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Electron beams offer faster, more precise welding

Cambridge Vacuum Engineering (CVE) is working with Ford on automating electron-beam welding, writes Nick Flaherty. The EB-eDrive project will examine how to scale up electron-beam welding for joining copper and aluminium components in electric motors.

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StoreDot and Polestar demo 10-min charge with Si-dominant cells

StoreDot, a manufacturer of extreme fast-charging (XFC) battery technology for electric vehicles (EVs), and Polestar, an electric performance car brand, have charged an EV in just 10 minutes. A 77 kWh battery pack, powered by StoreDot’s XFC high energy (300 Wh/kg) silicon-dominant battery cells, installed in a Polestar 5 prototype, was charged from 10% to 80% in less than 10 minutes.

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Powered by Everrati reveals growth for luxury vehicle business

The ‘Powered by Everrati’ business-to-business (B2B) division has announced significant growth with the signing of multiple electrification agreements with global specialist and luxury vehicle brands. The brand enables B2B clients to bring almost any type of specialist electric vehicle (EV) to life quickly.

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All-new Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology possesses uncompromising off-road capabilities

The all-new Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology (combined energy consumption: 30.3-27.7 kWh/100 km | combined CO₂ emissions: 0 g/km | CO₂ class: A | UK figures may vary)1 is fully in keeping with the tradition of the model series established in 1979. Like the conventionally powered models, it is based on a ladder-frame concept, a selectable LOW RANGE off-road gear reduction system, independent front suspension and a rigid axle at the rear.

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Rimac Technology to provide high-voltage batteries for BMW

As part of its ongoing mission to push the boundaries of EV technology, Rimac Technology is embarking on the next stage of development by delivering greater volumes of advanced battery systems. This collaboration with BMW Group marks a significant milestone for Rimac Technology, as it represents the largest and most ambitious project the company has undertaken to-date.

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Sector coupling potential demands secure communications

Beyond reductions in local air pollution and fossil fuel consumption, EVs could also make an important contribution to societal energy efficiency through participation in sector coupling. This is the integration and coordination of different energy sectors – such as electricity, heating, cooling and transport – with the goal of optimising the use of renewable energy sources and improving overall energy efficiency across all of those sectors.

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NASA tech lands for brake systems

Orbis Brakes in the US has licensed a NASA-patented technology for lightweight braking systems in electric vehicles, writes Nick Flaherty. The revolutionary brake disc design is at least 42% lighter than conventional cast-iron rotors, with performance comparable to much more expensive carbon-ceramic models.

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Herrmann Ultraschall boosts power of welding

With the Ultrasonic Power Stack 12.000, Herrmann Ultraschall has developed an expansion for the ULTRASAFE W welding machine, which increases its power while reducing cycle times. This increases the maximum welding force of the machine to 10,000 newtons, so even high-voltage cables with cross-sections of up to 150 mm² can be welded reliably.

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Siemens enables simultaneous fast charging of four EVs

Siemens Smart Infrastructure has rolled out an additional variant of its SICHARGE D electric vehicle (EV) fast charger, with a maximum output of 400 kW. Designed for future-proof EV charging, the SICHARGE D dispenser enables up to four vehicles to be charged at the same time with only one grid connection, optimising times for customers, and delivering cost and space savings for charge point operators (CPOs).

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Audi’s more powerful & smarter HV battery

The completely newly developed high-voltage battery (HV battery) is largely responsible for the longest electric range in the current Audi portfolio. With an impressive range of 625 kilometers (388 mi), the Audi Q6 e-tron1 is highly suitable for everyday use, making it one of the models with the longest range in its segment.