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All-electric ferry set for launch

The world’s first fully electric ferry is undergoing sea trials in Denmark (writes Nick Flaherty). The Ellen electric ferry is powered by a 4 MW battery pack made up of 840 cells that account for 50 tonnes of the ship’s total weight of 747 tonnes. Unlike other electric vessels, the Ellen has no...

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Paradigm shift in gear control

Hyundai has developed an Active Shift Control (ASC) transmission technology for hybrid electric vehicles that it says is the world’s first (writes Nick Flaherty) The system uses software in the Hybrid Control Unit (HCU) to monitor gearshifts 500 times per second, adjusting the...

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CAN-based cooling module

Technotrans has demonstrated a serialised battery cooling module with a CAN interface for standard comms links. It is aimed at electric buses as well as trucks and heavy commercial road vehicles such as those used around mines, harbours and airports (writes Rory Jackson). “It’s an active cooling solution based on a refrigeration compressor, and we are showcasing a version that runs on...

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E-axle promises lower losses

JLG is developing an electrified aerial lifting platform using electrified axle technology from Dana (writes Nick Flaherty). Dana’s design reduces power losses by up to 20% compared with traditional diesel-powered drivetrains. Dana has developed two approaches to hybridisation and electrification. The first is to use electrified drive systems that fit within current vehicle architectures; the second is...

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BMW/Jaguar e-drive

BMW is to work with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) to develop next-generation electric drive units that reduce the use of rare earth elements (writes Nick Flaherty). BMW’s fifth-generation powertrain, called eDrive, combines the electric motor, transmission and power electronics in one housing, and the company says it has eliminated the need for rare earth elements for...

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Multi-mount cooling jacket

ETEL in Switzerland has developed a cooling jacket that provides alternative mounting options for its TMB+ torque motors (writes Nick Flaherty). ETEL, part of the Heidenhain group, produces frameless direct drive torque motors with high continuous flux density in the magnetic gap. Effective heat dissipation by liquid cooling increases torque motor performance substantially, and can even...

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Fast, but small and efficient

Researchers at North Carolina State University have built a fast charger for electric vehicles that is at least 10 times smaller than existing systems and consumes 60% less power during the charging process, without sacrificing the charging time (writes Nick Flaherty). Conventional 50 kW fast chargers have to be installed on a concrete slab. With these systems, a transformer takes power from a...

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Volume plan for hydrogen cells

In a key move for hydrogen-powered electric technology, Bosch is starting volume production of fuel cell systems for electric vehicles using technology from Powercell (writes Nick Flaherty). The two companies will jointly develop polymer-electrolyte membrane stacks for fuel cells that convert hydrogen to electricity, and Bosch will make the stacks under licence in 2022. Bosch, a...

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Trash truck to start street tests

Mack Trucks has launched a batteryelectric vehicle (BEV) waste compactor as a demonstrator and will begin real-world testing in 2020 in New York (writes Nick Flaherty). Refuse trucks are a major challenge for electrification, as they have to make multiple stops, often up to 1000 times on a route, and the motors have to provide high torque at...

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Five-seat taxi’s two world firsts

The world’s first five-seat, battery powered electric aircraft has taken its maiden flight (writes Nick Flaherty). A full-scale, full-weight prototype developed by Lilium, in Munich, Germany, has 36 all-electric ducted fan engines that allow it to take off and land vertically, and transition to and from horizontal flight. It has two fixed wings, one main wing at the...