Electrification

There are many reasons why no automaker in the U.S. has rented their BEV batteries, as Vietnamese automaker VinFast wants to do.

Ford’s Maverick compact pickup and Bronco off-roader show off the automaker’s engineering capabilities across two widely different light-vehicle segments.

Blink and Wallbox introduce new chargers for home and commercial use at CES, WirelessCar wants to alleviate range anxiety, while upstarts REE and Lightning show off commercial BEV platforms.

In a world full of BEVs offering 3-4 miles per kWh, the Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX registers a stunning 6.2 miles per kWh, giving the vehicle more than 600 miles of range from a sub-100-kWh battery.

BEVs need to hit 350 miles or higher in the next four years, respondents to the Wards Intelligence Battery Electric Vehicle Future survey say.

Improving the efficiency of electric motors is the core technology under development by Exro Technologies. The company’s Coil Driver employs a patented system of motor management that can eliminate the need for multiple motors to power everything from electric bicycles to medium-duty trucks.  

Toyota ups its BEV lineup but still is keeping ICEs around, while a Canadian recycler is expanding a facility and paper batteries that biodegrade in a month are developed.

A new nationwide fast-charging network is coming, while a union-specific spiff for BEVs in the U.S. remains a point of contention.

The No.1 Japanese automaker appears to have no way to go but ZEV in Europe, while Tesla and SK are asking for tariff waivers to get Chinese material for U.S. batteries.

Battery expert John Warner signals high hopes for solid-state technology, says battery cost targets are in sight, questions Toyota’s less-aggressive approach to BEVs and frets about America’s spotty battery-supply chain.

Nissan finally, after more than a decade of basically sitting out the electrification game, has big plans. But will the vehicles come too late?

Analysts say suppliers are ramping up battery capacity and making other strategic investments as demand for battery-electric vehicles hits new highs in 2021.