Headlines and links from all the news, including things we didn’t cover in depth here on EVmeme.com this past week.
BMW’s Tests of Humanoid Robots Declared Success
The BMW Group has been exploring the use of humanoid robots at its Spartanburg production plant in Tennessee. The robots, made by Figure, a California-based company, are capable of learning tasks through video repetition and observation. BMW used the robots to improve production in areas where humans are often in awkward or dangerous positions repeatedly.
Bloom Energy Announces Hydrogen Solid-Oxide Fuel Cell
Bloom Energy is now offering a new server power solution with about 60 percent electrical efficiency using 100 percent hydrogen. The carbon-free hydrogen fuel cell for electrical production allows 24/7 power availability without infrastructure.
Sacrilege Motors Returns to Pebble Beach To Debut Enigma Coupe
The Sacrilege Motors Blackbird unveiled at last year’s Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach. This year, Sacrilege brings a new debut, the Enigma. The company’s first production coupe for sale.
Stable Alloy Interlayer for Li-Metal Anodes Created
Researchers at Hydro-Quebec’s Center of Excellence in Transportation Electrification and Energy Storage have used plasma vapor dposition to deposit an alloy layer on lithium foil. This hardness layer withstands aggressive charge and discharge cycling.
J.B. Hunt, Bridgestone, Kodiak Surpass 50k Autonomous Long-Haul Trucking Miles
J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Bridgestone Americas, and Kodiak Robotics have marked a successful ongoing delivery collaboration that has surpassed 50,000 autonomously-driven long-haul trucking miles. The collaboration had J.B. Hunt trucks hauling Bridgestone tires between South Carolina and Dallas, Texas.
Battery Pack Costs Have Dropped 90% In 15 Years
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office has estimated the cost of electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries have dropped by about 90 percent since 2008.
Porsche Recycles Taycan Batteries for Power Storage At Leipzig Plant
Porsche has installed a stationary energy storage system at Plant Leipzig using repurposed Taycan batteries taken from pre-series and works vehicles. The 5MW storage facility can be operated at 20 percent overload for short periods.
Hyliion Gets SBIR Contract for U.S. Navy
Hyliion has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research contract by the United States Navy. Hyliion is to create a preliminary design of a modular generator system that integrates Navy specifications with the company’s KARNO linear heat generator technology.
Century Lithium Produces Lithium Carbonate at Nevada Pilot Plant
Century Lithium has reported the successful addition of lithium carbonate stage at its Lithium Extractor Facility in Amargosa Valley, Nevada. Prior to this, lithium solutions were shipped to its facility in British Columbia for processing.
Dodge Unveils “Fratzonic Chambered” Exhaust Sound for Charger Daytona EV
The Dodge Charger Daytona will debut in 2025 as an electric muscle car. The car, which replaces the Dodge Challenger two-door, returns the Charger as the two-door muscle car it was originally. But being electric, it has no exhaust note. But Dodge is remedying that with a new Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust system. This is a sound output that mimics an exhaust system from a V8-powered car as well as the “rumble” felt by a powerful engine.
Aaron is an automotive journalist living in Wyoming, USA. His background includes technology, mechanics, commercial vehicles, and new vehicle evaluations. Aaron is a member of several automotive media groups and writes for many well-known publications.