ePower’s Series Hybrid Electric Drive – Unmatched Fuel Economy for Heavy Trucks
John Petersen Over the last couple weeks there’s been a lot of message board chatter about ePower Engine Systems, a transportation technology company that has selected the PbC® battery from Axion Power International (AXPW) for its series hybrid electric drivetrain for over-the-road freight haulers who drive heavy Class 8 tractors. Since I introduced ePower to Axion and have tracked their progress for a couple years, I called ePower’s CEO Andy Claypole to ask his permission to share what I’ve learned about ePower’s hybrid electric drivetrain. After a series of phone calls and e-mails, Andy graciously...
Westport: Likely Beneficiary Of A Potential Quadrupling Of US Natural Gas Vehicles Sales by...
by Clean Energy Intel Companies with significant exposure to the market for natural gas transportation have obviously received a lot of attention recently following the announcement last week of a co-marketing agreement for LNG transportation between oil major Shell (RDS-A) and Westport (WPRT), a provider of natural gas engine technology. This makes the release of Pike's new annual global sales forecasts for natural gas vehicles particularly timely and worth a look. According to Pike Research, there are currently 12.6 million natrual gas vehicles (NGVs) in the world. These are mainly located in Latin America, the Middle East and Africa....
Solid Hydrogen Storage Powers a Practical Hydrogen Hybrid Vehicle
Energy Conversion Devices Inc (ENER) and ChevronTexaco Technology Ventures LLC, is demonstrating the use of its metal-hydride hydrogen storage system in a modified hydrogen-electric variant of today's best-selling hybrid sedan. The modified hydrogen hybrid will be available for test drives at the South Coast Air Quality Management District's "Hydrogen - Fueling the Clean Air Future" conference today and tomorrow, August 16 and 17, at the J.W. Marriott Desert Springs Resort in Palm Desert, Calif.
The Time is Right for Gas-guzzler to Dual-mode EV Conversions
Since early 2008, Axion Power International (AXPW.OB) has been quietly developing an experience base and building grass roots support for a gas-guzzler to dual-mode EV conversion initiative that has the short-term potential to transform up to 120 million gas-guzzling pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and vans into gas sipping EV-50s. If recent articles from sources as diverse as The Daily Green, Edmunds Green Car Advisor and the Environmental Defense Fund are reliable indicators, the initiative is rapidly gaining ground. The concept is simple – add electric power trains and battery packs to America's least fuel-efficient vehicles and give...
The Obama Fast Track for HEVs
John PetersenToday I'm going to begin with an apology because I've done a terrible job of describing the basics of hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) technology for energy storage investors. Many of my earlier articles dove straight into the mind-numbing details of battery technology without first providing an overview of what those batteries will be used for. In other words I'm guilty of putting the cart before the horse. It's time for me to make amends. While the differences between HEV technologies have always been important to automobile manufacturers, the public's understanding of those differences is limited. That...
Hyundai-Enova Innovative Technology Center Completes 60 kW GenSet for Heavy-Duty Series Hybrid Vehicles
Hyundai-Enova Innovative Technology Center, Inc., (HE-ITC) a joint venture between Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd of South Korea and Enova Systems, Inc. (ENVA), announced today that it has completed development of a 60 kW GenSet for Heavy-Duty Series Hybrid Vehicles in conjunction with Enova Systems. The 60 kW GenSet is an integral component of Enova's HybridPower Series Hybrid, recently introduced at the Electric Drive Transportation Association's annual symposium in Orlando Florida. This leading-edge hybrid technology is the HE-ITC's first commercial product to be developed and produced by the joint research and development alliance between the two companies.
Energy Storage: Q3 2012 Winners and Losers
John Petersen I usually write a quarterly recap to summarize what happened in the energy storage and vehicle electrification sectors, but Q2 was a tough enough period that I don't see much sense in dwelling on the bloodletting. So instead of focusing on the past, I'll offer a quick summary table with lots of red ink and turn my attention to Q3, which is shaping up as a time of bright opportunity for some companies and profound risk for others. I expect three companies in my tracking group to perform very well in Q3 –...
Vehicle Electrification – Press Releases, Production Decisions and The Hype Cycle
John Petersen Writing an investment blog on hype-riddled sectors like vehicle electrification and energy storage is tough because the topic is emotionally charged and expectations are often based on political promises, issue advocacy, press releases and mainstream media stories that never tell the complete truth. As a result I spend a huge amount of time debunking popular mythology that's 180 degrees out of sync with business realities and responding to commenters who refuse to believe cars with plugs will be: Five to six times less efficient than HEVs when it comes to reducing national gasoline consumption; Nine...
Honda Natural Gas Civic Sales Sputter
By Jeff Siegel I learned today that sales of Honda's natural gas Civic tanked 65% in 2014. I didn't even know they were still trying to sell those things! I actually remember a few years ago, attending a car show and talking to a Honda rep who was pushing this thing. I didn't have the heart to tell him he was barking up the wrong tree when he tried to sell me on all the benefits. What benefits? Inferior fuel economy, a clunky ride, and no infrastructure? Sure, there was the special fueling unit that could be installed in...
The Obama High-Speed Rail Strategy: What Will Happen When The Steel Meets The Track?
Over the past few weeks, John Petersen has written a number of very insightful articles on the energy storage space, with a particular focus on automotive applications. To be sure, this sector has gotten a lot more exciting since Obama's election, with real dollar commitments coming from the government and even tangible signs that certain technologies are moving into the mainstream. It is fair to say that, on the back of explicit state support, batteries and smart grid have dethroned solar as the new "hot" thing in alt energy/cleantech. Equally exciting in my view is the...
All New 2005 Accord Hybrid Uses Advanced Honda Hybrid Technology to Deliver V-6 Performance...
Honda Motor Co (HMC) will debut the all-new Accord Hybrid, the world's first V-6-powered hybrid vehicle and Honda's third hybrid model, at dealerships nationwide on December 3, 2004. The all-new Accord Hybrid utilizes the third-generation of Honda's advanced Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) full hybrid system in combination with new Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) cylinder deactivation technology to deliver the world's best V-6 fuel efficiency - on par with a 4-cylinder, compact class Civic - along with highly responsive and powerful V-6 performance. With the introduction of the Accord Hybrid, Honda now becomes the first company in the world to...
Low Carbon Fuel Rules: From CAFE to LCFS and Everything In Between
The Whole Darn Low Carbon Landscape. How they Work, How they Work Together, and How they Might Work Better
by Joanne Ivancic, executive director, Advanced Biofuels USA
The Trump Administration is taking a new look at Obama Administration era Co2 regulations. On the transportation side, these include reviewing Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards; threatening to take away California’s authority to set their own mileage and pollution controls, including CO2 (carbon dioxide) emission reduction standards; and quarreling with the petroleum and biofuels industries over implementation and enforcement of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).
Thus, the Clean Air Act (CAA), California’s unique authority...
Alice In EVland; Six Impossible Things
John Petersen Many of my regular readers know I'm a working securities lawyer, a humble scrivener who writes reams of deathless prose that private companies use to raise money from investors, and public companies file with the SEC in the form of registration and proxy statements, and annual, quarterly and current reports. I've spent a couple years as an oil company executive and a few more as board chairman of an advanced lead-acid battery technology developer. The balance of my 30-year career has been devoted to natural resource and technology-based businesses that needed somebody elses' money to pursue...
List of Electric Vehicle and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Stocks
Electric Vehicle (EV) and Plug-in Electric Vehicle (PHEV) stocks are publicly traded companies which produce EVs or PHEVs, their components, or charging infrastructure.
This list was last updated on 6/3/22.
AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV)
Blink Charging Co. (BLNK)
BYD Company, Ltd. (BYDDY)
Enova Systems, Inc. (ENVS)
EEStor Corporation (ZNNMF)
Electrameccanica Vehicles Corp. (SOLO)
Envision Solar International (EVSI)
EVgo, Inc. (EVGO)
Fisker (FSR)
GreenPower Motor Co. (GPV.V)
iShares Self-Driving EV and Tech ETF (IDRV)
Kandi Technologies Corp. (KNDI)
KraneShares Electric Vehicles and Future Mobility Index ETF (KARS)
Leo Motors (LEOM)
Lordstown Motors Corp. (RIDE)
Navitas Semiconductor Corporation (NVTS)
Nio Inc. (NIO)
Nikola Corporation (NKLA)
Proterra Inc. (PTRA)
Tesla Motors, Inc. (TSLA)
UQM Technologies (UQM)
Valeo SA (FR.PA, VLEEF, VLEEY)
Vision Marine Technologies Inc. (VMAR)
VMoto Limited...
Car Insurers Can Help Community Solar Find EV Customers
By Joe McCabe, P.E.
The insurance industry has lots of exposure to climate change. But as Warren Buffet has explained, not so much for companies that do annual policy adjustments, like Berkshire Hathaway. Their exposure is limited because the trends are baked into the premiums. But there is an opportunity for reducing insurance risk due to climate change, and it comes from the insurance industry itself. The business model is to have car insurance salespeople provide leads to virtual electric car charging services. This has perfect demographics because electric vehicle owners are very receptive to solar electricity. Who wouldn't want...
ZAP Announces Receipt of $21,000,000 in New Purchase Orders for Smart Car
ZAP (ZAPZ) received orders from major U.S. automotive dealers at their annual convention, signing purchase orders in excess of $21,000,0000 for the Smart Car Americanized by ZAP. ZAP is making its debut of the Smart Car to U.S. dealers at the annual National Auto Dealer Association (NADA) Conference and Exposition in New Orleans. CEO Steve Schneider said the purchase orders that ZAP received exceeded their projections. ZAP's goal was to collect new orders totaling $20 million to launch its distribution plans for the Smart Car. The socially responsible, public company based in Northern California has a business plan...
