EDITOR'S CHOICE

Fusion Reactor Called "Norm" Could Outperform Everything We've Built So Far

30 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"TAE Technologies claims its setup produces 100 times the power of other designs at half the cost, but the road to commercial fusion is littered with hype.

"... field-reversed configuration (FRC)—a setup that holds piping hot plasma in place without relying on the gigantic magnets seen in traditional fusion designs like tokamaks...Norm reduces the machine’s size, complexity, and cost by up to 50%..."

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This New Range Extender Proves Gas Engines Are Far From Dead

30 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"The 'range extender' bit is a gas-powered engine, usually small and compact, mounted in the car to recharge the battery if there aren't any charging stations nearby.

"Range extenders are a better choice versus traditional plug-in hybrids, ZF argues, because they're cheaper to produce, require shorter development cycles, and use simpler supply chains...ZF's new range extender can be had in two flavors: eRE and eRE+."

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UK Researchers Make Breakthrough On Revolutionary Fuel That Could Transform Wide Range Of Industries

30 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"UK-based energy-tech company [Interesting Engineering] created a portable hydrogen generation module capable of producing up to 1,100 pounds of hydrogen daily [from ammonia]...Hy-5 can produce hydrogen with greater than 99.9% purity...a scalable and cost-effective way to produce hydrogen...Examples include manufacturing steel and cement glass, chemical production, hydrogen logistics, and off-grid EV charging with hydrogen fuel cell generators."

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Billionaires-Backed Slate Auto Debuts Analog EV Pickup Truck That Is Decidedly Anti-Tesla

29 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"The base version of Slate's truck will squeeze 150 miles out of a 52.7kWh battery pack, which will power a single 150kW motor on the rear axle...Slate is offering a larger battery pack that it says will have about 240 miles of range.

"The company said...it will launch with more than 100 different accessories that buyers can use to personalize the truck...billing the add-ons as 'easy DIY' that 'non-gearheads.'"

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Dark Matter: An 86-lb, 800-hp EV motor by Koenigsegg

29 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"The Dark Matter weighs a mere 86 lb (39 kg) and delivers 800 hp (600 kW) with 922 lb-ft of face-melting torque (1,250 Nm) and a max rev of 8,500 RPM...The entire unit is about 15.1 inches in diameter and 5.3 inches thick...It's only slightly bigger than a Roomba

"The radial flux design isn't just the most common type of EV motor, it's in nearly everything that uses an electric motor. From a drill to an RC car."

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The US States Where You Can Save The Most Money With An Electric Car

29 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"...electric cars are more efficient, and charging them with electricity is cheaper than fueling a gas car with fossil fuel...use some averages and norms to come to some conclusions, and that’s what Payless Power has done.

"Washington, Nevada, and Oregon offered the most savings over 10 years - $18,055, $15,726, and $14,481, respectively...states with the lowest estimated savings...would be Connecticut, Alabama, and Nebraska."

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Whisper Aero Ultralight Aircraft Scores $500K For 'UltraQuiet' Electric Jet Motor Tests

29 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"It's effectively an electrically spun ducted fan jet engine that uses a large number of stiff composite fan blades inside a lightweight, acoustically treated duct. With so many blades, the Whisper Aero propulsor can push more air than a conventional prop while spinning much more slowly.

"The Whisper Aero ultralight is [a] Aeriane Swift3 glider fitted with a pair of Whisper’'s eQ250 propulsors, each capable of up to 80 lbs. of thrust..."

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E-REVs Could Unite A Divided America On Electric Vehicles

26 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"[R]ecent consumer study by McKinsey & Company revealed...as many as 76% of EV buyers plan to buy another EV as their next purchase, a 20% increase from last year...study adds that on average, the sentiment towards EVs has remained stagnant in the U.S. as the country remains deeply divided on EVs...As per the study, a bigger share of suburban, rural and older buyers showed an interest in range-extended EVs...E-REVs will cannibalize from combustion vehicles and regular hybrids, but not from fully electric models and plug-in hybrids."

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Now Kia EVs Can Use Newer Tesla's Superchargers

26 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"Kia is the latest automaker to be granted Tesla Supercharger access, allowing owners of the company’s EVs to connect to over 21,500 stalls across North America...Owners of current EV6, EV9, and Niro EV models can use a CCS1-to-NACS adapter, which can be purchased from Kia dealers

"Kia owners can navigate to Tesla Superchargers and check the locations' statuses on their vehicle infotainment screens." NOTE: older generation Tesla chargers not compatible."

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Mercedes' New Paintwork Could Give EVs Thousands Of Extra Miles Of Range Per Year

26 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"The entire car body is coated with photovoltaic paint which generates electrical energy. This energy can be used immediately for driving or is stored in the battery when the vehicle is stationary

"...94 percent of the energy from sunlight, through the paint, can help power your car...added energy could extend the range of an EV by 12,000KM or 7,456 miles...drivers in Stuttgart, Germany, cover an average of 52 kilometres a day. Around 62 per cent of this distance would be covered using solar energy."

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EVs Could Charge 500% Faster In Sub-Freezing Weather Thanks To Simple New Manufacturing Trick

26 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"razor-thin layer of lithium borate-carbonate can lead to a 500% boost in charging rates when temperatures fall below freezing."

University of Michigan "researchers were able to 'simultaneously achieve extreme fast charging at low temperatures, without sacrificing the energy density of the lithium-ion battery.'

"...in colder conditions, the electrolyte fluid thickens, reducing electrical currents and thereby extending charging time..."

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How Much Can You Save Every Month Charging an EV vs. Paying for Gas? CNET Does the Math.

24 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"Using averages from government data sources and AAA fuel prices, we did the math and mapped out for you all the monthly charging and fueling costs side by side... Using US averages, we found the monthly cost of charging an EV to be $70.72 versus $158 to fuel an ICE car...

"Assuming that you're charging your EV at home using your own charger, the price of doing so really boils down to what you pay for electricity."

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