CHARGED Electric Vehicles Magazine - Issue 41 JAN/FEB 2019

ELECTRIC VEHICLES MAGAZINE

ISSUE 41 | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | CHARGEDEVS.COM

SUBARU

CROSSTREK HYBRID SUBARU’S FIRST PLUG-IN VEHICLE OFFERS ITS LOYAL CUSTOMERS A TASTE OF ZERO-EMISSION MILES

p. 50

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE LOSSES IN EV MOTORS

LORD AND SCHEUGENPFLUG SCALE UP THERMAL DESIGNS

INCREASING MOTOR LONGEVITY

SMART BREAKER PANELS AND BATTERY PACKS

p. 22

p. 28

p. 34

p. 68

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THE TECH CONTENTS

22 A closer look at the losses in EV motors

22

28 Scaling up thermal designs LORD and Scheugenpflug collaborate on automotive-scale gap-filler solutions

34 Increasing motor longevity ELANTAS protects against dielectric fatigue with nanoparticleinfused insulation

28

current events 12

24M raises $21.8 million to accelerate SemiSolid battery development

13 14

12

UQM Technologies to be acquired by Danfoss

Renault’s Alliance Ventures invests in California battery maker Enevate Von Roll Institute opens new testing lab for EV motors Maxwell sells high-voltage product line, shifts focus to EV energy storage

15 16

Wolfspeed introduces next-gen SiC diode Protean and partners make plans for mass production of in-wheel motors Daimler and thysenkrupp partner to develop bipolar batteries

17 Chinese battery manufacturer CATL opens Detroit base 18 Aluminum matrix composites boast 40% weight savings for motor rotors

Freudenberg develops foldable and fireproof battery seals

19 Nidec’s E-Axle system to be used in new Chinese EV 20 SK Innovation announces new battery manufacturing plant in Georgia

17

ZF Friedrichshafen to invest €800 million in hybrid transmission technology

21

Sepion receives CEC grant for composite battery membranes DENSO to produce EV inverters in Maryville, Tennessee

THE VEHICLES CONTENTS

50 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

50

Subaru’s first plug-in vehicle offers its loyal customers a taste of zero-emission miles

current events 40 Global automakers planning to invest over $300 billion in electrification

Daimler delivers first Freightliner electric commercial truck to Penske

41 42

California Air Resources Board mandates 100% zero-emission buses by 2040 Workhorse secures $35 million in new financing

40

VW to build EV assembly plant in Tennessee

43 44 45

China to cut EV subsidies by 30% in 2019 Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle now available for pre-orders Massachusetts extends EV rebate program, tightens eligibility requirements Tesla breaks ground on Shanghai Gigafactory

46 Polish city of Poznań orders 21 Solaris electric buses

Daimler to invest more than $23 billion in battery cells by 2030

47 48

California ARB considers adopting zero-emission airport shuttle regulation

44

Hyundai reveals pricing for 2019 Kona Electric China curtails building of new ICE vehicle factories

49 Ford hints at electric version of F-Series pickup truck

Rolls-Royce hopes to shatter electric airplane speed record

IDENTIFICATION STATEMENT CHARGED Electric Vehicles Magazine (ISSN: 24742341) January/February 2019, Issue #41 is published bi-monthly by Electric Vehicles Magazine LLC, 2260 5th Ave S, STE 10, Saint Petersburg, FL 33712-1259. Periodicals Postage Paid at Saint Petersburg, FL and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CHARGED Electric Vehicles Magazine, Electric Vehicles Magazine LLC at 2260 5th Ave S, STE 10, Saint Petersburg, FL 33712-1259.

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68 Smart panels and

battery packs

Koben Systems’ integrated solutions help to enable large infrastructure installations

68

74 MUD case study

A look at a townhouse community in California that installed 26 charging stations

74 60 GM to collaborate with EVgo, ChargePoint and Greenlots

TEPCO Ventures invests $2.5 million in V2G provider Fermata Energy

61 ARDA Power’s EV Charging DC Microgrid 62 Michigan utility to offer charging station rebates and time-of-use rates

Honda unveils wireless two-way V2G energy management system

63 VW to join Tesla in the charging and energy storage businesses

New Plug&Charge system initiates charging by simply plugging in

64 VW and UK grocery chain Tesco to deploy 2,400 EV chargers

63

ChargeX, maker of Aqueduct, closes first financing round

65 New Flyer service helps transit operators through the whole EV process

Allego and GIREVE partner on charging points throughout Europe

66 eMotorWerks and LO3 Energy connect EV owners with microgrids

Hyundai unveils automated charging and parking system concept

67 Volkswagen reveals mobile charging station

Greenlots and ChargePoint announce peer-to-peer roaming agreement

64

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It becomes clearer with each passing day that the future of the auto industry is all-electric. The question now: Who will lead?

China sees an opening, and is making strategic moves to leapfrog Germany, Japan and the US (who have been dominating in ICE technology for decades) to become the leading force in EV technology development and manufacturing.

Over the past few years, China has tested and enacted a variety of policies designed to accelerate its transition to an EV tech leader. The government has been signaling to the global automakers that they will need to invest heavily in EVs if they want to continue to sell cars in China. And despite Big Auto’s best lobbying efforts, China shows few signs of changing its mind. It’s an aggressive stance made possible by a powerful central government.

The strategy is to identify where the future is headed and then race to beat everyone else there. Forcing the biggest automotive companies to develop their next-gen EV technology in China will provide a tremendous opportunity for exports as the rest of the world slowly catches up to an inevitable EV future.

A recent analysis of public data by Reuters found that global automakers are planning an unprecedented level of investment to develop electrified vehicles and procure batteries over the next five to 10 years - at least $300 billion (see page 40 for a breakdown by automaker). And these figures represent only publicly announced investments by the automakers. Much more is expected to be spent on engineering, production tooling and procurement, bringing dollars and jobs to automotive suppliers, tech firms and companies in other industries, from energy to aerospace to electronics and telecom.

The lion’s share of this activity - about $136 billion worth - will be directed at the Chinese market, where multinational JV partners such as VW, Daimler and GM are competing with a long list of local brands, including Changan, GAC, JAC, Geely, SAIC and Great Wall Motors. Some $72 billion will be directed at Germany, while the US market will receive a comparitively paltry $34 billion. In terms of investment per automaker, the US Big Three rank 6th (Ford), 7th (Fiat Chrysler) and 11th (GM).

“What we find [in China] is really the right environment to develop the next generation of cars, and we find the right skills, which we only partially have in Europe or other places,” Herbert Diess, CEO of VW, recently told reporters.

“We have very clear policies established here in China. Policymakers and regulators are requiring [a shift to EVs].”

Unfortunately for patriotic EV lovers in the US, recent signals from federal automotive policymakers have been anything but clear and forward-looking.

There seems to be a constant struggle between those who make counterproductive political promises to revive declining industry segments and those who want to address the realities of the global market to incentivize innovation in new technology at home. For better or for worse, innovation in the EV industry around the world is being driven largely by government regulation.

While China is fast-tracking an embrace of the new technology, America’s federal government continues to confuse the industry’s top decision-makers, who require clarity to make strategic investments.

Thanks in part to China’s heavy-handedness, there’s little debate about the future of EVs. Will policymakers in the US realize what’s inevitable and adapt in time to remain a major player?

Christian Ruoff | Publisher

EVs are here. Try to keep up.

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Publisher Christian Ruoff Associate Publisher Laurel Zimmer Senior Editor Charles Morris Associate Editor Markkus Rovito Account Executives Jeremy Ewald Kurt Heffner Technology Editor Jeffrey Jenkins Graphic Designers Chris Cox Oktane Media

Contributing Writers Michael Alba Jeffrey Jenkins Michael Kent Charles Morris Christian Ruoff John Voelcker

For Letters to the Editor, Article Submissions, & Advertising Inquiries Contact: Info@ChargedEVs.com

Contributing Photographers Charles Morris Nicolas Raymond Cover Image Courtesy of Subaru of America Kelly Ruoff Special Thanks to Sebastien Bourgeois

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.

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THE TECH

Image courtesy of UQM

UQM Technologies, a manufacturer of electric motors, generators, power electronic controllers and fuel cell compressors for commercial vehicles, has entered into a merger agreement with Danfoss Power Solutions, a subsidiary of privately-owned Danish conglomerate Danfoss, which manufactures hydraulic systems, drives, motors, and components for the automotive, aerospace and energy industries.

Danfoss will acquire UQM in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $100 million.

“We believe UQM will be an excellent addition to Danfoss as our products, business model, strategy and focus are closely aligned,” said UQM CEO Joe Mitchell. “Being part of a larger global enterprise will greatly improve our position to compete with other international players, open doors to new markets, and provide critical resources for UQM to continue developing the highly-engineered electric propulsion products we’re known for today. We believe the transaction positions UQM well for the future particularly in key geographies such as China and India, where Danfoss already operates.”

“We see fast-growing demand for electric solutions within buses and trucks, off-highway vehicles, and marine markets in response to the more stringent emission regulations being imposed - stimulating interest in the efficiency and productivity gains our solutions bring,” said Danfoss CEO Kim Fausing.

“With an established North American presence, UQM will complement our global sales and manufacturing footprint nicely, further cementing our strong position in the marine as well as on- and off-highway markets.”

12

24M raises $21.8 million to accelerate SemiSolid battery development

Image courtesy of 24M

UQM Technologies to be acquired by Danfoss

Cambridge, Massachusetts-based 24M has raised $21.8 million in Series D funding, which it will use to accelerate production of its SemiSolid lithium-ion cells for the EV market. Ceramics manufacturer Kyocera and global trading firm Itochu led the financing round. Previous investors, including North Bridge Venture Partners, also participated.

24M introduced its SemiSolid battery design in 2015, and has since used its own pilot facility to advance its cell design and production readiness. The company’s next goal is to bring its approach to battery manufacturing to global scale.

24M’s SemiSolid process uses electrolyte as the processing solvent, which the company says eliminates capital- and energy-intensive steps such as drying, solvent recovery, calendaring and electrolyte filling. 24M uses differentiated cell designs to reduce the need for inactive materials (copper, aluminum and separator), resulting in lower manufacturing costs.

“We’ve been working diligently to advance our innovative technology and manufacturing process to address both the low-cost grid market, and, more recently, the high energy-density requirements of the EV market,” said 24M CEO Rick Feldt. “We recognize the importance of a high-performance, low-cost solution to a market moving towards regional production, and are ready to scale our cells and manufacturing process.”

Renault’s Alliance Ventures invests in California battery maker Enevate Alliance Ventures, the venture capital arm of RenaultNissan-Mitsubishi, has joined heavyweights LG Chem and Samsung in investing in Enevate, a battery technology company based in Irvine, California.

Enevate licenses its HDEnergy technology, which is designed to offer fast charging times, superior low-temperature operation and low cost, to various battery and EV manufacturers and suppliers worldwide.

Alliance VP Francois Dossa said, “This strategic investment allows us to support the development of Enevate’s proprietary electrode technology. Continued development in this critical field will help us accelerate the electrification of our vehicles.”

Maxwell Technologies sells high-voltage product line, shifts focus to EV energy storage Image courtesy of Maxwell Technologies

Image courtesy of Von Roll Institute

THE TECH

Von Roll Institute opens new testing lab for EV motors The Von Roll Institute for high-voltage insulation in Breitenbach, Switzerland has been testing electrical insulation systems for 100 years. Now it’s continuing the tradition, but with electric motors.

The institute recently opened a brand-new eDrive testing lab to meet the high demands placed on drive systems for the next generation of EVs. Von Roll head Christoph Herold said the new lab will help the institute stay on top of the latest trends in electric motors. “Electric mobility is on the advance worldwide. The trend in electric vehicle drive systems is increasingly toward voltage of 800 volts and higher.”

When the voltage is increased, additional issues arise, such as the partial discharge phenomenon, which in combination with high operating temperatures increases the stress on the material used. Partial discharges are electrical spark discharges that locally damage the insulation and can lead to machine failure.

The Von Roll Institute has a wide range of equipment at its disposal for testing insulation materials for electric motors. This enables the simulation of different environmental conditions, such as low or high temperatures (from -45° to 350° C) and very high humidity. The effects of thermal aging can also be tested using one of 15 furnaces that accommodate parts up to 750 mm in length and up to 30 kg in weight.

14

Maxwell Technologies, a manufacturer of energy storage and power delivery technology, has sold its high-voltage product line to Renaissance Investment Foundation for $55.1 million in cash and up to $15 million in future payments. Included in the deal were Maxwell’s Swiss subsidiary, Maxwell Technologies SA, and its CONDIS line of high-voltage capacitors.

Maxwell will now focus on energy storage for auto, wind, rail, and grid markets, while further researching and developing dry battery electrode (DBE) technology.

DBE is a solventless coating technology that offers high loading and produces a thick electrode for high-energydensity cells without compromising physical properties and electrochemical performance. Maxwell says its DBE technology boasts better discharge rate capability than wet-coated electrodes.

“It is becoming increasingly clear that our DBE technology holds significant advantages over currently available energy systems for EVs,” said Maxwell CEO Franz Fink. “The time was right to shift our focus to further develop disruptive technologies and energy systems that address burgeoning global markets, notably the dramatically expanding EV market.”

Wolfspeed introduces nextgen SiC diode Wolfspeed (a Cree company), has introduced its 5thgeneration SiC Schottky diode, which is optimized for renewable energy, industrial power and EV applications. The 1,700 V C5D is commercially available in both bare die and package formats. It joins the current line of 1,700 V MOSFETs, which feature an optimized TO-247-4 Plus package that provides extra electrical isolation suitable for high-pollution environments.

Wolfspeed says its new Schottky diodes feature essentially no switching losses, thanks to nearly zero reverse recovery and the industry’s lowest forward voltage drop. This generates higher efficiencies and systems that are smaller, cooler, faster and lowercost than possible with silicon bipolar devices.

The C5D is a direct drop-in replacement for Wolfspeed’s 3rd-generation 1,700 V product.

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THE TECH

Image courtesy of Protean Electric

In-wheel motor pioneer Protean Electric has announced a collaboration with intelligent mobility specialist Human Horizons and Wuxi Weifu e-Drive Technology (a joint venture formed by Weifu Group and Protean to manufacture the ProteanDrive Pd18) to develop and manufacture in-wheel motors.

The partners plan to build a production facility in China to deliver in-wheel motors at scale.

Ding Lei, Chairman of Human Horizons, called the collaboration “only the beginning of our long-term strategic cooperation. We plan to start with cars and over time develop further innovative mobility solutions. The advanced drive system and the unique location of the in-wheel motor in the vehicle deliver a game-changing driving experience and powerful data collection solution, integrated into the intelligent car.”

“Human Horizons have rich automotive engineering experience and are one of the strongest and most innovative teams in the industry,” said Chen Xuejun, Chairman of Weifu Group. “With more than 30 years of experience working across the industry, Weifu Group has deep experience in auto parts production, continuous manufacturing improvement, mature supply chain resources and the management and delivery of sustained investment in new technologies.”

16

Image courtesy of thysenkrupp

Protean Electric and partners make plans for mass production of in-wheel motors Daimler and thysenkrupp partner to develop bipolar batteries

Under a project sponsored by the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Daimler and the Fraunhofer Institute, together with German conglomerate thyssenkrupp and engineering firm IAV, are co-developing the design and production of bipolar batteries.

Bipolar batteries are still in the laboratory stage and have not moved past pilot scale. The project, named EMBATT-goes-FAB, aims to bring these batteries to production.

In contrast to conventional Li-ion batteries, bipolar batteries have stacked electrodes connected in series. The active materials for the battery cathode and anode are applied to a common electrode carrier.

The individual Li-ion cells are not packed in separate aluminum housings – only the finished stack of electrodes is given a fixed housing. By eliminating housing components and connecting materials, EMBATT-goes-FAB aims to shave costs and save space within vehicles.

Fraunhofer will produce bipolar electrodes based on lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt oxides and graphite as storage materials. Thyssenkrupp will scale the battery up to a size of 1,000 x 30 square cm. IAV will incorporate a battery monitoring system and Daimler will perform safety simulations.

Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), a Chinabased manufacturer of battery products, has opened its first North American sales and service facility. The new Detroit base is CATL’s fourth international site, following the opening of a Japanese subsidiary in May. CATL already supplies the North American market with core battery technologies for EVs and energy storage applications. The company has entered a series of partnership agreements with automakers including BMW, Volkswagen, Daimler and Jaguar.

CATL says its battery systems have achieved an energy density of 160 Wh/kg, and are continuously improving.

By 2020, the company expects to achieve cell-level energy density of 300 Wh/kg and system-level energy density of 240 Wh/kg. CATL’s long-life endurance battery boasts a lifespan of up to 15,000 cycles, and needs no lithium titanate material, which CATL says reduces life-cycle costs. CATL subjects its products to over 270 abuse tests, including active and passive protection tests.

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Image courtesy of CALT

Chinese battery manufacturer CATL opens Detroit base

“Recent surges in EV demand require greater innovation in the manufacture and supply of parts and services to support vehicle electrification,” said Allan Wang, General Manager, North America at CATL. “Our new Detroit subsidiary will allow us to serve local needs. By locating close to our customers, we will be able to better understand their needs and improve our global supply chain. We look forward to providing more tailored customer service to our US-based partners, and are continuously looking for new partnerships and opportunities in the local market.”

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THE TECH

18

Image courtesy of Freudenberg

Innovate UK is sponsoring a number of competitions to spur companies to develop emissions-reducing vehicle technologies, with millions of pounds in grant money for the winners. One of these is Make it Lighter with Less, which aims to improve the efficiency and performance of electric motors.

This project is led by Alvant, a specialist in aluminum matrix composites (AMCs), in collaboration with GE Aviation, YASA Motors and the National Composites Centre. Alvant’s researchers have achieved a 40-percent rotor weight saving on an axial flux electric motor while increasing the rotor’s potential power-to-inertia ratio.

Alvant’s proprietary AMCs enable components to be optimized for strength-to-weight and stiffness-toweight ratios. The company’s Advanced Liquid Pressure Forming method can selectively reinforce areas of a component with one of its performance materials in a near net shape manufacturing approach. Alternatively, Alvant’s materials can be applied as discrete inserts into a component.

According to Alvant, in an axial flux motor application, its technology can not only save weight – the component’s lower mass and reduction in force means engineers may also be able to eliminate the number of fixing bolts required, reducing the bill of materials and assembly time.

“Using AMCs, we have been able to attack the weight yet retain the stiffness of the electric rotor, to minimize parasitic mass, improving the power-to-inertia ratio and therefore efficiency and responsiveness,” says Alvant Commercial Director Richard Thompson. “We can also offer better thermal resistance, up to 300° C, making AMCs a more suitable material than polymer composites for applications such as motors, batteries, energy recovery systems, fans and flywheels .”

Image courtesy of Alvant

Alvant’s aluminum matrix composites boast 40% weight savings for electric motor rotors

Freudenberg develops foldable and fireproof battery seals Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has developed a seal for Li-ion batteries that not only resists fire but “folds” to offer extra protections. Fixed aluminum elements are equipped with a sealing profile on their outer edges to provide stability and integrate mounting points for the clips used to attach the seal at the housing cover.

The elements are connected with one another using a continuous sealing profile, which is highly flexible and compensates for small dimensional deviations in the housing. Freudenberg says the installation is extremely reliable, because the foldable seal is a complete component and does not need to be assembled from separate elements.

Also, metallic inlays ensure high electrical conductivity between the battery housing and its cover. This is important for the efficient screening of electromagnetic fields that result from the flow of current in the battery.

Otherwise, the fields could disrupt other electronic components in the vehicle.

The company has developed its own endurance tests, so it can verify satisfactory operation of the seals. The process makes it possible to test the seals without using real housings, which are hard to handle due to their size.

The testing process uses a hydraulic ram with a frequency of up to 50 Hz to act on a sealed test housing, consisting of two halves, which simulates the aerodynamic torsion that occurs during driving. A slight overpressure is continually maintained inside the housing to detect leaks.

Nidec, which was founded in 1973 as a Japanese manufacturer of small electric motors, and now employs some 100,000 people in 40 countries, has developed an integrated traction motor system called the E-Axle.

Nidec’s E-Axle fully integrates the reduction gearbox and inverter. Designed to be compact and lightweight, it weighs only 83 kg, and offers a power output of 150 kW and maximum torque of 3,900 Nm. Now Nidec has announced that its E-Axle will be used in a line of cars called Aion S from the new Chinese EV brand GAC NE, the new energy vehicle arm of Guangzhou Automobile Group. The Aion S, unveiled at the recent Auto Guangzhou show, boasts a range of over 500 kilometers (311 miles), and is slated to hit the market in 2019.

Nidec plans to begin mass production of the E-Axle in 2019 at the company’s new dedicated 66,000-squaremeter factory in the Pinghu Economic Development

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Although Nidec will launch the E-Axle in the Chinese market first, it plans to make it available to European auto brands in the near future. “Carmakers from all around the world have contacted us since we announced our E-Axle, and we are currently considering building another dedicated factory in Poland,” said Dr. Kazuya Hayafune, Chief Engineer and Deputy Executive General Manager of the company’s automotive division.

Nidec also recently launched a joint venture with Groupe PSA (Peugeot, Citroën, Opel and Vauxhall) to develop and manufacture a separate lineup of automotive electric traction motors.

Image courtesy of Nidec

Nidec’s E-Axle system to be used in new Chinese EV

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SK Innovation announces new battery manufacturing plant in Georgia Battery developer SK Innovation plans to invest $1.67 billion to build a new EV battery manufacturing plant in Georgia.

The new plant will be located in Jackson County, and is expected to create more than 2,000 jobs. Construction will occur in two phases, beginning in early 2019.

The SK Group already has significant investments in the US, and currently has around 2,000 employees across 10 states. SK Innovation customers include MercedesBenz and Hyundai-Kia. “This investment will allow us to work with the growing automotive industry in the Southeastern United States, ensuring future partnerships for years to come,” said Jun Kim, CEO of SK Innovation.

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Image courtesy of ZF Friedrichshafen

Image courtesy of SK Innovation

THE TECH

ZF Friedrichshafen to invest €800 million in hybrid transmission technology ZF Friedrichshafen, a German-based automotive driveline and chassis manufacturer, is set to invest €800 million in the electrification of its transmission technology. Over the next four years, ZF will put the investment into its primary transmission plant located in Saarbrücken, Germany.

“The share of hybrid drives in production will increase tenfold over the next few years – from five to 50 percent,” said CEO Wolf-Henning Scheider.

The €800 million for the Saarbrücken plant will go towards production systems, infrastructure and ZF’s supplier network. The money is part of a €3-billion investment that ZF is committing to improve its hybrid technology worldwide.

“We see the increasing market penetration of advanced hybrid drives as an opportunity, which in our view is much more than just a bridge technology,” said Scheider.

“With longer ranges between 80 and 100 kilometers, [hybrid drives] can complete the majority of all journeys electrically and thus help e-mobility to achieve a breakthrough more quickly.”

Sepion receives CEC grant for composite battery membranes The California Energy Commission (CEC) has awarded $450,000 in grant funding to Sepion Technologies, an Emeryville, California company that’s developing a composite battery membrane designed to replace ceramic components.

Sepion’s composite membranes provide high-flux and ion-selective transport, and the company says they can be processed in large-area formats at a fraction of the cost of ceramics.

The project’s goal is to scale a prototype battery membrane that enables drop-in, roll-to-roll manufacturing of lithium-metal anode batteries with significantly greater energy density compared to traditional graphite anode batteries.

Sepion hopes the composite membrane will maintain all the safety characteristics and competitive costs of traditional lithium-ion batteries by avoiding the need for large-scale reconfiguration of existing manufacturing lines.

With previous funding from the CEC, Sepion demonstrated its membrane’s ability to support stable cycling with lithium-metal anode batteries. Sepion plans to use the additional funding to scale up production to 100 kg batches with roll-to-roll manufacturing.

DENSO to produce EV inverters in Maryville, Tennessee DENSO, an enormous automotive supplier with headquarters in Japan and 220 facilities in 35 countries, plans to produce a next-generation inverter for US OEMs at its plant in Maryville, Tennessee. The Maryville location will be the site of one billion dollars of new investment in electrification, connectivity and safety products over the next few years.

DENSO calls its Tennessee facility “one of its key manufacturing locations, which is localizing a critical product for North American customers focused on electric vehicles.”

The Maryville factory will produce the first of DENSO’s next-generation power modules, “a critical component for the smaller and more efficient inverters needed for future electrified vehicles.”

“The shift to electric vehicles will occur in stages, but we need to ramp up R&D and production now,” said Kenichiro Ito, CEO of DENSO International America. “Our long-term vision is a future with enhanced mobility, with less impact on the environment, and DENSO is committed to advancing automotive innovation.”

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A CLOSER LOOK AT THE LOSSES IN

EV MOTORS

22

THE TECH

By Jeffrey Jenkins

I

n the bad old days when the only batteries suitable for traction applications were flooded lead-acid and Ni-Cd types, the battery was the least efficient component of an EV powertrain, routinely delivering back only 50-70% of the amp-hours that went into charging it (aka the Coulometric efficiency). When you knew you were going to be tossing out up to 50% of your energy as heat right off the bat, expending immense engineering effort to improve the 85% or better efficiency of the traction motor - not to mention the 90% or better efficiency of the motor controller (whether an SCR-based chopper or a Darlington BJT-based inverter) - just didn’t seem worth it. Nowadays, however, with Li-ion battery chemistries capable of delivering Coulometric efficiencies exceeding 99%, the motor is the component with the highest losses in the EV drivetrain.

Broadly speaking, motor losses can be categorized as either mechanical or electrical in origin. Mechanical losses in AC motors mainly come from bearing friction and any wind resistance (called “windage” in the argot) opposing the spinning rotor. Purely frictional losses are a linear function of RPM and are (or should be) a small fraction of the total losses in the typical PM or induction AC traction motor. Note, however, that bearings are often packed with grease, and as such, can present a much higher loss that is more a cubic function of speed, rather than a linear one. This is because displacing any kind of fluid - from air to grease - requires power that increases with the cube of speed.

Consequently, windage - which is the displacement of air by any rotating components in the motor - tends to be one of the larger contributors to total losses. For example, a motor that loses just 10 W to windage at 1,000 RPM will lose 80 W at 2,000 RPM, 640 W at 4,000 RPM, 5,120 W at 8,000 RPM, etc. This rapid worsening of efficiency from windage losses acts as a

With Li-ion chemistries capable of delivering Coulometric efficiencies exceeding 99%, the motor is now the component with the highest losses in the EV drivetrain. powerful counterbalance to the otherwise tempting prospect of squeezing more power out of a motor by operating it at a higher RPM. Just as with the vehicle itself, minimizing the effective frontal area can pay serious dividends in reducing windage loss. Motors with smooth rotors, such as the PM and induction AC types favored in EVs, will suffer less windage losses than comparably sized motors with windings in their rotors - such as all DC and wound-rotor AC types. Needless to say, tacking on a shaft-mounted fan or casting cooling fins into the ends of the rotor are really bad ideas with respect to windage loss, and since these direct-drive cooling methods tend to be all but useless in traction applications they shouldn’t be employed anyway.

Electrical losses can also be divided into two main categories, traditionally referred to as “copper” and “iron” in origin, even when the conductors are made out of, say, aluminum and the magnetic structure/ frame is made out of steel. Copper losses include any power consumed by generating the field - and note that this includes the rotor in the AC induction motor, as well as any additional armature current required to achieve field-weakening in a PM AC motor - as well as

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Electrical losses can be divided into two main categories, traditionally referred to as “copper” and “iron” in origin. the more obvious resistive loss, and the less obvious AC losses (from skin and proximity effects).

Resistive loss, also referred to as I2R loss, tends to dominate in traction motors because they are so frequently operated at high currents and low RPMs. In this situation, total motor power is quite low - being the product of RPM and torque - but I2R doesn’t care about the RPM (voltage) component, hence when starting a load from a dead stop the efficiency of a traction motor will be downright abysmal. Using a series DC motor as an example just to keep things simple, say it takes 500 A to begin accelerating a vehicle from a dead stop and the total resistance of the windings, brushes, etc, is a rather minuscule-seeming 40 mΩ. This results in an I2R loss of 10 kW, which doesn’t seem so minus-

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cule after all, and since the shaft is barely turning - because the vehicle is barely moving - the efficiency will be just a hair over 0%. A similarly egregious amount of loss is incurred in the rotor of an AC induction motor as the shorting bars in the rotor basically act as a single turn secondary while the phase windings constitute the primary of a 3-phase transformer. It is not unusual for 10 kA or more to flow in the shorting bars under near-stalled conditions, particularly with those methods of Field-Oriented Control that attempt to operate the rotor at full field flux all the time. Still, as dramatic as this all might seem, supplying the field in non-PM field motors usually consumes about 1% of the electrical input power.

Purely resistive loss is incurred at frequencies from DC to light, so to speak, while skin and proximity effect can be thought of as resistive losses that increase with frequency. Skin effect is the tendency for current to become increasingly constrained to the outer perimeter of a conductor as frequency goes up. It is caused by tiny loops of currents being induced in a wire - eddies - by the very alternating current which is flowing through it. Such loops of eddy current are proportional to the magnitude of the source current, of course, but also the rate of change of the magnetic field (that is, the frequency of the source current). These eddy currents oppose the flow of current in the center

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anyway, before the driver is pulled over for speeding).

As briefly touched upon under skin effect, eddy currents arise because any time-varying magnetic field induces a current in any nearby conductors, including the source conductor. It is more correct to say that a time-varying magnetic field induces a voltage in nearby conductors (including itself) and that voltage causes a current to flow in a loop about the source conductor. The induced voltage is fixed for a given separation distance, area of the loop and rate of change of magnetic flux, so the current which results will be inversely proportional to the loop resistance and directly proportional to loop area and source current frequency. Consequently, eddy currents are higher in better conductors like silver and copper than they are in poorer conductors like electrical steel or ferrite (which is nearly an insulator). In fact, “electrical steel” is so-called because it is an alloy of iron and silicon specifically designed to maximize bulk resistivity without unduly compromising its magnetic qualities such as hysteresis loss and saturation flux density.

The absolute bulk resistivity of electrical steel is still rather low, however, and while that of ferrite is very high, it also has a much lower saturation limit (0.35 Tesla, typically, vs 1.3-1.5 Tesla), so isn’t really feasible to use in the armature of motors (unless they are operated at a synchronous frequency above, say, 10 kHz, which works out to 600 kRPM [!] for a 2-pole motor).

Fortunately, reducing the loop area is entirely possible by simply breaking up one monolithic structure into a stack of laminations which are insulated from each other (usually with a thin lacquer or oxide coating).

The thinner the laminations used, the lower the loss from eddy currents, but note that as the laminations get thinner their insulating coating becomes a larger proportion of the total thickness, so there is a practical

Another major contributor to iron losses is from hysteresis, which is basically the resistance to a change in the direction of magnetization or flux density. of the conductor and add to it on the periphery, which is why the current becomes increasingly constrained to the periphery. For a more concrete example, a copper conductor with a diameter of 11.7 mm (AWG #0000) can carry 500 A at a temperature rise of 30° C, but skin effect will start reducing its effective diameter (and ampacity) at a mere 125 Hz, or a synchronous speed of 7,500 RPM in a 2-pole AC motor!

The usual solution to skin effect is to divide a single large wire into many smaller ones that are insulated from each other but paralleled, however this can lead to more losses from proximity effect, which is basically the same as skin effect except it is caused by the AC current from other nearby conductors inducing the eddy currents. Basically, the more layers to a winding the higher the proximity effect losses. Transformer designers - particularly at very high power levels and/ or high frequencies - have to go to extreme lengths to minimize proximity effect, but traction motors tend not to suffer as much from either skin or proximity effect, as they don’t normally operate at high speed and high torque at the same time (or not for very long,

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THE TECH “Stray” losses are those that either don’t seem to neatly fit into any one category or which are more like rounding errors rather than significant factors. limit to how thin a lamination can be used. In more concrete terms, the typical lamination thickness is around 0.5 mm for transformers or motors operating at 60 Hz (or 3,600 RPM synchronous speed for a 2-pole AC motor).

The last major contributor to iron losses is from hysteresis, which is basically the resistance to a change in the direction of magnetization or flux density. Since the armature in all motors is excited with AC current - whether supplied by an external inverter or brushes and commutator - its magnetic circuit repeatedly experiences large swings in flux density between opposing polarities. Magnetic materials that tolerate this sort of operation need to be “soft,” - that is, easy to magnetize (low coercivity) while not retaining that magnetic moment (low remanence). Conversely, materials that are difficult to magnetize (and demagnetize) are classified as “hard,” and they tend to make good permanent magnets. Hysteresis loss is basically a measure of how soft a magnetic material is, then, and it is most strongly dependent on flux density (typically proportional to the 1.6 power).

Finally there are various “stray” losses, which are those that either don’t seem to neatly fit into any one category or which are more like rounding errors rather than significant factors. The most notable example of such is magnetic leakage, which is basically any flux that doesn’t link the rotor and stator together (which means it doesn’t do any useful work). Worse still is that this unlinked flux also subtracts from the effective AC voltage exciting the armature (because it translates electrically into inductance). The last loss mechanism considered here is common-mode, capacitively-coupled current. This current results from the drive rapidly switching its phase outputs between 0 V and bus voltage (typically around 350 V) which then causes current to flow across any parasitic capacitances along the way. While the actual power loss from these currents tends to be minimal, they can still erode bearings (through what is effectively “electrical discharge machining”) and damage the insulation on the phase windings. Oh, and cause the vehicle to fail its EMI/RFI emissions test. The quick and dirty solution is to slow down the switching speed of the bridge switches in the inverter, but that increases their losses. Yet another Catch-22, then...Welcome to the wonderful world of engineering!

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Scaling up thermal designs LORD and Scheugenpflug collaborate on automotive-scale gap-filler solutions When EV manufacturers find a high-quality gap filler that maximizes battery performance, they don’t want to hit a snag with the application system.

By Michael Kent

ne of the fundamental challenges in designing an EV battery pack is the effective management of heat generated during the battery’s charge and discharge cycles.

A basic principle of physics is that heat can be transferred in three ways: radiation (the outward propagation of infrared waves), convection (the movement of molecules in liquids or gasses from hot areas to colder areas) and conduction (transfer of energy via direct contact with an adjoining body). Conduction is the most effective means of transferring heat, but currently, some leading car manufacturers use EV battery pack designs that employ radiant methods of heat dissipation. This can result in poor temperature distribution, hot spots and EVs that are limited in performance.

Many EV manufacturers are turning to liquid-cooling methods for thermal management. For a conductive liquid-cooled system to function effectively, the battery pack must be in close contact with a cooling

O

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plate. To the naked eye, surfaces within the battery assembly appear to be quite smooth and in perfect contact. At the microscopic level, however, both surfaces have peaks and valleys that create roughness, entrap air and prevent ideal contact.

Battery pack designers use thermal interface materials (TIMs) to displace the air and fill in gaps between the two substrates. Traditionally, thermal pads have been used as a TIM, but thermally conductive liquiddispensed gap fillers are growing in popularity, due to lower costs and higher performance.

At the microscopic level, however, both surfaces have peaks and valleys that create roughness, entrap air and prevent ideal contact.

THE TECH

Images courtesy of LORD Corporation

Microscopic depiction of interface formed between two solid surfaces containing (a) air and (b) a wellconforming TIM

From buckets to barrels TIMs have a history of use in microelectronics, and in many instances, existing gap filler technology has been scaled up for use in vehicles. However, the amount of material needed for EV applications is far beyond anything else found in the electronics industry.

“In the semiconductor industry, they use small dots of thermally conductive material between silicon chips and a heat sink,” Jim Greig, Global Business Manager of Electronic Materials at LORD Corporation, told Charged. “In those examples, we’re talking about milligrams or 0.1 grams of gap filler. On the other hand, for some EV applications that we’ve been working on with the OEMs, there is between five and seven liters of material per vehicle. That is a significant amount.”

LORD has developed a product line specifically to meet the growing needs of large-volume EV manufacturing. The company’s CoolTherm SC-1200 Thermally Conductive Silicone Gap Filler is a cure-in-place, liquid-dispensed two-component system that Greig says provides excellent thermal conductivity while retaining desirable properties associated with silicones.

“We’ve engineered these EV products with great thermal properties, while also keeping in mind the manufacturing realities of large OEMs,” said Greig.

“For example, CoolTherm SC-1200 is designed not to

JAN/FEB 2019

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THE TECH

be too abrasive. It’s also designed not to settle over time - meaning that the denser elements in the material won’t sink to the bottom during shipping and storage. This is very important to maintain the thermal performance and not clog the lines of the dispensing equipment.”

According to LORD, EV designers see the value of CoolTherm, and although he couldn’t talk specifics, Greig explained that the gap filler is advancing through design trials and winning new business from major OEMs all around the world.

Beyond creating a winning product, the scale of EV applications meant that LORD needed to think bigger about the equipment used in battery pack manufacturing.

Prior to application, CoolTherm SC-1200 resin must be mixed with hardener at a 1:1 ratio (by weight or volume). Automatic equipment is ideal for mixing and dispensing to avoid air entrapment in the material.

Because SC-1200 is one of the newer materials on the market, and because of the sheer scale of EV applications, matching the product with a reliable dispensing system was a challenging priority.

The material is viscous and dense, and LORD said that some equipment that was tested with the product was unable to maintain proper mixing ratios, or experienced too much wear while dispensing the heavy material. There also were no dispensing systems apImages courtesy of LORD Corporation

Considering the large volume needs of an EV, a 5-gallon bucket could only hold enough material for three to six cars, so it became clear the only practical container is a 55-gallon barrel. propriate for the high-volume production required by many EV battery manufacturers.

For electronics applications, gap fillers of this type are often supplied in 5-gallon buckets and limited to a weight that can be lifted manually by an average person. However, considering the large volume needs of an EV, a 5-gallon bucket could only hold enough material for three to six cars, so it became clear the only practical container is a 55-gallon barrel.

Material handling and dispensing To meet the new market demand, LORD collaborated with Scheugenpflug USA on a high-volume dispensing system. Scheugenpflug is a worldwide provider of adhesive bonding, dispensing and potting equipment for the automotive market. The system created by Scheugenpflug uses 55-gallon drums, and is capable of

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dispensing high volumes.

At the outset of the product’s development, LORD and Scheugenpflug had more than a ten-year history of working together, and “Scheugenpflug had already provided proven systems that were capable of dispensing SC-1200 gap filler despite its weight and the fact that it is a dense material,” said Tim Vokes, an Applications Engineer at LORD. In 2018, Scheugenpflug launched the new larger dispensing solution, which can apply potting material at rates of up to 80 ml per second with delivery pressures of 65 bar for highly viscous materials. These speeds are made possible by a combination of Scheugenpflug’s Dos HP dispenser and its PailFeed200 Abrasive material feeding unit.

“Working with LORD, we can now offer a tested and proven solution [for a problem] that has been a bottleneck for EV battery manufacturing,” Alexander Nguyen, Lead Sales Engineer at Scheugenpflug USA, told Charged. “Basically, we took our expertise in smaller-volume systems and supersized it. We’ve been perfecting this type of gap filler dispensing design for the last 15 to 20 years, and we have hundreds of the smaller-volume systems out in the market.”

The system can apply conducting media with viscosities of up to 1,000,000 mPa∙s, and has a maximum volume-pershot of 310 ml. A 480 cm3 per

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Images courtesy of LORD Corporation

THE TECH

stroke integrated double-piston pump makes continuous material feed possible. Scheugenpflug claims the system will offer a longer lifespan as well as cheaper, faster and simpler maintenance.

With a double-pump piston - as opposed to the more widely available high-pressure-driven systems - the system is responsive to the type of material. This is a critical consideration, given the fact that many materials have characteristics that can be negatively impacted by the dispensing process. “For example, some materials will begin to separate under high pressures,” explained Nguyen. “This can negatively affect the thermal performance if your dispensing system is not responsive.”

Scheugenpflug says that its volumetric metering head Dos HP combined with its PailFeed200 drum unloader makes the 55-gallon drum unloader the fastest highaccuracy dispensing system (for the volume) on the market.

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The system can greatly increase the current benchmarked production rates by handling highly viscous and dense materials, lowering the cost of material usage, and dispensing 1 liter of gap filler in 13 seconds.

“The system can greatly increase the current benchmarked production rates by handling highly viscous and dense materials, lowering the cost of material

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usage, and dispensing one liter of gap filler in 13 seconds,” said Nguyen.

In addition to Scheugenpflug’s proactive design process, the team incorporated field testing prior to product launch. Throughout the testing phase, CoolTherm SC-1200 resins and hardeners flowed well through the drum dispenser, with no issues in processing or material stability, according to Nguyen. “We officially launched the system in 2018 and it’s currently being used in production.”

“The Scheugenpflug team has been great to work with,” added Jim Greig. “They understand the challenges the EV industry is facing when it comes to dispensing high-viscosity filled materials, along with the customer’s desire to limit pail changeovers in highvolume production.”

For EV battery manufacturers, combining a highperforming gap filler with high-performing dispensing system offers streamlined operations, cutting time and cost.

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THE TECH

A properly designed electric motor should have a useful life that far exceeds the life of the vehicle, however, some fail faster than others.

Images courtesy of ELANTAS

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INCREASING

MOTOR LONGEVITY

WITH NANOPARTICLE-INFUSED

INSULATION L

By Michael Alba

ELANTAS protects against dielectric fatigue

ike the engines in conventional vehicles, the electric motors in EVs are designed for longevity, but every device will wear out eventually. While motors have many fewer moving parts than ICEs, they are under considerable electrical and mechanical stress.

A properly designed electric motor should have a useful life that far exceeds the life of the vehicle, however, some fail faster than others. According to Stephen Tuckwell, VP and Business Line Manager at ELANTAS PDG, an electric motor’s lifetime can be highly variable.

“People have experienced motors failing within three to five years of use if they’re really badly designed,” he said.

ELANTAS is a 99-year-old company that produces insulating materials for the electrical and electronic industries.

Motors are one of the prime markets for these materials.

One potential cause of electric motor failure is a specific weakening of the insulation system that Tuckwell describes

JAN/FEB 2019

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THE TECH as dielectric fatigue. This phenomenon occurs as the insulative coating around the motor’s magnet wires gradually degrades due to something called partial discharge, also known as corona.

“Partial discharge happens when you have a high voltage in the atmosphere,” Tuckwell explained. “Anything over 4,000 volts and you’ve got the potential of creating corona.”

Corona and dielectric fatigue The variable speed of an electric motor can create highfrequency, high-voltage spikes. If the voltage of these spikes surpasses a critical threshold, corona will occur in the motor’s magnet wires. This degrades the insulation around the magnet wires and ultimately can lead to motor failure.

Corona is particularly likely to occur when an EV’s motor accelerates from zero to a high speed.

“What happens is that continued occurrence of the voltage spikes and the generation of corona deteriorates the dielectric properties of the insulation system,” Tuckwell continued. “It forms kind of a carbon track, what they call treeing, so you get these little tracks that are developed in the insulation. Finally, when those tracks break through, you’ve

36

Partial discharge happens when you have a high voltage in the atmosphere.

Anything over 4,000 volts and you’ve got the potential of creating corona. then got a potential dielectric fault situation occurring.”

The insulation system Tuckwell describes is in the form of a thin coating around the thin magnet wires in the motor. The tracks caused by dielectric fatigue are holes in this coating that start at the magnet wire and branch outwards.

If one of these holes breaches the exterior of the coating, it can be enough to cause the entire system to fail. Dielectric fatigue, therefore, isn’t a problem to take lightly. And it’s a problem that affects all variable-speed electric motors, not just those used in EVs. “It was discovered some twenty or so years ago when the industry moved from constant speed motors, where they used gearbox and belts to change the speed, to power electronics to control the speed of motors,” Tuckwell recalled.

“They started finding motors that were failing earlier than expected, and when they analyzed it they found that there was this faster deterioration of the insulation material.”

Combatting this deterioration is a step towards improving the longevity of a motor. Electric motors are used in many applications apart from EVs, and there are different expectations in different settings. But no matter the case, the longer the motor lasts, the better. Unfortu-

Images courtesy of ELANTAS

Corona ClearTM

Traditional Inverter Duty Wire Enamel

nately, in the EV industry, motor lifetime is something of an open question.

“Within the industrial motor realm, we expect the motor to last for 20,000 hours of use,” Tuckwell said. “In the electric vehicle world we’re hearing anything from 8,000 hours to 10 years. I will say that’s an area in the industry which they’re still trying to decide.”

Combatting coronas One can mitigate the damaging effects of coronas by

Dielectric fatigue is a problem that affects all variable-speed electric motors, not just those used in EVs. making the insulation system of a motor more resistant to the problem of dielectric fatigue. This is the approach ELANTAS has taken with a system that it calls coSHIELD, an insulation system specifically designed to resist the formation of trees. co-SHIELD consists of two parts, a primary insulation layer called CORONA-Clear and a secondary insulation layer called CORONA-Protect. Both layers coat the magnet wires in the electric motor. CORONA-Clear is the magnet enamel, the layer directly on top of the magnet wire, and CORONA-Protect is an impregnating resin

THE TECH Rather than having a consistent path being created by the electron, it keeps being deflected in different directions. So it doesn’t have the opportunity to develop a track.

Images courtesy of ELANTAS

(also called varnish) that’s layered on top of CORONAClear. Both layers protect against dielectric fatigue using an interesting obstacle: nanoparticles.

“We have developed a nanoparticle-containing magnet enamel which is coated on the magnet wire,” Tuckwell said. “So you have a special magnet wire which is identified in the market as corona-resistant magnet wire. Then with that you apply an impregnation resin which has nanoparticles in it. So now you’ve got an insulation system which is composed of your magnet wire and impregnation resin, but it incorporates nanoparticles.”

So how do the nanoparticles combat dielectric fatigue?

In a typical insulation system, a corona has the effect of energizing electrons to move through the insulative layer.

Over time, the movement of many electrons carves out a track in the shape of a tree. In the co-SHIELD system, it’s not that coronas don’t occur, or that they don’t affect

38

the electrons in the magnet wires. Rather, with nanoparticles embedded throughout the insulation, the electrons are not able to move as easily. Electrons will encounter nanoparticles and be deflected, which disperses their energy in different directions. Because of this, the electrons are unable to form tracks.

“Rather than having a consistent path being created by the electron, it keeps being deflected in different directions. So it doesn’t have the opportunity to develop a track,” Tuckwell said.

The insulative layers of CORONA-Clear and CORONA-Protect consist of more than just a single sheet apiece. The magnet wire will be coated in from five to twenty layers, depending on variables including wire size and the enamel machines used.

“We always say that if you take a cross-section it looks like an onion,” Tuckwell said. “You can see the multiple layers of the coating. And the reason why you do that is to ensure that you get a perfect insulation film, coating, for the final product on the wire.”

The benefits of co-SHIELD and co-SHIELD Plus ELANTAS tests its insulative systems with a method called pulse endurance, in which electric pulses of ±1,000 V are sent through the system until it breaks down. The longer the system can withstand these pulses, the stronger it is. The co-SHIELD system performs very well in this test, according to Tuckwell.

“When we evaluate the lifetime of the system, we get an 18x improvement,” he said. The numbers on the datasheet are even more impressive: during the pulse endurance test at 150° C and 20 kHz, CORONA-Clear endures longer than 6,100 minutes. In contrast, a typical MW 35 coating with a THEIC Polyester base coat endures for less than 10 minutes.

While CORONA-Clear and CORONA-Protect comprise the co-SHIELD system, a third element in the mix constitutes what ELANTAS calls co-SHIELD Plus. That element is ELAN-Film HT-180, a flexible electrical insulation layer that adds an extra 10 kV per mil of dielectric protection and a phase-to-phase barrier.

“It also has a thermal endurance of 180° C for 20,000 hours,” Tuckwell said.

The co-SHIELD and co-SHIELD Plus systems are currently being used by some of ELANTAS’s customers with great success, according to Tuckwell. “We’ve been selling it for a little while, and we’ve got a few customers already using it,” he said. “Every application we’ve gone into, it’s worked as we said it would work.”

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THE VEHICLES

Global automakers have announced plans to spend at least $300 billion on electrification projects over the next five to 10 years, according to a Reuters analysis of public data. About $136 billion will be directed at the Chinese market. The second favorite target of investment is Germany, where automakers led by the Volkswagen Group plan to part with $72 billion, followed by the US, which will receive about $34 billion.

The figures from Reuters reflect only planned investments that have been publicly announced, and they don’t include related spending by suppliers and others. The total amount spent on R&D, engineering, production tooling and procurement is expected to be much higher.

Announced investments in electrification include: • Volkswagen Group: $91 billion • Daimler: $42 billion • Hyundai/Kia: $20 billion • Changan (China): $15 billion • Toyota: $13.5 billion • Ford: $11 billion • Fiat Chrysler: $10 billion • Nissan: $10 billion • Renault: $10 billion • Tesla: $10 billion • GM: $8 billion • Great Wall (China): $8 billion • BMW/Mini: $6.5 billion • GAC (China): $6.5 billion • Anhui Jianghuai Automobile (JAC, China): $6 billion • Mahindra (India): $5.5 billion • Geely (China): $5 billion • SAIC (China): $5 billion • Dongfeng (China): $4.5 billion • BYD (China): $3.86 billion • BAIC (China): $2.45 billion • Jaguar Land Rover: $2.34 billion • Tata (India): $0.9 billion • PSA Peugeot Citroen: $0.77 billion • Volvo: $0.725 billion • Honda: $0.545 billion • Chery (China): $0.435 billion • FAW (China): $0.25 billion • Mazda: $0.25 billion

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Daimler delivers first Freightliner electric commercial truck to Penske Daimler Trucks North America has delivered the first vehicle in its Freightliner Electric Innovation Fleet – a Freightliner eM2 – to Penske Truck Leasing.

Next year, Penske will put an additional 9 medium-duty electric eM2 trucks and 10 heavy-duty eCascadia electric trucks into service in California and the Pacific Northwest. Penske will place the EVs within its logistics, truck leasing and truck rental fleets.

The Freightliner eM2 truck is designed for local distribution, pickup and delivery, and last-mile logistics applications. The Freightliner eCascadia is a Class 8 tractor designed for local and regional distribution and drayage.

Both trucks will enter production in 2021. The Freightliner eCascadia and eM2 are part of Daimler Trucks’ global electrified truck initiative, joining the company’s Thomas Built Buses all-electric Saf-T-Liner eC2 school bus, the FUSO eCanter, and the Mercedes-Benz eActros.

Daimler’s Freightliner Electric Innovation Fleet is partially funded with a nearly $16-million grant from the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), as well as contributions from the EPA and the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

Earlier this year, Daimler Trucks formed the Freightliner Electric Vehicle Council, composed of 30 customers with strong use cases for electric trucks, including Penske Truck Leasing. Members of the customer council benefit from co-development of deployment strategies for EVs, including applicable use cases, current legislation and requirements for facilities, charging infrastructure and service support.

As the first step in its infrastructure deployment, Penske Truck Leasing will install 20 high-power charging stations across five of its California locations starting this month.

Image courtesy of Penske

Report: Global automakers planning to invest over $300 billion in electrification

California Air Resources Board mandates 100% zero-emission buses by 2040 The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has unanimously approved a rule that will move the state towards the goal of a 100% zero-emission bus fleet by 2040.

Like most government programs, CARB’s Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) regulation has a long timeline – the process of proposals, meetings and workshops that led to the recent final approval has been going on since last June.

Under the ICT regulation, each of California’s major transit agencies will be required to submit a Zero-Emission Bus (ZEB) Rollout Plan by 2020 (for agencies with 100 or more transit buses) or 2023 (for agencies with fewer than 100). Requirements to purchase zero-emission (battery-electric or fuel cell) buses will be phased in – large transit agencies will be required to purchase only ZEBs after 2029.

California is home to several electric bus producers, including BYD and Proterra. Supporters of the new rule estimate that it will require the production of more than 14,000 new ZEBs. Several California cities have already announced plans to convert their bus fleets to zero-emission vehicles.

“This is the first major regulation in the US for transitioning to zero-emission buses, and will serve as a model for other states and countries,” said Kathryn Phillips, Director of Sierra Club California. “The current demand for clean buses has made California a hub for electric bus manufacturing.

We have six factories or assembly facilities located here. This rule will create even more good-paying jobs across the state.”

“From disadvantaged community members choking on diesel and gas tailpipe fumes, to college students, to transit agencies like LA Metro, to bus riders, to doctors and nurses, to environmental advocates, Californians made it clear they demand zero-emissions buses in communities statewide,” said Adrian Martinez, Staff Attorney at Earthjustice.

“This is the biggest public transportation breakthrough since we switched from trolleys to diesel buses a century ago,” said Jimmy O’Dea, a Senior Vehicles Analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists. “Bus riders, bus drivers and anyone who has gulped the exhaust from a passing truck or bus knows we must do something about these vehicles. Electrifying them is a one-two punch: we reduce carbon emissions that worsen climate change and we clean up the air we breathe.”

“Moving to 100 percent clean buses, cars and trucks is the logical next step in California now that our state has committed to 100 percent clean electricity generation by 2045,” said Emily Fieberling of Environment California.

“It makes no sense to continue operating buses – often diesel-powered – that are hurting the environment and hurting our kids,” said Environment California’s Emma Shumway. “We need to shoot for 100 percent clean buses and zero percent childhood asthma by 2030.”

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THE VEHICLES

Image courtesy of Volkswagen

Workhorse secures $35 million in new financing, works with Duke on battery leasing Image courtesy of Workhorse

Workhorse Group (NASDAQ: WKHS), which manufactures electric delivery vans for UPS, FedEx and other fleet operators, has secured $35 million in new financing from Marathon Asset Management. Workhorse will use the proceeds to repay a July 2018 round of senior secured notes, and to acquire parts to fulfill customer orders.

Marathon will provide the funds in two separate tranches: a $10-million lump sum that will be used principally to satisfy repayment of the senior secured notes; and a $25-million revolving credit line from which Workhorse may draw as necessary to meet existing and future purchase orders.

“This agreement provides meaningful near-term funding that will go directly toward building and delivering vehicles to customers in 2019,” said Workhorse CEO Steve Burns. “[Also], we have repaid, in full, our previous debt obligations from July, which will remove all covenants associated with that arrangement, including the obligation to sell our eVTOL aircraft, SureFly.” Workhorse also announced that it continues working with Duke Energy to create a battery leasing program designed to provide customers with a cost-competitive EV alternative. Last November, as the first step in the relationship, a subsidiary of Duke purchased 615,000 Panasonic battery cells for $1.3 million from Workhorse.

Duke intends to explore further development of eFleet solutions to Workhorse customers, which may include single-point management and financing of all the Behind the Meter (BTM) infrastructure necessary to support depot-wide electrification, vehicle/battery leasing and distributed energy resources. Duke and Workhorse believe a seamless integrated solution will help reduce the overall costs of converting fleets to electric power.

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VW to build EV assembly plant in Tennessee VW has been talking big lately about producing EVs in volume, but now we’re beginning to see some real action.

The German giant has announced plans to add a second assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee to build EVs for VW, and possibly other Volkswagen Group brands.

The company plans to invest $800 million and create 1,000 jobs at the new assembly plant, which will be built next to an existing factory producing ICE vehicles. The new facility is to begin producing EVs for North America, based on VW’s MEB modular EV platform, in 2022.

Last year, VW announced that its factory in Zwickau, Germany would be the first to be devoted solely to EVs. More recently, the company said it plans to have 8 factories on 3 continents producing EVs by 2022.

The first EV to be produced in Chattanooga will be an electric crossover based on the I.D. Crozz Concept, followed by the I.D. Buzz electric microbus.

VW did not say where it plans to acquire battery packs for EVs produced at the new plant. However, Electrek notes that South Korean battery producer SK Innovation is planning to begin construction soon on a $1.67-billion battery plant just 150 miles southeast of Chattanooga, where it hopes to be producing 9.8 GWh worth of batteries by 2022. VW Group CEO Herbert Diess told Automotive News in October that VW had already “sourced the batteries for 15 million electric cars.”

“The US is one of the most important locations for us, and producing electric cars in Chattanooga is a key part of our growth strategy in North America,” said Diess.

“The management team, led by Scott Keogh, is committed to continuing to increase our market share in the coming years. Together with our ongoing investments and this increase in local production, we are strengthening the foundation for sustainable growth of the Volkswagen brand in the US.”

China to cut EV subsidies by 30% in 2019 Generous subsidies have helped China to become by far the world’s largest EV market. However, the government has begun to phase out the incentives – EV subsidies are expected to be substantially reduced in 2019, and eliminated completely in 2020.

“Next year’s subsidies will likely be reduced by approximately 30% compared with this year,” a representative from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers told Nikkei. The official People’s Daily confirmed the prediction, which was unwelcome news for some in the industry.

“If subsidies for popular models are steeply reduced, sales could soften,” said an executive at a major Chinese automaker.

Subsidies are linked to driving range, so certain models may end up with increased subsidies even as overall subsidies decline. Some suggest that the Chinese government wants to use the subsidies to guide vehicle sales by model. For example, this year, EVs with a range of 150 km receive a 15,000 yuan ($2,178) subsidy – down 60% from 2017. But incentives for models with a 400 km range got a 10% boost to 50,000 yuan.

If the central government cuts subsidies as expected, local governments, many of which also offer various incentives, are likely to follow suit.

Nikkei predicts that some 28 million new autos were sold in China in 2018. “New energy” vehicles are expected to account for 1.2 million units, up 50% from 2017.

Hell announced an unprecedented coat of frost as Harley-Davidson began taking orders for the LiveWire, its first electric production motorcycle. The 2020 LiveWire is now available for US dealer pre-orders at a starting MSRP of $29,799. Deliveries to the US are expected to begin this fall.

The LiveWire, which Harley calls “the perfect combination of power, performance and technology,” is designed to be accessible to new motorcyclists and also a thrill for accomplished riders.

The H-D Revelation electric powertrain sits low in the motorcycle. This lowers the bike’s center of gravity, helping it handle well at all speeds and making it easier to balance when stopped. The powertrain produces minimal vibration, heat and noise, enhancing rider comfort.

What about that famous sound? The LiveWire is designed to produce a new signature Harley-Davidson sound as it accelerates.

Features include: • An estimated 110 miles of range on urban roads.

• Acceleration from 0-60 mph in under 3.5 seconds.

The instant torque provided by the H-D Revelation electric powertrain can produce 100 percent of its rated torque the instant the throttle is twisted, and 100 percent of that torque is always available.

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Photos courtesy of Harley-Davidson

Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle now available for pre-orders

• Twist-and-go ease of use. Electric power requires no clutch and no gear shifting, greatly simplifying operation for new riders. All riders will appreciate the braking effect of the power regeneration mode, especially in stop-and-go urban traffic.

• H-D Connect, which provides information to the rider’s smartphone about battery charge status, available range and nearby charging stations. H-D Connect indicates the location of the parked LiveWire, and alerts can be sent to the rider’s smartphone if the bike is tampered with or moved.

“We’re at a historic juncture in the evolution of mobility, and Harley-Davidson is at the forefront,” said CEO Matt Levatich. “Innovation that moves the body and soul has always been at the heart of our brand, and…we are creating the products and opportunities for existing and aspiring riders to feel the transformative power of the two-wheeled riding experience. These concepts are further statements towards our commitment to lead in the electric mobility space.”

Photo courtesy of Nicolas Raymond

THE VEHICLES

Massachusetts extends EV rebate program, tightens eligibility requirements The state of Massachusetts has announced that it will extend its electric vehicle rebate program through the middle of next year, while also tightening eligibility requirements.

Republican Governor Charlie Baker’s office announced that the popular MOR-EV program will now run through at least June 30, 2019.

Starting on January 1, the program will provide a $1,500 rebate only to battery-electric or fuel cell vehicles with a purchase price of $50,000 or below. Leased vehicles with a lease term of at least 36 months are also eligible.

Since 2014, the program has issued over $23 million in rebates for more than 11,000 cars, and has reduced the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 35,000 metric tons annually.

Massachusetts also plans to continue to support EV charging infrastructure through the VW Settlement Funds, the Department of Energy Resources’ Green Communities funds for municipalities and various utility-sponsored programs.

Tesla breaks ground on Shanghai Gigafactory Elon Musk joined the mayor of Shanghai and other local government officials for a ground-breaking ceremony at the site of Tesla’s new Chinese plant.

Tesla plans to invest around $2 billion in the facility, which is expected to have a capacity of about 500,000 vehicles per year. The company hopes to finish initial construction this summer and quickly begin producing Model 3 vehicles there. “We think with the resources here we can build the Shanghai Gigafactory in record time, and we’re looking forward to hopefully having some initial production of the Model 3 towards the end of this year and achieving volume production next year,” Musk said at the event.

Tesla’s Gigafactory 3 will be China’s first wholly foreign-owned car plant, a reflection of the country’s recent moves to open up its auto market. Local production is seen as a necessary move for Tesla, not only to minimize the impact of the ongoing US-China trade war, but to help it fend off competition from domestic EV startups such as Nio, Byton and XPeng. “Affordable cars must be made on same continent as customers,” Musk recently tweeted.

“Shanghai Giga will produce affordable versions of 3/Y for greater China,” tweeted Musk. “All Model S/X & higher cost versions of Model 3/Y will still be built in US for [the worldwide] market, [including] China.”

Shares in Chinese suppliers to Tesla, including Tianjin Motor Dies and VT Industrial Technology, rallied following Musk’s tweets.

JAN/FEB 2019

45

Polish city of Poznań orders 21 Solaris electric buses Solaris Bus & Coach has secured an order of 21 electric buses from transit operator MPK in its home city of Poznań, Poland. The 15 articulated and 6 standard-length buses are to be delivered by February 2020 at a total price of around 70 million złoty ($18.5 million).

The new buses will be fitted with Solaris High Power batteries - the 12-meter Urbinos will have 116 kWh battery packs, and the articulated units will have 174 kWh packs.

The e-buses will charge by means of a roof-mounted pantograph, and will also have plug-in charging sockets on both sides of the bus, in order to facilitate the simultaneous recharging of several vehicles.

The buses will be served by three charging sites. MPK plans to set up two new charging stations, one of which will feature two double-stand pantograph chargers, enabling the simultaneous recharging of four vehicles.

Power capacity of up to 560 kW will enable the buses to continue making their rounds after only a few minutes of charging.

Each bus features a roof-mounted photovoltaic cell system and LED lighting inside and out, in order to reduce energy usage.

Solaris has supplied more than 100 battery buses to buyers in Poland, and almost 90 more such buses have been commissioned.

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Photos courtesy of Daimler

Photo courtesy of Solaris Bus & Coach

THE VEHICLES

Daimler to invest over $23 billion in battery cells by 2030 To support its goal of electrifying the entire Mercedes portfolio by 2022, Daimler plans to invest more than €20 billion ($23 billion) in battery cells by 2030. The company will also invest €10 billion in expanding the Mercedes-Benz electric fleet and €1 billion in its global battery production network.

Daimler currently has battery supply deals with SK Innovation, LG Chem and China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology. The company’s future production network will consist of eight factories. Production has begun at the first of two factories in Kamenz, Germany, and production at the second is slated to begin in early 2019. Daimler plans to build two more factories in the Stuttgart region, and one each in Beijing, Bangkok and Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Daimler has lately revved up development on its electric truck line – the company’s first all-electric truck, the light-duty Fuso eCanter, was launched in 2017, the first Mercedes-Benz eCitaro was delivered to Hamburg’s public transport operator earlier this year, and the heavy-duty eActros is currently in customer trials.

“After investing billions of euros in the development of the electric fleet and the expansion of our global battery network, we are now taking the next step,” said Daimler Chairman Dieter Zetsche. “With the purchase of battery cells for more than 20 billion euros, we are pushing forward with the transformation into the electric future of our company. We plan a total of 130 electrified variants at Mercedes-Benz Cars by 2022. In addition, we will have electric vans, buses and trucks.”

California ARB considers adopting zero-emission airport shuttle regulation The California Air Resources Board will conduct a public hearing in February to consider a proposed Zero-Emission Airport Shuttle regulation.

The regulation would require airport shuttles serving California’s 13 largest airports to transition to 100% zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2035. It would apply to public and private fleets, including operators of parking facilities, rental car agencies and hotels.

Currently, almost 1,000 public and private airport shuttles operate at the 13 largest airports. The majority use gasoline or CNG. CARB expects the proposed regulation to reduce CO2 emissions by 500,000 metric tons between 2020 and 2040.

CARB says the regulation will not only increase the use of ZEVs in the medium- and heavy-duty on-road sectors, but also provide a bridge to ZEV adoption in other sectors.

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Hyundai reveals pricing for 2019 Kona Electric It appears that Hyundai will be the next brand to join the 200-mile club. The Korean carmaker has announced the starting price for its 2019 Kona Electric crossover. The base model will start at $37,495 including delivery. Pricing for other Kona Electric trims are to be announced shortly.

A single electric motor powers the Kona Electric’s front wheels, delivering 201 hp of power and 290 lb-ft (393 Nm) of torque. The Kona boasts a 0-100 km/h speed of about 7.5 seconds. It sports a 64 kWh battery pack and claims an EPA-estimated range of 258 miles.

Hyundai is building the Kona Electric on an all-new CUV platform in Ulsan, South Korea. It plans to bring its new EV to market in California early in 2019.

“Our new Kona Electric crossover is an exceptionally affordable, stylish and efficient compact electric CUV,” said Hyundai Motor America VP Mike O’Brien. “We’re confident it will set new standards for the segment, with outstanding value, range flexibility, cutting-edge connectivity and class-leading available safety features.”

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Photo courtesy of Nicolas Raymond

Photo courtesy of Hyundai

THE VEHICLES

China curtails building of new ICE vehicle factories In September 2017, a top Chinese official said that the country would set a deadline for automakers to end sales of fossil-fuel vehicles in the country. No details were announced, and we’ve heard little about the plan since.

Now, China has implemented new rules that seem to make it almost impossible for automakers to invest in new ICE auto factories.

China’s National Development and Reform Commission told journalists that the country will no longer charter new companies that make only ICE vehicles.

Furthermore, for existing carmakers to expand manufacturing capacity for non-electrified models, they’ll have to meet a list of requirements, demonstrating that they offer a mix of products heavy on new energy vehicles (NEVs, defined as hybrids, PHEVs, EVs and fuel cell vehicles) and that they spend at least 3% of revenue on R&D, among other conditions.

As Quartz reports, the bar has been set so high that only a few large firms, such as Geely and SAIC, can expect to meet the conditions. The new rules favor the largest companies, many of whom are state-owned.

China will also be implementing an emissions capand-trade system that will replace existing cash subsidies for the EV industry. All automakers will need to meet EV production quotas, which will increase every year.

(As with California’s ZEV program, companies that don’t meet the quota will be able to buy credits from those that do.)

Sales of plug-in vehicles are growing in China, as ICE auto sales are levelling off. However, while over a million NEVs have been sold this year, they still only made up some 0.6% of all vehicles on the road as of June, according to China’s Ministry of Public Security.

The electrification of transport is accelerating, but industry observers agree that it won’t be a truly mass-market trend until there’s an electric version of America’s favorite vehicle: the pickup truck.

Now Ford has hinted at plans to launch an all-electric version of the F-Series pickup truck, which has been called the most successful consumer product in history.

Last year, Ford announced plans to bring 16 EVs to market by 2022, and also spoke of introducing a hybrid version of the F-150 pickup truck by 2020. Since then, Rivian’s demonstration of a compelling e-pickup, along with Elon Musk’s statements of impatience to start building a Tesla pickup, seem to have upped the ante.

“We are going to be electrifying the F-Series with battery-electric and hybrid and we are doing the same for [the Transit commercial van],” Ford CEO Jim Hackett said at a recent auto industry conference. “We launched a PHEV version of Transit, and that will be on a journey of electrifying Transit globally.”

Hackett didn’t mention a timeline or any other details for the pickup.

“Tesla is talking about coming out with an electric pickup. And look what Tesla has done in the luxury segment. They’ve clobbered just about everybody,” said John McElroy, the host of Autoline This Week. “Rivian Automotive is coming out with an all-electric pickup.

You can’t pooh-pooh that people won’t be interested in an electric pickup. These are the crown jewels for Ford, the F-Series. Ford has got to react to competitive threats.”

A partnership led

by Rolls-Royce is building an electric aircraft that it hopes will reach a top speed of over 300 mph and beat the previous speed record of 210 mph set in 2017 by Siemens.

The project is part of a Rolls-Royce initiative called Accelerating the Electrification of Flight (ACCEL), which is partly funded by the UK government, and also involves corporate partners including electric motor and controller manufacturer YASA and aviation start-up Electroflight.

Working out of Gloucestershire airport in central England, ACCEL is drawing on Formula E expertise in an effort to build an electric aircraft that tops out at over 300 mph to set a new e-plane record, and perhaps someday even exceed the 1931 Schneider Trophy record set by a Supermarine S.6B that used a Rolls-Royce “R” engine to reach 343 mph in 1931.

The Rolls-Royce team is working on a battery pack with 6,000 cells that it claims is the most energy-dense ever to be installed in an aircraft. The powertrain will run at 750 V with a maximum power of 750 kW, and the pack will be cooled by an Active Thermal Management System Cooling radiator. The plane will have enough range to fly from London to Paris nonstop.

Rolls-Royce has released a cool blueprint of the racing plane with a wealth of technical details. The battery pack feeds three 750R lightweight e-motors built by YASA. The three electrically-actuated blades of the single propeller operate at 2,400 rpm with an efficiency of up to 90 percent. Sensors will monitor 20,000 points in the powertrain to provide the engineers with plenty of data on performance.

“This plane will be powered by a state-of-the-art electrical system and the most powerful battery ever built for flight,” says Matheu Parr, ACCEL Project Manager for Rolls-Royce. “In the year ahead, we’re going to demonstrate its abilities in demanding test environments before going for gold in 2020 from a landing strip on the Welsh coastline.”

JAN/FEB 2019

49

Photo courtesy of Rolls-Royce

Photo courtesy of Ford

Ford hints at electric version of F-Series pickup truck

Rolls-Royce hopes to shatter electric airplane speed record

Photos courtesy of Subaru

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THE VEHICLES

2019 SUBARU CROSSTREK HYBRID SUBARU LAUNCHES ITS FIRST PLUG-IN VEHICLE

JAN/FEB 2019

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THE VEHICLES

Subaru’s legendarily outdoorsy, naturefocused, active-sports buyers seem a very good fit for a car that can run at least partly with zero emissions from its tailpipe.

By John Voelcker

A

ny new plug-in vehicle from a maker that hasn’t previously offered one is cause for excitement, even if volumes are low at first.

So I approached my six-day test of the new plug-in 2020 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid with anticipation. Sure, its rated 17-mile electric range is below the curve, but at least it’s a start - and with Toyota plug-in hybrid electrical components borrowed from the Prius Prime, I expect a Subaru PHEV to be a good new addition to the market.

I should note up front that I’m on my fourth Subaru, this one an Outback that will celebrate its 20th birthday this fall at the relatively modest mileage of 138,000. Moreover, Subaru’s legendarily outdoorsy, nature-focused, active-sports buyers seem a very good fit for a car that can run at least partly with zero emissions from its tailpipe.

My verdict after six days and 360 miles, covering about one-third urban and suburban errand duty and about two-thirds highway miles, was mixed.

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The pros Reassuringly, the Crosstrek Hybrid remains every bit a Subaru. The hybrid variant shares all the Crosstrek’s appeal, as the sole compact hatchback that comes standard with all-wheel drive. And it delivered the brand’s legendary and reassuring traction on my steep, wet, muddy, uphill drive and a few other locations where traction was crucial.

But as the name signals, if you evaluate the car purely as a hybrid, it does well. It’s rated at 35 mpg combined (versus 29 mpg for the standard Crosstrek with continuously variable transmission) and I saw 38.1 mpg on the trip computer over my time with the car. (I didn’t have enough time to test fuel economy by measuring the distance on multiple tankfuls, unfortunately.)

Subaru says the hybrid Crosstrek can run solely on electric power at speeds up to 65 mph, and I confirmed that number - on flat or downhill roads under relatively modest power demand. It also quotes a 0-60 acceleration time that’s one second faster than the standard Crosstrek, though it doesn’t give actual numbers. The electric motors definitely gave the hybrid a bit of extra pep compared to the conventional model, which borders on slow.

Subaru also gets points for smoothness and good blending of regenerative and friction braking. The smoothness is helped by the use of Toyota’s two-motor system, as opposed to the single-motor systems used in

Photos courtesy of Subaru

plug-in hybrids from Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen and others.

Finally, as a strong hybrid, I found it easy to keep the car accelerating on electric power alone. It’s not hugely fast, but neither is the Prius Prime whose battery and power electronics it shares. The Subaru, incidentally, doesn’t use the two-motor hybrid system from the Prius Prime, contrary to some reporting. Instead it uses the more powerful system from the Camry Hybrid.

That was necessary to move a car that’s 500 pounds heavier than the standard Crosstrek, per Garrick Goh, Subaru’s US Car Line Planning Manager for Electrified Vehicles.

The cons The Crosstrek Hybrid proved frustrating in a few ways, however. Unlike the Prius Prime, it’s not programmed to run entirely on battery power until its electric range is exhausted. Accelerate hard onto a highway, and the engine kicks on and stays on for a couple of minutes until the catalytic converter has warmed up.

To be fair, that’s not terribly surprising. The Prius Prime was optimized for efficiency, with a much sleeker shape and lighter weight. The hybrid Crosstrek is an adaptation of an existing vehicle, retrofitted to meet California state regulations that require sales of set volumes of vehicles that have some zero-emission capability. It weighs more than 3,700 pounds, compared to the Prime’s 3,350 pounds.

The Subaru also suffers from a noisy engine, an area in which the Prius Prime was vastly improved over its predecessor. Partly that’s because the flat-four engine

It’s not hugely fast, but neither is the Prius Prime whose battery and power electronics it shares.

JAN/FEB 2019

53

Did the Subaru live up to its rated 17-mile range?

More or less; I got 15 miles each of two times I charged to full and then ran the battery to empty.

That’s within the 10-to12-percent margin I give hybrids on ratings. note is more distinctive, but it’s also due to the fact that the engine has been retuned for maximum efficiency at higher speeds, with the battery providing the low to medium power the conventional car’s engine had to offer as well.

When more power was needed, the result was thrashy and loud engine noise from under the hood, along with quite a lot of “motorboating,” or the experience of engine noise and road speed being entirely disconnected. Subaru’s conventional continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) have been tuned superbly to eliminate that sensation, so it was jarring to feel it return as if the car were an older Prius.

There was also a remarkable amount of whine from the electronics, especially on deceleration, a problem I noticed Toyota has all but eliminated in the Prius

54

Photos courtesy of Subaru

Prime. Goh suggested that the majority of this was the car’s pedestrian-alert feature, which he likened to the whine of a 1960s flying saucer in a movie.

Finally, the need to retrofit a largish battery pack into the Crosstrek while retaining mechanical allwheel drive meant it couldn’t go under the rear seat as it does in the Prius Prime - which does not offer AWD. Instead, the battery sits under a considerably higher load deck, cutting into cargo volume in the same way it did in the (now discontinued) Ford C-Max Energi PHEV. A conventional Crosstrek has 55.3 cubic feet of cargo volume with the seat folded, and 20.8 cu ft with the rear seat up, and still has room for a space-saver spare. The hybrid has 22 percent less, at 43.1 cu ft (or 15.9 cu ft with the rear seat up), and no spare tire at all.

Did the Subaru live up to its rated 17-mile range?

More or less; I got 15 miles each of two times I charged to full and then ran the battery to empty. That’s within the 10-to-12-percent margin I give hybrids on ratings.

Temperature played a role too: Unlike mostly temper-

C310

Globally, Subaru sells only a bit more than 1 million vehicles a year, a total just one-tenth that of GM, Toyota, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi, or the VW Group. So it has to spend its limited capital funds carefully and wisely. ate California, my upstate New York location saw temperatures that likely dipped below 40° F at night, and rose only into the low 50s at the warmest part of the day.

How did we get here?

I suspect Subaru is at best lukewarm about the prospect of building cars powered partly or in full by battery packs. The company had a small program 10 years ago that resulted in sales of about 400 Stella EVs, but that ended in 2011 after the minicar with a 9 kWh battery pack languished in the market.

The powerful California Air Resources Board, however, has extended its ZEV sales mandate from the six largest makers to what it dubs midsize manufacturers, including Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Subaru, Volkswagen, Volvo and others. Of those, Subaru and Mazda are the smallest non-luxury brands.

Globally, Subaru sells only a bit more than one million vehicles a year, a total just one-tenth that of GM, Toyota, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi, or the VW Group. So it has to spend its limited capital funds carefully and wisely. Over five years, it has completely redesigned its engine and launched a new vehicle architecture that underpins everything from the Impreza/Crosstrek compacts to the Ascent seven-seat crossover utility.

That means that electric cars have been a distant second priority for

Bidirectional DC Contactor

Inductive Loads (L/R>0.1ms) Breaking Capacity up to 750A in Both Directions Inrush Currents Capacity, up to 2500A Rated Currents of 150A, 300A & 500A Up to 1500Vdc/ac Applications Tested Short Circuit Currents up to 10kA 60% lower contact resistance 50% less Coil Power Consumption Max. 2 Aux. Switches, NO/NC Silver Plated Main Terminals Comparable Foot Print UL60947-4-1 Pending EN 61373 shock and vibration Extremely Cost Competitive German Engineering

C310@schaltbau-na.com www.schaltbau-na.com

As for the company’s future all-electric cars, we know considerably less. the small company. It turned to Toyota for the electrical components, integrated into a car that kept its flat-four “boxer” engine and all-wheel drive. That’s the car I drove.

As for the company’s future all-electric cars, we know considerably less. Subaru could turn to Toyota for the platform it will launch, reluctantly, in 2020. That’s what Mazda will do, for instance. But Subaru’s then-CEO Yasunuki Yoshinaga said in 2017 that the company planned to offer one or more existing models in fully electric versions, contrary to Mazda’s likely plans for a new model name affixed to its first all-electric production car.

In the end, if you want a more fuel-efficient Subaru Crosstrek that works well (if noisily) as a conventional hybrid, this is your only choice - and a good one. If you want a Subaru that plugs in, it’s also your only choice. In either case, it’s a Subaru first and offers

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95 years of innovation and collaboration A continuous journey to create solutions that move every person in the world.

Photos courtesy of Subaru

InnovatingTogether.LORD.com

Photos courtesy of Subaru

The specs Drivetrain

Series-parallel plug-in hybrid system combining gasoline engine and two electric motor generators

Total system output

148 HP

Hybrid battery

Lithium-ion: 8.8 kWh, 25.0 Ah; 351.5 V

AC charge port

Type 1 (SAE J1772)

EV range

17 miles

Total range

480 miles

EPA-estimated combined MPG; MPGe

35/90

Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive

Active All-Wheel Drive using an electronic coupling multiplate transfer clutch

Length/width/height

175.8/79.6/62.8 inches (with mirrors out and roof rails)

Curb weight

3,726 lbs

Base price

$34,995

those qualities second, which will reassure loyal owners - of which the brand has a lot.

Those dedicated owners who want the car, however, may have to work hard to get it. The company hasn’t commented on projected sales volume, but I strongly expect that it will sell only the number of units required to meet CARB ZEV regulations, and only in those states that follow California’s emission rules.

That means California and Oregon first, with the rest of the California-rules states to follow. Subaru

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I strongly expect that it will sell only the number of units required to meet CARB ZEV regulations, and only in those states that follow California’s emission rules. says every dealer in those states will have inventory of the hybrid, but like several other electric and plug-in hybrid cars, it will not be made available outside those areas. Dealerships in other states will not be offered the Crosstrek Hybrid.

In those states, repairs to the car’s unique electrical

THE VEHICLES

and electronic components may take an extra day for the company to bring in a regional Field Service person who’s been trained on those components. (Regular servicing, which doesn’t include those components, can be accomplished at any Subaru dealer.)

All things considered, I ended up liking the Crosstrek Hybrid. It’s a Subaru first and foremost, it’s fuelefficient, and if you regularly plug it in, you can cover notable amounts of electric miles when your travels include shorter trips and lower speeds. Did I mention I tend to be partial to Subarus?

The company says initial demand has been higher than it expected, but it’s still considering what sustained sales might look like. As of now, the plug-in hybrid Crosstrek is sold only in parts of the US, with plans for Canada now being developed.

The 2019 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid I tested had a sticker total of $38,470, composed of the $34,995 base price; a $2,500 option package that bundled the power

The company says initial demand has been higher than it expected, but it’s still considering what sustained sales might look like. moonroof, heated steering wheel, navigation system, and HD audio; and a mandatory $975 destination and delivery fee. It is eligible for a $4,500 federal income tax credit and a $1,500 California purchase rebate, among other incentives.

Photo courtesy of GM

Photo courtesy of Fermata Energy

THE INFRASTRUCTURE

GM to collaborate with EVgo, ChargePoint and Greenlots General Motors will partner with EVgo, ChargePoint and Greenlots, three of the US’s largest charging networks, to give its customers access to over 31,000 charging ports.

GM plans to aggregate dynamic data from each of the networks to offer owners of the Chevrolet Bolt EV a more seamless charging experience.

GM expects to finalize the terms of its collaboration with the three networks during the first quarter of 2019.

The myChevrolet app will soon incorporate dynamic information received from the three networks, including real-time data on charging station uptime, availability and compatibility with the Bolt. GM also expects to make enrollment for the networks easier by creating an app interface to streamline charger access, and potentially to allow activation of a charging session using the app instead of a membership card.

“GM believes in an all-electric future, and this is a significant step to make charging easier for our customers,” said Doug Parks, GM’s VP of Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Programs. “By collaborating with these three companies, we expect to reduce barriers to create a stronger EV infrastructure for the future.”

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TEPCO Ventures invests $2.5 million in V2G provider Fermata Energy Fermata Energy, a provider of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, has secured a $2.5-million strategic investment from TEPCO Ventures, the investment arm of Tokyo Electric Power.

Fermata’s bi-directional chargers enable EV batteries to provide energy storage to the power grid, reducing power loads during peak times and consequently reducing electricity costs. Fermata Energy’s proprietary software system is designed to generate income from grid services for EV owners.

“Fermata is eager to globalize our bi-directional V2G technology, and TEPCO Ventures is a great partner because they are a major global utility, they understand the value proposition of integrating EV batteries with the power grid, and they understand the storage and demand challenges facing the grid,” said Fermata Energy founder and CEO David Slutzky.

“TEPCO Ventures aims to drive the transformation of Japan’s energy industry through investing in startups with innovative solutions,” said TEPCO Ventures President Shinji Akatsuka. “As a pioneer of the Vehicle-to-Building (V2B) space, Fermata Energy becomes our strategic partner that enables electric vehicles to be used as batteries, addressing Japan’s utility’s grid challenges.”

Nissan North America recently announced that it will pilot Fermata Energy’s technology at its headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee and its design center in San Diego.

Toronto-based ARDA Power plans to construct an EV Charging DC Microgrid at an Etratech manufacturing facility in Burlington, Ontario. The grid-connected microgrid will DC-couple 50 kW of solar generation, 10 kW of natural gas generation, 100 kWh of battery storage, LED lights and a 50 kW DC fast charging station that will use DC power input directly from the microgrid’s DC bus.

The microgrid will keep its existing import-only 15 kW interface to the utility grid in the form of a unidirectional ACDC power converter. From the utility’s perspective, the microgrid will appear as a traditional 15 kW load, since all of the microgrid’s DC coupled distributed energy resources and loads will be electrically “hidden” from the utility grid behind the 15 kW converter.

The system is designed to operate seamlessly during power outages, and to allow the host site to avoid the additional demand charges that would normally be incurred by the use of DC fast charging stations.

“This system, by using ARDA’s modular DC-connected architecture, solves a major problem for EV fast charging – namely how to provide fast charging using renewable and distributed generation at an affordable cost without stressing an already stretched grid,” said Aleksey Toporkov, President of ARDA Power. “Initial customer conversations confirm that our EV Charging DC Microgrid will be extremely attractive to commercial/industrial customers driven by a desire to provide fast EV charging, while at the same time providing backup power for host properties, and reducing their ever-increasing demand charges. We look forward to completing this project in mid-2019, and welcome collaboration from industry partners during the implementation.”

“A typical station with multiple DC fast chargers

Image courtesy of RDA Power

ARDA Power’s EV Charging DC Microgrid includes gas power, solar, battery storage and DC fast charging

requires a whopping 500-600 kW grid connect with significant capital costs,” said Tristan Jackson of consulting firm Advisian, which is assisting ARDA Power with planning for the project. “Once operational, it is subject to high energy costs due to demand charges. In some cases, it may also require the utility to upgrade grid equipment to support the increased load, adding to the interconnection costs. Distributed energy resources anchored by a battery energy storage system can lower the energy cost, but if they are AC-coupled, the capital cost and risk associated with obtaining utility grid interconnection permits is daunting. ARDA’s approach allows owners to get the best of both worlds, reducing the utility interconnect to a fraction of the 500-600 kW capacity required by an AC system, while lowering energy costs thanks to [distributed energy resources, or DERs].”

He continued, “In comparison with AC-coupled EV fast chargers and DERs, ARDA’s DC-coupled system offers superior efficiency by avoiding unnecessary conversion losses that result from going through multiple AC-DC and DC-AC converters and transformers.”

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THE INFRASTRUCTURE

Honda unveils wireless twoway V2G energy management system Michigan utility to offer charging station rebates and time-of-use rates The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) has authorized electric utility Consumers Energy to launch a charging infrastructure pilot program that includes rebates and a time-of-use rate plan.

Consumers Energy’s PowerMIDrive program, a threeyear, $10-million effort, includes a Nighttime Savers Rate to encourage EV drivers to charge their vehicles between 7 pm and 6 am. Residential customers who sign up for the nighttime rate will also receive a $500 rebate for each EV. The company will also offer $5,000 rebates for chargers installed in public areas such as workplaces and multi-unit dwellings, and up to $70,000 in rebates for the installation of DC Fast Chargers.

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Honda unveiled its new Wireless Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G), a bidirectional energy management system, at CES 2019.

Developed in partnership with WiTricity, the system creates a two-way energy flow between the grid and vehicles parked over WiTricity’s Drive 11 wireless charging pad, which can be used to power car batteries or help meet the grid’s energy demands during peak usage periods.

WiTricity’s Drive 11 “park-and-charge” system is capable of charging vehicles at 3.6, 7.7 or 11 kW. Available in low-, mid-, and high-ground-clearance versions, the system is designed to accommodate passenger vehicles, SUVs and light trucks.

Honda says its future EV owners will be able to participate in the V2G program and receive compensation from utility operators. The company hopes to collaborate with energy companies to utilize the system.

“Honda is seeking new partners who want to join us in the development and user testing of our technology concepts, and CES provides a vast B2B marketplace to explore collaboration opportunities,” said Honda Innovations CEO Nick Sugimoto.

VW to join Tesla in the charging and energy storage businesses Volkswagen has announced plans to set up a new brand called Elli - for “electric life” - to sell EV charging stations, stationary storage batteries and electric services such as clean power.

Elli, which will initially be focused in Europe, will sell various home charger models, including two 11 kW wall boxes with or without WiFi and smart charging capability; and 22 kW DC chargers that can connect to a smart grid and enable V2G integration.

Elli will also deploy a network of Level 2 destination chargers, including at 4,000 of its own dealers by 2020, and offer consulting services to parking garages and other businesses to help them set up charging stations.

Reflecting the growing awareness that EVs are part of a clean electricity ecosystem, Elli will include a new service called Naturstrom that will deliver 100% renewable power to customers’ homes. Elli will also offer stationary home batteries analogous to the Tesla Powerwall.

Charging network operator Electrify America and interoperability specialist Hubject have announced a strategic agreement to develop a system that will allow drivers to pay for charging simply by plugging in their vehicles.

Hubject will provide its expertise in the implementation of the global standard ISO 15118 in the North American market. A feature called Plug&Charge, which enables a vehicle to authorize a charging session using secure digital communication, will be incorporated into Electrify America’s public and home chargers. All of Electrify America’s charging systems are prepared for Plug&Charge, and will be updated with software later this year.

With Plug&Charge-enabled vehicles and infrastructure, an EV driver will simply plug a vehicle into a public charger, and the charging session will begin automatically, with no card or app required. Several automakers are beginning to add this feature to their EVs. “Our highest priority is to enable a premium EV customer experience to our partners, and as the industry leader in Plug&Charge technology it is a natural fit that we would work together,” said Paul Glenney, North American CEO of Hubject. “This will make it easier to charge an EV than to use a gas pump.”

“Plug&Charge is a game-changing technology for consumers that will make their electric vehicle a virtual credit card when charging at our stations,” said Giovanni Palazzo, CEO of Electrify America. “Following a simple registration, the owners of electric vehicles with ISO 15118 capability will be able to plug into an Electrify America charger, and it will automatically start a charge, with Plug&Charge handling authentication and billing.”

Photo courtesy of Electrify America

Photo courtesy of Volkswagen

New Plug&Charge system initiates charging by simply plugging in, sans cards or apps

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Photo courtesy of Volkswagen

Photo courtesy of ChargeX

THE INFRASTRUCTURE

VW and UK grocery chain Tesco to deploy 2,400 EV chargers Over the next three years, VW will partner with grocery store chain Tesco to deploy 2,400 EV charging bays across 600 stores in the UK. Charging network operator Pod Point will manufacture the equipment and install the charging bays in Tesco Extra and Superstore parking lots across the country.

Customers will be able to use the 7 kW charger for free, or the 50 kW rapid charger for a market-based fee.

VW says it hopes to sell one million electric cars per year worldwide by 2025. It plans to introduce the new I.D. line of EVs to the UK market in 2019, beginning with the I.D. Hatch, a Golf-sized model, and followed by the I.D. Buzz minivan and I.D. Crozz SUV.

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ChargeX, maker of Aqueduct modular charging solution, closes first financing round Germany-based startup ChargeX has closed its first round of financing, generating funding in the mid-sixfigure range. The company will use the new capital to complete the development of its Aqueduct charging system, which is designed to enable the smart charging of multiple EVs at commercial properties and multi-family homes.

The Aqueduct charging solution is aimed at the housing industry, parking providers and fleet operators. It can be extended with additional plug & play charging points and features integrated load management to ensure that available power capacity is not exceeded. An intelligent charging algorithm uses individual mobility data to charge EVs in a time-delayed and demand-oriented manner.

Photo courtesy of New Flyer

New Flyer launches service to help transit operators through the whole process of going electric For transit operators, purchasing an electric bus is only the first step toward building a zero-emission fleet. The second, critical step is developing depot or en route charging infrastructure, and a successful deployment requires complex technical expertise.

Bus manufacturer New Flyer has announced the formation of New Flyer Infrastructure Solutions, a service designed to support e-mobility projects from start to finish, providing a cohesive transition of bus fleets to zero-emission technology.

Infrastructure Solutions will conduct site visits, provide design and engineering services, oversee qualified Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) partners to provide make-ready utility services and install chargers, coordinate UL certification, and provide on-site grid-to-bus testing and commissioning.

The Infrastructure Solutions team will be based at New Flyer’s Vehicle Innovation Center in Anniston, Alabama.

Infrastructure Solutions currently has partnership programs with infrastructure firms including Black & Veatch, Siemens, ABB, ChargePoint, and Burns & McDonnell.

“Zero-emission fleets require significant resources to build and deploy supporting infrastructure and interoperable charging, and now, New Flyer is able to lead the charge with proven expertise in project management and grid planning,” said New Flyer President Chris Stoddart.

Allego and GIREVE partner to give EV drivers access to charging points throughout Europe Charging network operator Allego has joined forces with GIREVE, which offers a platform designed to enable e-mobility roaming by acting as an interface between dissimilar systems. The two companies have formed a partnership to give GIREVE customers access to the Allego network.

By using GIREVE’s Connect Place, Allego can now offer e-mobility service providers access to its network.

Allego chose the Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI) as the technical protocol to connect with GIREVE. The companies share the common goal of increasing cross-border mobility and creating an interoperable charging network accessible anywhere, any time.

Allego operates a network of more than 12,000 Level 2 and DC fast charging stations in Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the UK. The company recently opened its first 350 kW chargers, which feature liquid-cooled charging cables, as part of the MEGA-E (Metropolitan Greater Areas Electrified) project, which will include 322 ultra-fast chargers and 39 multi-modal charging hubs in at least 10 European metropolitan areas.

“We believe that ground-breaking partnerships like the one we are implementing with GIREVE will serve to improve charging infrastructure, enhance the EV driver user experience, further [accelerate] EV adoption and expand Allego’s market position,” said Allego CEO Anja van Niersen.

“GIREVE wants to become a long-term partner of e-mobility and charging point operators in Europe, by offering them connectivity services and collaboration tools that will help them provide EV drivers with e-mobility services,” said Bruno Lebrun, CEO of GIREVE.

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Photo courtesy of Hyundai

THE INFRASTRUCTURE

eMotorWerks and LO3 Energy introduce platform to connect EV owners with microgrids EVSE manufacturer eMotorWerks has partnered with LO3 Energy to explore the idea of combining energy demand from EV charging with a local microgrid powered by green energy.

An initial project will connect the eMotorWerk’s JuiceNet EV charging platform to one of LO3’s transactive energy marketplaces, allowing local renewable energy to be traded between EV owners and the microgrid.

LO3’s Exergy platform underpins the data exchange that enables price signals and peer-to-peer transactions, while eMotorWerks’ JuiceNet enables control over local energy flows, matching the local demand from EVs and households with the local supply of green energy in real time.

“Beyond offering a way for residents to manage charging more efficiently, this partnership with LO3 showcases how powerful smart charging can be for grid services at scales ranging from hyper-local to state and national levels,” said Vincent Schachter, Senior VP of eMotorWerks.

The project is a component of a broader service portfolio designed to enable utilities to better decide when and what type of resources are used to charge EVs, and when and how EVs can be leveraged as energy resources for local grid balancing through demand response.

“As utility business models adapt from evolving regulations and competition, new products and services supporting EVs allow utilities to amplify and reinvigorate their customer relationships,” said Lawrence Orsini, CEO of LO3 Energy. “EV charging adds another option to efficiently match local energy supply and demand, and such projects’ results could open the door to more transactions among other microgrid participants and EV drivers.”

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Hyundai/Kia unveils automated charging and parking system concept Hyundai and Kia have released a video featuring a proposed system that would relocate fully charged EVs from charging stations and allow waiting vehicles to charge.

Here’s how the Automated Valet Parking System (AVPS) works: the driver tells the vehicle to charge using a smartphone app, and the vehicle automatically cruises to a vacant wireless charging station. When the vehicle is fully charged, it relocates to another vacant parking space, allowing other vehicles to use the charging spot.

When the driver calls for the vehicle, it autonomously returns to the driver’s location.

The process is enabled by continuous communication among the vehicle, parking facility, charging system and driver. The parking facility broadcasts the locations of empty parking spaces and charging stations, while the charging system updates the charging status of the vehicles in real time.

Hyundai and Kia envision commercializing the AVPS technology with the launch of level 4 autonomous vehicles around 2025. The automakers hope to begin commercializing autonomous vehicles in selected cities in 2021, with a long-term goal of launching fully AVs by 2030.

Photo courtesy of ChargePoint

Photo courtesy of Volkswagen

Volkswagen reveals mobile charging station

Greenlots and ChargePoint announce peer-to-peer roaming agreement

Volkswagen has offered up a glimpse of a future mobile fast charging station that can be set up flexibly and independently of the local power supply – for example, as a temporary charging point at events (somewhat like Envision Solar’s EV ARC or FreeWire’s Mobi Charger).

Each charging station provides DC charging at power levels up to 100 kW, and can charge up to four vehicles simultaneously (two DC and two AC), including e-bikes.

The total battery storage capacity of up to 360 kWh is sufficient for up to 15 charges. The mobile charging column can also be connected to the power grid.

“The mobile charging stations can be set up anywhere as required – with or without connection to the power supply,” says Thomas Schmall, Chairman of the Board of Volkswagen Group Components.

VW’s mobile charger is based on the battery pack of the Volkswagen Group’s Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB), so VW could quickly scale up production, and could also power it with second-life EV batteries.

VW plans to set up some of the mobile quick charging stations as a pilot project in its hometown in the first half of 2019, and to expand the program to other cities in 2020.

“This flexibility enables a completely new approach for the rapid expansion of the charging infrastructure,” said Schmall. “Cities can, for example, find out the most suitable places for a permanent charging point before making major investments in developing the network.

It will [also] be possible to set up a large number of charging stations temporarily – exactly when and where they are needed.”

Charging networks Greenlots and ChargePoint have formed a roaming partnership that will enable charging across the two networks, giving users access to thousands of additional charging locations throughout North America at no additional cost.

Beginning in mid-2019, customers will be able to charge on either the ChargePoint or Greenlots networks without the need to create separate accounts or pay additional fees, enabling a seamless charging experience.

Drivers will be able to use the Greenlots or ChargePoint mobile applications to locate charging stations, activate charging sessions, and pay for charging.

The roaming agreement is based on the Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI) protocol.

“This once-fragmented industry is building momentum towards true driver interoperability thanks to adoption of standards like OCPI that are beneficial to drivers, automakers, grid operators and charging infrastructure providers,” said Lin-Zhuang Khoo, Senior VP, Greenlots. “What’s particularly encouraging about this positive trend is that it is happening in advance of major policy changes or other external forces – a sign that the EV charging market is maturing in concert with surging customer demand for EVs.” “For more than a decade, ChargePoint has worked to create an open and accessible network that enables drivers to enjoy an effortless charging experience,” said Michael Hughes, Chief Commercial and Revenue Officer, ChargePoint. “We invite other networks to join us in similar partnerships as we seek to make EV charging ubiquitous.”

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THE INFRASTRUCTURE

KOBEN SYSTEMS’ SMART BREAKER PANEL AND BATTERY PACK HELP TO ENABLE LARGE INFRASTRUCTURE INSTALLATIONS

By Michael Alba

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Images courtesy of Koben Systems

s the adoption of EVs continues to ramp up, condo complexes and workplaces will need to provide their denizens with adequate EV charging infrastructure. However, this is easier said than done. A few chargers can be added without surpassing the power available to the building, but as more EVs join the fray, and battery sizes increase, there won’t be enough power to go around.

Koben Systems owns and operates a charging network in Ontario, Canada, and produces hardware solutions for consumers, businesses, and energy providers seeking to set up EV infrastructure.

Vic Burconak, the entrepreneur who founded Koben, says he fortuitously stumbled into the industry when he founded the company in 2010.

“The light really came on as to where the future was headed,”

A

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THE INFRASTRUCTURE

We can ramp up and cluster these battery storage solutions to basically any amount with our smart panel technology.

Burconak told Charged. “And it was pretty unique, because the culmination of my experience in sales and operating a business and engineering and electrical sort of just fit in perfectly at a very timely moment.”

Today, Koben Systems operates what Burconak, now the company’s CEO, says is the largest charging network in Ontario, consisting of a mix of several hundred Level 2 and Level 3 chargers across the province.

Beyond the operation of its charging network, Koben Systems provides two other products aimed at the EV market: EVOLVE EVSF, a battery pack to pair with EV chargers in workplaces and condos, and the GENIUS smart panel, a breaker panel that adds intelligence to a building’s circuits.

“We’re heavily involved with integrated solutions and services not only for the EV market but for renewable and demand response,” said Burconak. “And now we’re starting to deal with utilities as well as providing integrated solutions for EV charging station installers to allow mass deployment in condos and workplaces through integrating battery storage like our EVOLVE system.”

The EVOLVE battery pack “Some of our competitors utilize load splitting or load sharing, which is okay when you have 5 to 10 chargers,” said Burconak. “But as the industry improves, and some of the vehicles now have 100 kWh batteries, it’s impractical to be doing load sharing and load splitting. You only have 24 hours in a day. And if you try to charge a large bank of 100 kWh EVs with basically 1.2 kW, it’s not going to happen.”

Koben’s solution is the EVOLVE battery pack, a

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scalable system that can store a building’s excess energy capacity and make it available for EV charging. Using what the company calls store-and-forward technology, EVOLVE stores energy from the grid at off-peak rates and forwards it to EV chargers when the demand is high.

“We can ramp up and cluster these battery storage solutions to basically any amount with our smart panel technology that provides proper sophisticated load management to deliver a full 7.2 kW of power for these larger vehicles that are equipped with larger batteries.

It makes it much more practical,” Burconak said.

The EVOLVE system starts at a capacity of 50 kWh, though it can be scaled up as energy demands increase.

Koben manufactures the system and pack enclosure.

Burconak anticipates that installations will begin in May or June of this year.

The GENIUS smart panel Next to EVOLVE, Koben Systems’ main offering is the GENIUS smart panel, an alternative to standard breaker panels for residential, retail and commercial sites. The computerized GENIUS panel replaces the standard mechanical panel, providing all the same functionality while adding intelligent monitoring and control of circuit activity. GENIUS provides real-time energy usage data, the ability to integrate multiple renewable sources, and the ability to automatically switch and filter loads. Combined with the EVOLVE battery pack, Burconak sees the GENIUS panel as a

Images courtesy of Koben Systems

If you fast forward 5 years from now for what's coming in vehicle adoption, a lot of buildings in North America cannot support that type of volume. way to significantly reduce energy costs associated with EV charging.

“We’re seeing a lot of locations that are struggling with high costs,” he said. “If you fast forward 5 years from now for what’s coming in vehicle adoption, a lot of buildings in North America cannot support that type of volume. We’re working on projects with 150

Level 2 [chargers] in one building, up to 400 in another building. So when you do the math for the power, it’s huge. Demand charges also play a very large part, and GENIUS can ensure that demand charges are reduced and available capacity is never exceeded. And we specialize in behind-the-meter integration for batteries and our GENIUS panel.”

One of the primary ways GENIUS helps facilities manage this power requirement is through the integration of renewable resources such as solar panels.

The panels can collect solar energy during the day and store it in the EVOLVE battery packs, and the GENIUS panel will route power as needed. If they like, users can even program the panel to ensure EV chargers are supported only by this solar energy.

This is just part of the control that GENIUS provides users over their circuits. Users can also prioritize their appliances to ensure that, if power demand exceeds the available supply, power is routed to their most impor-

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THE INFRASTRUCTURE

The integrated approach In Burconak’s view, the strength of the company’s energy portfolio lies in the integrated and intelligent nature of its products, EVOLVE and GENIUS. “We’ve now recognized that the integrated solution is where everything is going,” he said. “Because a charger is a charger like a phone is a phone. And the

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Images courtesy of Koben Systems

tant appliances first. In Koben’s view, an EV charger is just another appliance - users can program the GENIUS to ensure that their EV is the last item ever to lose power.

“We treat EV charging as an appliance, which it actually is,” said Burconak. “So for us the characteristics of an EV charger, or a stove, or a dryer, from an electrical perspective is exactly the same, whether it requires 20 amps or 50 amps to operate.”

The GENIUS panel is designed and manufactured in Israel and Manila, and has been deployed globally. Currently, there are two versions of the panel: a North American version and a European version with a smaller footprint for condos. Both are UL-approved.

Koben also plans to make the GENIUS panel available to installers of EV equipment.

“We’re making the GENIUS available to EV installers because we recognize that a lot of the installers in North America, when they come into an environment and they’re going to be installing several chargers, they have to buy an electrical panel in most cases,” explained Burconak. “So if you’re going to be spending that kind of money on an electrical panel, why not get something that sets you up for the next 25 or 30 years?

Something that’s interconnected and has the artificial intelligence to carry one through to the next levels.”

The important aspects are the openness of the platform, making sure they’re interchangeable, and the integrated solutions that provide site hosts the ability to curtail a lot of costs and have something that’s truly future-proof and scalable.

important aspects are the openness of the platform, making sure they’re interchangeable, and the integrated solutions that provide site hosts with the ability to curtail a lot of costs and have something that’s truly future-proof and scalable.”

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THE INFRASTRUCTURE

MUIR COMMONS A case study in MUD EV infrastructure O ne of the thorniest problems with the transition to EVs is how to provide charging infrastructure for residents of multi-unit dwellings. In California, the world’s laboratory of electromobility, at least one electric utility is offering an incentive program to help owners of MUDs get charging stations set up for their tenants.

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), which provides electricity to most of the northern two-thirds of California, has set a goal of installing 7,500 Level 2 chargers at multi-unit dwellings and workplaces between 2018 and 2020. PG&E’s EV Charge Network Program offers grants and installation assistance to property owners who have at least ten parking spots available for charging locations.

Muir Commons, a townhouse community in Davis, California, took advantage of the program to install 26 charging stations, one for each residential unit. Muir Commons, which opened in 1991, is a “cohousing complex,” featuring private homes clustered around shared spaces, and it has long been at the forefront of adopting

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By Charles Morris

PG&E has set a goal of installing 7,500 Level 2 chargers at multi-unit dwellings and workplaces between 2018 and 2020.

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THE INFRASTRUCTURE renewable energy technologies. In 2002, the community self-funded and installed what was the largest rooftop solar installation in the city at the time.

Muir Commons resident Eugen Dunlap is a longtime EVangelist - he owned an EV1 back in the day, and currently drives a Chevy Spark EV. He and fellow resident Corey Bock spearheaded the charging project. “The challenge is clear,” said Dunlap. “How do we develop access to pollution-free transportation for apartment and townhouse dwellers? We looked at all the options, and with the blessing of the Muir Commons board of directors, partnered with PG&E to have the charging stations installed in the community’s parking lot.”

“Muir Commons is the ideal environment to test this concept,” added Dunlap. “We have a track record of being ahead of the curve when it comes to energy technology.”

Difficulties presented themselves at the beginning.

The transformer serving the complex was already operating at 100% capacity, so a new one had to be installed. It was also necessary to do extensive trenching to run electrical conduits across the parking lot. Such situations are probably not uncommon when retrofitting an existing property with a substantial number of chargers, so technical and financial assistance from a local utility is likely to be essential. Without the grant from PG&E, Dunlap estimates that installation costs would have exceeded $20,000 per charger.

Dunlap found the application process for PG&E’s

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The challenge is clear. How do we develop access to pollution-free transportation for apartment and townhouse dwellers?

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THE INFRASTRUCTURE

Getting the project approved by all the neighbors was a challenge. Each household had to contribute to the cost. program to be simple and straightforward. Getting the project approved by his neighbors was more of a challenge. Each household had to contribute to the cost - PG&E originally wanted each resident to pay $1,150, which it calculated was equivalent to the cost a singlefamily homeowner would pay to install a charger.

However, this was a non-starter with the residents who didn’t own EVs. In the end, the utility agreed to charge each household $550, to be paid off in installments of $25 per month, interest-free. Residents who later buy an EV will qualify for an additional $800 grant.

The chargers were provided by EVBox, a rapidly growing firm that was founded in the Netherlands in 2010, and now has an installed base of over 60,000 chargers in 45 countries. PG&E offers a couple of different ownership options to participants in its EV Charge Network Program. The Muir Commons residents opted for an arrangement under which PG&E will own the hardware for 10 years, after which ownership will pass to the residents.

The 26 charging stations have been up and running since last August, and Dunlap reports that they work

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perfectly. There is one problem, however - it turns out that MUD properties have to pay for power at a commercial rate of around 20 cents per kWh off-peak, whereas individual homeowners pay a special EV rate of around 12 cents. “It’s unfair for two reasons,” says Dunlap. “It’s more expensive to put chargers in, and we have to pay more for power.”

This situation probably won’t last, however. PG&E has applied to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for approval to offer a special rate for MUDs, and the utility is also planning to implement a “super-off-peak rate” in the early mornings when generation from solar arrays is at its highest level. The Muir Commons residents are an eco-savvy bunch - some work for the California Air Resources Board - so they’ll surely be able to navigate the bureaucratic byways and get the best electrical rate available. Mr. Dunlap is happy to help folks who aren’t so well-connected. He invites anyone needing help with setting up MUD or workplace charging infrastructure to contact him at eugen@evsplussolar.org.

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S DE I OV L L E S PR O A NC SS S T RE PA ES FE E C N O N AC C O UR FO

Want to charge at these Manhattan parking garages?

Fuggedaboutit! By Charles Morris harging infrastructure is being rolled out around the world at an impressive pace, but the day when convenient public charging is the norm is still a long way away in most areas. In a previous column, we ranted about chargers that always seem to be out of order, or inaccessible for various reasons, here in Charged’s home state of Florida. We regularly receive reports from around the country of problems that prevent EV drivers from using public chargers.

ICEing (drivers of dinosaur-burners parking in EV charging spaces, intentionally or otherwise) is a frequent occurrence. The latest annoying trend is what some are calling ICE-holing: the malicious blocking of Tesla Superchargers and other public chargers by haters in pickup trucks, some of whom boast about their obnoxious behavior on Twitter, and even chant anti-EV slogans to add insult to injury. (Tesla is testing a prototype device in China that’s designed to put an end to this game by blocking a parking space until it’s unlocked using a Tesla-specific app.)

Charging stations in parking garages seem to be particularly prone to problems. A Reddit user recently caused an explosion of online outrage when he posted photos of chargers at two different Manhattan parking facilities that appear to have been installed in locations where they can’t actually be used for charging. Charged spoke with the EV driver who took the photos, and while it isn’t clear that the chargers were sited with any spiteful intent, the chances of getting your EV charged in either of these garages seem very slim.

Parking in New York City is not as simple as driving into a garage and finding a free space. Typically when you park, you leave your key with a valet and specify the time when you intend to pick up your car. It’s then up to the attendant to move all the cars around so that the later departures are in back and the earlier departures are in front. There aren’t actually enough spaces for all the cars that park in the garage, so they’re packed in tight. If you return early, you may find that you have to wait for them to shuffle cars around. Similar systems are found in other cities where parking space is at a premium.

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Charging stations in parking garages seem to be particularly prone to problems.

EV parking adds a new dimension, as the valets may need to disconnect your car to allow another car to get out - and then reconnect you to resume charging. Our correspondent, who visited several garages in his quest for a reliable place to park and charge, found that some attendants seemed unsure how to charge at all, so “whether you’ll get an opportunity to charge very much seems to depend on the attendant and how busy the garage is.”

A brief survey of user comments on the Chargepoint and Plugshare sites reveals a litany of complaints about garages in lower Manhattan: permanently-ICEd spots; attendants who are clueless; others who attempt to exact a hefty cash fee for what’s supposed to be a free charging site.

The story does have a happy ending, at least for our friend, who reports that he is now parking at a facility in the area that “actually does a great job of charging - they have proper wall chargers that are not pay-peruse.”

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