US aircraft manufacturer Boeing has invested a further $450 million in Wisk Aero, the joint venture between Kitty Hawk and Boeing to develop electric aerial taxis. The investment is intended to further the development of Wisk’s sixth-generation eVTOL and fund preparations for the start of series production.
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Electric aircraft company Wisk has just signed a letter of intent with the New Zealand government. The company may now start the first trials carrying passengers in its eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft). Wisk is now pushing ahead with its production and commercialisation plans with Boeing.
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Porsche and Boeing signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore what they consider the market for urban air mobility (UAM). As part of the partnership, the companies will create an international team to gather insight on new mobility applications.
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A few days after the maiden flight of its hybrid aircraft based on a Cessna 337, Ampaire announces its first order. Personal Airline Exchange (PAX) has ordered 50 of the converted parallel hybrid aircraft, with an option for 50 more.
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Boeing has absolved a successful test flight with a VTOL that they now call Passenger Air Vehicle (PAV). Boeing announced that the prototype has just completed a controlled takeoff, hover and landing during the test conducted in Manassas, Virginia.
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Boeing will work with Japanese companies, universities and the government to develop technologies for next-generation lightweight electric aircraft. Partners include GS Yuasa for battery development and Sinfonia Technology and Tamagawa Seiki for the aeroplane’s engines.
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Boeing spin-off Aurora Flight Sciences launches an autonomous lightweight airplane called Odysseus. Thanks to advanced solar cells that deliver 250 watts, the solar plane can fly “practically indefinitely” at high altitudes and will take off for the first time in spring 2019.
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The Japanese government is working on founding an industry consortium to realise electrified flying car technology. A total of 21 companies are said to be involved, including Uber, Airbus and Boeing.
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Remember Boeing’s infamous Dreamliner and its burning batteries? Well, its reputation has been repaired and the following clip may elevate the plane into the hall of fame, just because it is in tow of a Tesla Model X.
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Boeing has invested in Berkeley-based Cuberg, a startup which counts former students from Stanford University among its founders. The researchers are working on a lithium metal battery for potential aerospace applications.
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U.S. aircraft manufacturer Boeing presents the prototype of an unmanned VTOL model, capable of carrying a payload of up to 225 kilos. The aircraft’s dimensions are 4.57 x 5.49 x 1.22 metres, it weighs 339 kilos and features eight counter rotating blades.
Read moreBoeing bets on flying cabs: The U.S. planemaker has acquired Aurora Flight Sciences that has last been on the news with its VTOL sponsored by the Pentagon and also for working with Uber Elevate. The firm has been advancing autonomous flying capabilities since 1989. The acquisition has yet to be approved by the U.S. Defense Department as it includes the transfer of Aurora’s novel technologies.
bloomberg.com, boeing.mediaroom.com
And Boeing backs another high flyer in Zunum Aero, a company working on a small hybrid airplane due by 2022. Using two electric motors and an engine, Zunum says its commuter aircraft can carry up to 12 passengers at speeds of 550 kph on trips of under 1,600 km. Once battery technology advances by the end of the decade though, Zunum Aero wants to offer planes for up to 50 people flying ever further.
reuters.com
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Wallbox launches a new charging system at EVS30 that interacts with you, Copper: Among several new features of existing products, Wallbox is presenting at the EVS30 for the first time their most innovative charger, Copper, which includes Facial Recognition and Sense Technology. Come and see the Copper at the EVS30, Hall 1, Booth G31.
www.wallbox.com
Across the pond, Airbus has been busy to move into electric airspace for some time already and says its all-electric CityAirbus is ready to start real world tests before the end of 2018. Testing the electric propulsion system has been concluded successfully and so soon, the 4-person plane may zigzag the sky at 120 kph and can also start and land vertically.
futurism.com, airbus.com
Smarter converters: Researchers from Purdue University researchers have come up with a smaller, more efficient drive system for hybrid and electric vehicles. They designed an improved power inverter that can be used to convert direct current electricity into alternating current to power a motor.
phys.org
Video tip I: It sounds like something straight of a science fiction film, but this guy can summon his Tesla just by thinking of it! It is made possible by Emotiv Insight that translates brain activity into data.
youtube.com via electrek.co
Video tip II: Think you have seen all possible match ups for drag races? In this video, a Tesla Model S goes up against a Boeing 737 from Qantas and… oh, we won’t tell you the outcome. See for yourself.
youtube.com
Events for the upcoming week: H2Mobility Conference (April 12; Berlin, Germany) ++ New Mobility (April 12-13; Leipzig, Germany) ++ VDIK Congress: Alternative Propulsion (April 12; Leipzig, Germany) ++ AVERE E-mobility Conference (April 13-14; Amsterdam, Netherlands)
You can find a complete list of upcoming industry events at electrive.com/calendar
Autonomous hybrid submarine: Boeing unveiled its unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV). The Echo Voyager submarine can run alone and submerged for months on end on one charge at depths of over 3,000 metres. It is propelled by a diesel-electric system that recharges itself without a support ship. Just how, Boeing would not say. Trials will begin this summer in California.
gizmag.com, abc13.com, youtube.com
Big battery deal: China BAK sealed a deal with Sysgration to supply 6m units of power packs this year, which Sysgration will use in its battery packs for electric vehicle manufacturers. Based on LiFEPO4 chemistry, the batteries have 2.2 Ah capacity with 3.2 V.
benzinga.com, greencarcongress.com
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Electromobility powered by Siemens – Siemens is presenting its drivetrain solutions for hybrid and electric cars on the “Vehicle Show Electromobility” in Bad Neustadt a.d.S on 16th and 17th. Find Siemens at the fairground of the demo city for electromobility and take a glance on the latest innovations.
www.siemens.com/electriccar
Open for testing: The open design EV that the Uniti project team has reportedly been working on for a few months is taking virtual reality test rides at the CeBIT in Hanover. The Kepler Pod 1.0 hardware hosts the entire user experience.
prlog.org, instagram.com (pics and videos)
Gold for fuel cells: Researchers at Kyushu University found gold nanoparticle could replace platinum as catalysts for fuel cells. While they exhibit excellent performance data, the production of one-size particles proves difficult so far. The article is openly available.
nature.com (report) via greencarcongress.com
Most clicked link on Wednesday was the start of our new series that looks at urban infrastructure and the different strategies with which cities tackle EV charging. Welcome to Hamburg!
electrive.com
Intertek Test Center grows: The corporation expands its ‘Center for E-Mobility and Transportation Technologies’ in Kaufbeuren, Germany. An abuse bunker with a volume of 160 cbm for batteries with up to 1,000 Volt is set to be finished in April. Other new battery testing facilities will follow in summer.
imittelstand.de
Dreamliner grounded again: The 787 continues to be a nightmare for Boeing. White smoke from a melted battery cell was discovered in a 787 on Tuesday and the jet has been grounded in Tokyo since. Dreamliners were taken out of service last year already due to battery overheating. Boeing is currently examining the incident while other 787 remain in the air.
reuters.com
Autonomous charging: The Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has deployed the first V2G aggregation system that is qualified by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). The system detects if grid frequency is dropping below a level specified by ERCOT when charging a fleet of EVs and automatically suspends charging until grid stability recovers.
electriccarsreport.com, swri.org
Moving hotspots: This summer, Chevrolet will add high speed data connections to some of its cars, including the Volt and Spark EV. To offer 4G LTE connectivity, GM is pairing their OnStar infotainment system with AT&T’s 4G network.
green.autoblog.com
