Flow-cell to go serial: nanoFLOWCELL is currently working with Bosch, PROCEDA and others on two prototypes of the QUANT e, head of technology Nuncio La Vecchia said. The companies want to increase performance as well as prepare the flow-cell vehicle for homologation. nanoflowcell.com
Inner visions I: Chemists at New York and Cambridge Uni have found a way to look into the inner workings of supercapacitors. Their technology is based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and offers a way to monitor the molecule’s behaviour and possibly enhance the performance of such devices. nyu.edu, chargedevs.com
Inner visions II: With the same aim but other means and objects of interest, researchers from Brookhaven National Laboratory monitor what is going on at the cathode of lithium iron phosphate batteries during charging to learn more about the destructive effects of quick charges. sciencedaily.com, greencarcongress.com
Hydrogenase instead of platinum? Researchers from the Ruhr-University Bochum and the Max-Planck-Institute Mülheim an der Ruhr have developed a protective shield for bio-catalysts in fuel cells. The hydrogenases that serve as catalyst do not have direct contact with the electrode but are packed within a redox hydrogel making the use of inexpensive material viable. sciencedaily.com, phys.org
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Most clicked link on Wednesday was Tesla’s tweet of a Hummer being parked at a Supercharger site, reassuring that this was not the new Model X. cleantechnica.com
Foreign “domestic” production: Toyota Motor Auto Parts has started localised production of continuously variable transmissions (CVT) in China. It is the first time for the company to produce transmissions outside Japan and it will be followed by another premiere in 2015, when production of transaxles for hybrid vehicles is set to start. greencarcongress.com, toyota.co.jp
American-Hungarian e-bus: Inter Tan-ker from Hungary will equip its electric mini bus with UQM Technologies’ PowerPhase motor and controller. The electric bus has a said range of 300 kilometres and will be the first to be be approved for road use by the Hungarian National Transport Authority. wsj.com, businesswire.com
New testing systems: Sakor Technologies is now offering a complete test bench for electric and hybrid vehicles. The system includes AccuDyne AC motoring dynamometers, a DC battery simulator, and a DynoLAB PT data acquisition and control system. Another testing system for electric drives and inverters is being offered by HBM. greencarcongress.com (Sakor), hybridcars.com (HBM)
QUANT e fully explained: Kelly Taylor scrutinises the car that “runs on saltwater,” or, in technical terms, with NanoFlowcell technology. To get a better understanding of the 800-hp sports car, Taylor even ventures into the relative depths of fuel cells and the origins of flow cell technology in 1976. thechronicleherald.ca
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Most clicked link on Wednesday was the news about the addition of new electric bicycles to Specialized’s Turbo line. bike-eu.com
Skoda plug-in to come? The new Skoda Superb will be offered as a plug-in hybrid by 2016, AutoExpress reports. The insider information further specified that the Skoda will use the technology of the VW Passat, which would be a 154 hp gasoline engine coupled with a 75 kW electric drive. autoexpress.co.uk
QUANT e gets approval: The electric sports limousine has been approved by TÜV Süd in Munich for use on European roads. It uses NanoFlowcell technology by a small company of the same name, which is now working on the homologation for the series production. electriccarsreport.com, puregreencars.com
The BMW i8 is set to arrive on the British Isle this Saturday after its launch in Germany last month. In the UK, the hybrid sports car is priced from 94,845 pounds, including a 5,000-pound government grant. The i8’s petrol engine is made at the BMW Hams Hall facility in Birmingham. thegreencarwebsite.co.uk
REX to BEV ratio: George Betak from InsideEvs attempted to find out how many of the i3s sold in the U.S. come with the range extender. Based on serial numbers, he estimates a 3:2 ration between the i3 with range extender and without. But sales of the all-electric version are on the rise. insideevs.com
Nissan to electrify Puerto Rico: The Japanese apparently have begun selling the Leaf on the Caribbean island which is an unincorporated territory of the States. The Leaf is the first EV to be sold in Puerto Rico and will start at a price of 33,480 dollars. But thanks to a new law, all import tariffs will be reimbursed. elnuevodia.com (in Spanish) via hybridcars.com
Lexus NX 300h review: John Voelcker drove Toyota’s latest luxury offering in the U.S. and found it to be the “least hybrid-feeling hybrid” he has driven lately. According to Voelcker this has been achieved by effective noise suppression and giving the acceleration a more “natural feel.” greencarreports.com
QUANT e unveiled: The long awaited electric sport limousine features four motors (one per wheel) with a total power output of 644 kW enabling a top speed of over 380 kph (236 mph). The nanoFLOWCELL technology gives the vehicle a range of 600 kilometres (373 miles). A manufacturing prototype should be ready by the end of the year and commercialisation is planned for 2015. insideevs.com, technologicvehicles.com (with promotional video)
Subaru torque vectoring: The new version of the Subaru Viziv concept is equipped with an all-wheel-drive and three electric motors. One works in combination with the 1.6-litre diesel engine to power the front wheels, while the other two drive the rear of the plug-in hybrid, allowing for different levels of torque to be applied to each back wheel. thegreencarwebsite.co.uk
Kia shows 48 V hybrid: The Korean carmaker unveiled it all-new mild hybrid system with a 48 volt lead-carbon battery at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. Other than li-ion batteries, this technology requires no active cooling and is more easily recyclable, Kia developers say. greencarcongress.com, puregreencars.com
Formula E car gets ready: The fully electric Spark-Renault SRT_01E race car completed its 1,000th test-kilometre without any problem. The 200 kW battery also passed the trial. Further tests will take a closer look at the Michelin tires used, before the racer is ready for its first official competition in Beijing in September. green-motors.de (description of tests; in German), fiaformulae.com
Flow-cell to go serial: nanoFLOWCELL is currently working with Bosch, PROCEDA and others on two prototypes of the QUANT e, head of technology Nuncio La Vecchia said. The companies want to increase performance as well as prepare the flow-cell vehicle for homologation.
