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Researchers at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Texas have found a way to expand the lifespan of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries.

SMU Mechanical Engineer Donghai Wang and his research team have been able to prevent Li-S batteries from producing an unwanted side effect known as polysulfide dissolution that appears over time, shortening their lifespans. Wang and his team have found a way to fix this issue by using what they called a hybrid polymer network cathode.

A study published in the journal Nature Sustainability shows that the team’s newly developed hybrid polymer network cathode allows Li-S batteries to deliver over 900 milliampere-hours per gram mass (mAh/g), compared to the typical 150-250 mAh/g capacity in lithium-ion batteries. That means it can preserve a much higher amount of electrical energy. 

“This breakthrough could lead to more durable, long-lasting batteries,” said Wang, the Brown Foundation Chair of Mechanical Engineering and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at SMU Lyle. “Our cathode uses multiple sulfur bonding tethers, atomic adsorption, and fast Li-ion/electron transport at the molecular level. This combination allows for real-time re-bonding and adsorption of any unbound sulfur species, thus effectively eliminating soluble polysulfides and extending the battery’s cycle life.”

Source: Southern Methodist University

Yolo County, a stretch of rolling hills between the Napa Valley and Sacramento, California, has become one of the first municipalities in the US to put a new Volvo DD25 Electric compactor into service.

Yolo County’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan calls for electrifying the county’s entire fleet of on- and off-road equipment. The fleet currently includes six electric forklifts and two electric pickup trucks, and three more EVs are on the way.

“The DD25 Electric will help us achieve our goals in several ways: by reducing emissions, lowering noise levels, being more energy-efficient, improving working conditions and promoting environmentally friendly practices,” said Fleet Superintendent Ben Lee.

The double-drum compactor from Volvo Construction Equipment will help Lee’s team with a variety of projects. “We’ll use it to compact soil, gravel and other base materials for road and foundation projects, as well as rolling out and leveling asphalt during road construction and resurfacing.”

Lee was introduced to Volvo’s electric machines at a recent open house event in San Leandro. “The Volvo team played a key role in this decision by helping us assess how the DD25 Electric would meet our specific operational needs and sustainability goals while working within our budget,” he said.

“After discussing the features and benefits of the DD25 Electric plus the upcoming Clean Off-Road Equipment (CORE) Voucher Incentive program, Ben was very interested, and I knew it would be a good fit,” said Scott Nadell, a Government Sales Rep at Volvo Construction Equipment and Services. “This model is great for the light-duty applications like patch rolling and smaller paving jobs they do.”

Lee and Nadell discussed how a CORE voucher could subsidize the purchase, and had the necessary documentation ready to submit as soon as the voucher program opened. “Fortunately, they were approved for the grant, and we had a machine already being built at our factory in Pennsylvania that met the fleet’s requirements, so the rest is history!” said Nadell.

Yolo County’s DD25 Electric compactor will need to charge no more than a few overnights per week using an existing Level 2 AC charger at their fleet facility. The machine will typically operate for three to four hours a day, and the charge is expected to last for at least six to eight hours.

“There are some remote areas in the county, so we’re looking into a mobile, self-contained charging unit as well, so we wouldn’t have to bring the machine back to the yard each night during a long-term project,” said Lee.

Unlike legacy diesel equipment, electric machines do not idle, so energy stored in the battery is only consumed when work is being done. Compared to a diesel, the DD25 Electric offers simplified maintenance, it’s quieter, and its smoother ride helps operators feel less fatigued at the end of a shift. These benefits do not come at the cost of power or performance. Volvo’s 48-volt battery provides 33 hp and 24 kWh of energy—30% more than the diesel model. The drum frequency can be adjusted from 3,500 vpm (55 Hz) to 4,000 vpm (67 Hz) to address different applications.

Source: Volvo Construction Equipment

In Germany, Nio is not allowed to call its models ES6, ES7 and ES6 as there is a risk of confusion with Audi’s S models. But in Australia, the trademark dispute between the two manufacturers has now gone the other way: Nio does not have to switch to ‘EL’ instead of ‘ES’ as it does in the German market.

  Welcome to a new podcast PRODUCER DAVID ROTH. Patreon supporters get the episodes ad free. Be like DAVID by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/EVNewsDaily   2025 JEEP RECON EV PROTOTYPE APPROACHES PRODUCTION The 2025 Jeep Recon EV is close to production. A prototype was seen in public without cover. It looks a lot like the first […]

The Norwegian fuel cell manufacturer Teco 2030 has to file for insolvency. There is no longer a realistic possibility of raising sufficient capital to continue operations.

Electric mobility service provider Electrify America is cooperating with the US-based retail company Costco Wholesale to deploy charging stations at five Costco facilities. The charging stations include hyper-fast chargers delivering up to 350 kW of power.

The charging infrastructure manufacturer Ekoenergetyka and BP Pulse will be working together in future to offer fleet operators solutions for charging electric trucks overnight. This is not just about charging at the depot. Public charging, particularly along the TEN-T network, is also the focus of the cooperation.

Toshiba Electronics Europe has introduced a high-voltage transistor output photorelay for 400 V automotive battery-related control systems.

The automotive-compliant TLX9150M is housed in a compact SO12L-T package. Its space-saving form factor of 7.76mm × 10mm × 2.45mm is 25% smaller than Toshiba’s existing package SO16L-T. This helps to miniaturize the battery unit and reduce costs.

The photorelay delivers a minimum breakdown voltage (VOFF) of 900 V with a maximum reaction (TON/TOFF) time of 1 ms. This is important for control-sensitive applications such as battery and fuel-cell control and battery management systems (BMS) for monitoring voltages, as well as detecting mechanical relay sticking and ground faults.

The TLX9150M consists of an infrared (IR) emitting diode optically coupled to a photo-MOSFET, providing electrical isolation between the primary (control) side and the secondary (switch) side, enabling safe switch control across varying ground potentials.

The trigger current (IFT) is more than 3 mA, minimizing system energy consumption. The device’s off-state current (IOFF) is 100 nA maximum at ambient temperature, drawing minimal power while inactive. The IR LED has a forward current (IF) rating of 30 mA, while its photodetection element has an on-state current (ION) rating of 50 mA at ambient temperatures.

The pin pitch and pin layout of the two package sizes are the same, enabling a common circuit board pattern design. This normally-open (1-Form-A) device exhibits a minimum of 8 mm creepage and clearance distances and minimum 0.4mm insulation thickness, for effective isolation in operating temperatures ranging from -40° C to +125° C, and is fully compliant with the AEC-Q101 and IEC 60664-1 standards.

Source: Toshiba Electronics Europe

Santa is switching from reindeer to electric power. He has swapped his old sleigh for a Tesla Model 3, which he was recently spotted driving in Oxford. At least this is the story behind a PR campaign by the British car trading platform Auto Trader.