This week, we're breaking down a mega-smart new solution for fast-charging in remote areas, a fantastical liquid invention making battery-charging safer and quicker, and a chic new retro ride. Here are the biggest stories in EV news happening now:
A new technology will help bring fast-charging to places where it's unavailable
There's an ingenious solution to the problem faced by EV drivers who need to charge fast in places without the necessary infrastructure.
It's called a battery-buffered charging system, which slowly fills up an internal battery from the regular grid, so that when someone comes along and plugs in, it dumps the stored power into the EV at the rate of a high-speed charger but without the huge (and costly) hit to the local power grid.
The system is already appearing in some states, including Ohio. A commercial benefit: If you own a business and set up a buffered system, you can top off the storage batteries at low-cost periods of the day and night, and sell the power to consumers at a considerable profit.
The secret to braving power outages might be … abandoned EV batteries?
We're big fans of using an EV to power a home during a natural disaster or grid emergency. But now, there's a growing trend of stripping old EVs of their batteries entirely, using the cells to collect energy trickling in at off-peak times.
EV batteries are typically much more powerful than home storage units, and while a cell that lost much of its capacity might be of no interest to a driver, it is still hugely useful for storage.
As reported in The Guardian, the movement has gained a lot of traction in Australia. That country's need for energy storage, and the remoteness of many communities, mean innovative solutions are a high priority.
Meanwhile, Texas has already started a program to use hundreds of unwanted EV batteries to provide enough storage to power thousands of homes by stacking them up in cases the size of shipping containers.
Meet the retro-electric motorcycle company that's surging in the US
Maeving is already a growing brand name in the U.K. among a subset of EV buyers who prefer a two-wheeled vehicle — and want to look cool doing so on a charmingly retro ride.
Now, the company has announced that it raised an additional $15 million to expand in the U.S., where almost half of its existing sales already happen. The company's flagship ride — the RM1S — costs just shy of $10,000, and delivers a top speed of 70 miles per hour and a range of 80 miles.
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In under 5 minutes ⏱️ Shell's new liquid solution will speed up charging times
For batteries, thermal performance is a big deal (we've all heard the scary stories about overheating EV batteries).
Enter the oil and gas giant Shell, with a new fluid for batteries that is non-conductive and helps heat transfer by filling the space between individual battery cells or modules. Essentially, this means improved heat management during charging, which opens the door to faster, safer charging.
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