And they are pushing for much higher-power fast charging than the 50 kW units that are most common today. Long-range EVs will have much larger batteries than today’s models around 60 kWh compared to 24 kWh - and charging at a 7.2 kW public charger would take much longer. As a result, interest in higher-power chargers deployed to allow for intercity, interstate, and cross-country travel is expected to increase.

Automakers are already making plans to deploy fast charging networks. Navigant Research has estimated that a cross-country network could be established with

just 408 charging locations, and more extensive coverage could be established with 722 locations. Each location would have several chargers operating at levels of at least 100 kW, and potentially much higher. Utilities will have a critical role in providing sufficient power to the stations and helping sites manage load spikes.

Engaging with the DC fast charging rollout should provide benefits in terms of light-duty EV sales.

Navigant’s EV charging impacts report notes that EV penetration is currently nearing 1%, focused on early adopters. DC fast charging can help EVs cross the chasm to the early majority segment of the market.

Moving forward in the EV market There are a lot of options for utilities to consider in engaging the EV charging market. Utilities should look carefully before they leap into the market with a new program or rate structure. But they also shouldn’t wait too long, as they may start to feel the impact on their distribution grid before long.

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SURVEY RESULTS: UTILITIES AND EV CHARGING

By Paul Stith, Solution Lead for Black & Veatch’s Smart Integrated Infrastructure business. Stith specializes in sustainable transportation infrastructure, energy storage and their convergence within smart cities.

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rowing EV sales are providing new potential revenue streams for electric utilities. Though EVs still make up less than one percent of global auto sales, they have become undeniable fixtures on roadways, and utilities can profit from this lucrative market.

As reported in Black & Veatch’s recently published 2016 Strategic Directions: US Electric Industry Report, more than 75 percent of electric utility respondents identified themselves as “very interested” or “interested” in EVs as new revenue streams, while traditional industrywide demand remains flat. Even though the market remains in its nascent stages, the potential for rapid and occasionally concentrated growth will require preparations across operational and business groups.

Electric utilities can help play a role in supporting the necessary investments in EV infrastructure to support rising consumer interest in expanding portfolios from manufacturers such as Tesla, Nissan, BMW, GM, Ford and Volkswagen. The role for utilities becomes even more essential with the increased energy requirements of medium and heavy-duty applications such as goods movement, transit and growing fleets.

Customer engagement Given the potential disruptive effects of EVs on existing infrastructure, particularly neighborhood-level transform-

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75% ARE “very interested” or “interested” in EVs as new revenue streams. ers, it will be important for electric utilities to increase customer engagement surrounding adoption. However, nearly one quarter of Black & Veatch’s survey respondents indicated that they had no idea of the number of EVs in their system. Although owners are not required to notify utilities that they have purchased an EV, solutions to ensure that adequate maintenance and investment scale with adoption are important. Agencies such as state departments of motor vehicles and enrollment in EV rate plans can also help with identifying the rate of load growth from EVs.

Costs and fees Electricity costs will play an important role in furthering EV adoption. These costs can be dominated by demand fees designed to recover the cost of delivery. This is especially true for high-power direct current (DC) fast charging stations, often metered independently of other loads, that are critical to broader EV adoption.

To support cost recovery yet encourage infrastructure

THE INFRASTRUCTURE

more than twothirds indicated that encouraging EVs represents an opportunity to better interact with and communicate with their customers.

development, tariffs can be developed to spread high demand fees across kilowatt-hours delivered, and may be tailored to evolving market conditions. Such structures will remove barriers to early market infrastructure deployment and will lead toward new load growth over time. Nearly two thirds of survey respondents indicated a need to examine tariffs and the state/local regulatory structures to allow them to support growth in EVs. Similarly, fee structures can be adjusted to encourage owners to charge during the best time for the utility.

Nearly 75 percent of respondents indicated support for workplace charging initiatives, with more than half (56 percent) supporting public charging. Support for workplace charging typically means that utilities are working with their commercial accounts, and are ready and seeking to strengthen their relationships with these customers.

In California, for example, with large volumes of solar resources available during the daylight hours, workplace charging is a compelling option for utilities. Others states may encourage evening charging as demand loads drop while baseload capacity remains. Efforts to explore these options in anticipation of widespread EV adoption are encouraged because altering regulatory constructs typically can take extended periods of time.

User experience For an industry often thought of as trailing the retail or financial sectors in terms of customer experience programs, it is important to note that more than two thirds of electric industry respondents indicated that encouraging EVs also represents an opportunity to better interact with their customers.

Not only do EVs give utilities a way to get in front of their customers, they can also be viewed as a strong market enabler, supporting the growing ecosystem of market participants via support for charging infrastructure investment while enhancing their brand. Also, 50 percent of utilities indicated that EVs have environmental impacts and that support for the technology mirrors changing customer expectations for their service providers. The ability to demonstrate societal benefits such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions, real regional economic and health benefits through reduced fuel imports, and pollution reduction can be used to support investments that can be included in the rate base.

From concern to embrace A few years ago, there was significant concern across the industry about the potential for EVs to accelerate transformer burnout, making support difficult. However, the combination of gradual adoption and both regulatory and public support for investments in a more reliable, flexible grid/charging network has created a scenario in which electric utilities are prepared to play a major role in facilitating broader adoption. All parties are beginning to see that the combination of vehicle technology, market forces and changing cultural standards is creating a perfect storm that will propel EVs forward.

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EV-spotting in

OSLO, NORWAY

By Charles Morris

lues fans dream of a pilgrimage to Chicago or Memphis, and lovers of the theater can choose between Broadway and London’s West End. But for today’s EV enthusiast, the ultimate destination is Oslo, the capital of Norway, where generous government incentives have enticed an affluent and eco-conscious population to go for EVs in a big way.

As do several other European countries, Norway levies a vehicle registration tax that’s based on size and emissions - someone who has to have a Hummer will pay several thousand bucks more in tax (perhaps as much as $16,000) than would a Prius purchaser. An Elbil (electric car) is exempt from this tax, and from the 25% VAT. EVs, identified by license plates with an EL prefix, pay no road tolls and no parking fees, and are allowed to use restricted bus and carpool lanes. The Norwegian parliament is currently considering a plan to phase out the sale of legacy ICE vehicles by 2025.

The government’s enthusiasm for electromobility is all the more remarkable considering that the country is a major petroleum exporter. Displaying a farsightedness rare among politicians, Norway has earmarked part of its enormous oil revenue to speed the development of a clean energy economy. Almost all the country’s power comes from hydroelectric plants, and electricity prices are the second-lowest in Europe (after Iceland).

EV-spotting in Oslo is like birding in Costa Rica. The variety is astounding, and after a while, one ceases to take notice of the most common species. Model S, LEAFs and i3s are everywhere, and the trained eye will spot many other specimens, including some that are popular in Europe but have not caught on in the US (VW e-Golf, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Kia Soul EV, smart ED), some that are only available in Europe (VW e-Up!, Peugeot iOn [a rebadged i-MiEV]), and some that have gone extinct elsewhere in the world (Th!nk). Even your correspondent, who has driven every plug-in that’s widely available in the US, was able to add a couple of species to his life list (I confess I had never heard of the Buddy, a tiny Norwegianbuilt EV that dates back to 1991).

Commercial vehicles are plugging in as well - I spotted both Nissan e-NV200 and Renault Kangoo Z.E. delivery vans. PHEVs, which don’t enjoy the same tax benefits and other goodies as EVs, are far less common (I did spot two Opel Amperas in the wild, and saw a Mitsubishi Outlander P-HEV and a Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid on display at an auto dealer).

Public chargers are abundant, and most or all seem to be free. Every large parking garage has a special section

Photos courtesy of Charles Morris

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with free parking and charging for EVs, and unobtrusive charging posts are common on the streets. Most of these chargers are Mode 1 (equivalent to the US Level 1). Tesla Superchargers are strategically placed along highways.

It’s possible to rent a Model S in Norway, and your correspondent eagerly did so, picking up a tan 70D at the Oslo airport for a drive deep into the pine forests. The cost was about $150 a day, considerably more than a boring old Golf, but a sizable chunk of the additional cost was offset by the savings on gas and tolls (both substantial expenses here). The Hertz representative told me that Model S is by far the most popular of the company’s “premium” models, although the vast majority of customers still opt for lowpriced compacts.

Oslo is a wonderful city to visit (at least in summer), with pedestrian-friendly streets, ubiquitous public transportation, and the typical European mix of lovely old architecture and ultra-modern amenities. Parks, green belts and water views abound - so don’t spend all your time staring at EVs!

Raising the bar for electric vehicle charging stations.

Starline Track Busway has been a leader in flexible power distribution for as long as electric vehicles have been on the road. And this flexibility makes our system an ideal choice for electric vehicle manufacturers. With overhead access that provides space savings and multiple cords, Starline Track Busway can quickly and efficiently power electric vehicles at small or large charging stations.

To learn more, visit StarlinePower.com/Industrial.

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