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The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has analysed which commercial vehicle manufacturers are leading the European market in terms of electric drives in the third quarter. While a few players are dividing up the cake among themselves in the electric truck segment, more and more players are vying for customers in the electric bus segment.

The city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, received a federal grant of almost 15 million dollars to build a network of 53 EV charging stations. The stations will be installed partly through a public-private partnership with a yet-to-be-named partner.

Charging solutions provider EverCharge, part of South Korean manufacturing conglomerate SK Group, has introduced around-the-clock, real-time SOC 2 Type II compliance monitoring for EV charging. 

SOC 2 Type II is a compliance audit resulting in a report covering a specified period of time. 

EverCharge’s approach is designed to work in conjunction with its charging management technology. This eliminates the need for customers to use their corporate IT networks for EV charging operations, thus simplifying their day-to-day charging operations and streamlining customer onboarding processes.

EverCharge’s monitoring approach eliminates the need for manual auditing and verifies that the company’s policies and procedures adhere to standards for protecting sensitive data. 

“EverCharge has a proprietary mesh technology with a secure uplink to the charging management technology, eliminating networking connectivity from the enterprise client and their corporate IT infrastructure. This enables a significantly faster go-to-market time and ongoing secure operations,” the company said.

Source: EverCharge

Today, the adoption of electric vehicles for both consumer and commercial purposes is rapidly growing. In 2023, EVs made up 17 percent of worldwide automobile sales. For EV design engineers and purchasing agents, this drive towards increased electrification results in the challenge of finding cutting-edge components that can handle increasing temperatures, voltage, and power without sacrificing reliability, availability, and footprint.

Multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) are commonly used in EV electronics and subsystems because of their high temperature ratings, tiny size, and easy surface mount form factor. To help you choose the right automotive-grade capacitors for your EV project, this whitepaper discusses the key considerations and certifications for EV components, common use cases in EV subsystems, and capacitor requirements for specific applications.

Amsterdam-headquartered Milence, a joint venture established by Daimler Truck, Traton Group and Volvo to build and operate public charging points for heavy-duty electric trucks and coaches, has opened its first charging hub in Germany at Hermsdorfer Kreuz.

Four CCS charging stations with speeds up to 400 kW are available at the site, which can be used by truck fleet operators regardless of vehicle brand. Milence has also opened another location with two additional CCS charging stations in Vockerode in Saxony-Anhalt.

Warehousing and transport services company Logistik Schmitt, based in Bietigheim, plans to charge its new Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 vehicles, to be delivered in 2025, at the new Hermsdorfer Kreuz hub. Logistik Schmitt is gaining initial experience with a prototype of the eActros 600. It currently operates two Mercedes-Benz diesel trucks for shuttle transport on a route of approximately 480 kilometers between the Daimler Buses site in Mannheim and a supplier near Leipzig.

“Thanks to the charging points available at the Daimler Buses plant in Mannheim, the eActros 600s can reach their destination near Leipzig without intermediate charging,” said Rainer Schmitt, Managing Partner of Logistik Schmitt. “In order to supply the trucks with new energy for their journey back to southern Germany after successful loading and unloading, the Milence charging hub at Hermsdorfer Kreuz comes just at the right time for us.”

Source: Daimler Truck

Japanese electronic parts manufacturer ROHM has formed a strategic partnership with Taiwanese foundry TSMC for the development and volume production of gallium nitride (GaN) power devices for EVs.

The partnership will integrate ROHM’s device development technology with TSMC’s GaN-on-silicon process technology.

GaN power devices are currently used in consumer and industrial applications, such as AC adapters and server power supplies. TSMC supports GaN technology for its potential benefits in automotive applications, such as EV onboard chargers and inverters.

The partnership builds on the companies’ previous collaboration on GaN power devices. In 2023, ROHM adopted TSMC’s 650 V GaN high-electron mobility transistors (HEMT), which are increasingly being used in consumer and industrial devices, as part of its EcoGaN series, including its 45 W AC adapter C4 Duo.

Back in 2018, ROHM partnered with specialist GaN Systems to develop power electronics and research new automotive applications. GaN Systems has since been acquired by German semiconductor manufacturer Infineon.

“GaN devices, capable of high-frequency operation, are highly anticipated for their contribution to miniaturization and energy savings,” said Katsumi Azuma, Member of the Board and Senior Managing Executive Officer at ROHM.

“By combining TSMC’s expertise in semiconductor manufacturing with ROHM’s proficiency in power device design, we strive to push the boundaries of GaN technology and its implementation for EVs,” added Chien-Hsin Lee, Senior Director of Specialty Technology Business Development at TSMC.

Source: ROHM

German adhesives and sealants producer Wevo-Chemie is expanding its portfolio of thermal interface materials with an optimized silicone gap filler.

WEVOSIL 26040 FL features high thermal conductivity of 4 W/m*K for efficient heat dissipation for large surfaces. The material has been formulated to be resistant to sedimentation, allowing it to be stored, used and transported over long distances for at least three months without having to be rehomogenized.

The material’s specially developed filler combination and the resulting low bond line thickness of <70 µm bridge small gaps. Material properties such as reactivity can be customized to individual needs, according to the company.

The optimized dosing properties permit simple and efficient handling, high dispensing speeds and fine dosing patterns. This ensures greater precision and flexibility in production compared to thermally conductive pads, particularly when manufacturing large unit volumes.

The filler provides high temperature resistance of up to 200° C, flame-retardant properties in accordance with UL 94 V-0 (as of a thickness of just 2 mm) and mechanical properties including elongation at break of more than 30%.

When cured, WEVOSIL 26040 FL meets the requirements of the PV 3040 test specification for low-volatile emissions in the automotive industry.

“Whether it’s high dosage volumes, reliable heat dissipation for large surfaces or mechanically demanding thermal joints that are needed, the new silicone gap filler from Wevo is a solution for numerous requirements in contemporary electronics and electrical engineering,” the company said.

Source: Wevo-Chemie

A Waymo robotaxi was recently captured on video repeatedly circling a roundabout in a quiet residential area. How long the dizzying drive lasted remains unclear, but the company has since confirmed that no passengers were on board during the incident.

Tesla has resumed groundwork for entering India after pausing its investment plans earlier this year. The company is scouting locations for a showroom in the national capital New Delhi.