Articles tagged with "battery-efficiency"
RV Show Season Is Here, & Manufacturers Are Thinking About EVs - CleanTechnica
The article from CleanTechnica highlights the evolving landscape of the RV industry as manufacturers begin to prioritize efficiency, particularly in response to the challenges of towing with electric vehicles (EVs). Traditional RV construction methods are being replaced by innovative designs such as Liv’s 100% composite trailers, which eliminate wood to reduce weight and increase durability—critical factors for EV towing where every pound affects range. Additionally, aerodynamic designs like those from Bowlus demonstrate that streamlining trailers can significantly improve EV range, potentially more so than adding powered axles or extra batteries to trailers. The piece also underscores the practical challenges EV owners face when towing, especially given the current limitations of the charging infrastructure. Many new electric truck owners lack towing experience, and the design of EV charging stations—often requiring back-in parking—complicates charging while towing. Workshops like Ford’s Towing Boot Camp provide essential skills for these drivers, helping them manage trailer handling and charging logistics. Overall, the article suggests that while the RV industry is beginning
energyelectric-vehiclesEV-towingcomposite-materialsaerodynamicsbattery-efficiencyRV-industryArt on command: This smart e-ink canvas turns voice prompts into wall displays
At CES 2026, Fraimic unveiled the Smart Canvas, a novel digital art display that combines gallery-quality presentation with AI-driven image generation. Unlike typical digital frames, the Smart Canvas uses a full-color Spectra 6 e-ink display with a matte, paper-like finish designed to mimic traditional printed artwork and minimize glare. Housed in a minimalist black wood frame, the device is intended to blend seamlessly into home decor, functioning more like framed art than a conventional electronic screen. The canvas supports standard frame sizes, interchangeable framing, and runs cordlessly with multi-year battery life, consuming power only when images change. An internal accelerometer automatically adjusts image orientation between portrait and landscape modes. The Smart Canvas’s standout feature is its voice-activated image creation, allowing users to generate artwork by speaking prompts directly to the frame without needing a phone or app. Fraimic leverages OpenAI’s image-generation models combined with curated style presets to maintain refined and consistent visuals, avoiding exaggerated AI aesthetics.
IoTsmart-devicese-ink-displayvoice-controlAI-generated-artbattery-efficiencysmart-home-technologyLongbow pairs 900 hp and featherweight design using in-wheel motors
At CES 2026, Longbow unveiled an extreme Speedster prototype built on its Featherweight Electric Vehicle (FEV) platform, emphasizing mass reduction and driving engagement over luxury or range. The open-top Speedster weighs under 900 kilograms (about 2,000 pounds) and features four 17-inch in-wheel motors from Donut Lab, producing a combined 900 horsepower. This results in a one-to-one power-to-weight ratio typically seen in hypercars. Longbow co-founder Mark Tapascott framed the prototype as a proof of concept, critiquing the automotive industry's trend toward heavier, feature-laden vehicles and advocating for a return to lightweight, driver-focused sports cars that improve acceleration, braking, efficiency, and reduce environmental impact. The FEV platform supports multiple motor layouts, including a single rear motor or four in-wheel motors as demonstrated in the prototype. While the CES Speedster showcases the platform’s maximum potential with 900 hp, production vehicles are expected to deliver around 300
energyelectric-vehiclesin-wheel-motorslightweight-designautomotive-innovationelectric-sports-carsbattery-efficiencyDacia Hipster Concept cuts EV emissions by 50% with lighter build
The Dacia Hipster Concept is a minimalist electric vehicle designed to reduce its carbon footprint by 50% compared to current EV models. This ambitious goal is achieved through a lightweight construction that is 20% lighter than the Dacia Spring, extensive use of recycled materials such as Starkle panels and mass-dyed components, and a simplified manufacturing process that minimizes paint layers and production emissions. The car’s compact design includes a smaller battery optimized for urban and suburban driving, balancing sufficient daily range with lower environmental impact from battery production. The exterior features a single body color with only three painted parts, using mass-dyed materials to reduce paint waste and energy consumption. Its blocky yet balanced design maximizes compactness and functionality, with features like a full-width tailgate and integrated rear lights to reduce material use and costs. Inside, the cabin is space-efficient with vertical windows, a transparent roof section, and flexible seating that expands cargo capacity from 70 to 500 liters. The modular YouClip system allows
energyelectric-vehicleslightweight-materialsrecycled-materialssustainable-manufacturingbattery-efficiencycarbon-footprint-reductionNew molecule fix gives 99.96% efficiency, 600 cycles to zinc batteries
Researchers at Seoul National University have significantly enhanced the performance and stability of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) by modifying a single molecule in the electrolyte. By engineering the electrolyte’s co-solvent, they developed a phosphate-based molecule called diethyl(difluoromethyl)phosphonate (DEDFP), which replaces an ethoxy group in the conventional triethyl phosphate (TEP) with a difluoromethyl group. This modification leads to a weaker interaction with zinc ions, reducing the energy needed for zinc deposition, and increases hydrophobicity, which repels water molecules from the electrode surface. As a result, the batteries achieved an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.96% and maintained stable operation for up to 600 charge-discharge cycles, outperforming TEP-based systems that fail after fewer cycles. A crucial benefit of the DEDFP co-solvent is the formation of a stable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer composed of
energyzinc-ion-batterieselectrolyte-engineeringenergy-storagebattery-efficiencyaqueous-zinc-ion-batteriesbattery-materialsChinese scientists create nuclear battery with 3x better efficiency
Chinese scientists have developed an advanced nuclear battery featuring strontium-90 radio-photovoltaic cells (RPVCs) that deliver three times the energy efficiency of conventional designs and can operate reliably for at least 50 years. Led by researchers Haisheng San and Xin Li, the team addressed the limitations of traditional power sources—such as chemical batteries and fuel cells—that struggle with durability, maintenance, and continuous operation in extreme environments like space or deep-sea infrastructure. Their novel RPVC design uses a waveguide light concentration (WLC) structure combined with multilayer-stacked Cerium-doped gadolinium aluminum gallium garnet (GAGG: Ce) scintillation waveguides to convert radioactive energy into light, which is then efficiently converted into electricity by photovoltaic cells. Performance tests showed that a single RPVC unit achieved an efficiency of 2.96%, significantly surpassing existing RPVCs, with an output of 48.9 microwatts and multi-module setups reaching
energynuclear-batteryradio-photovoltaic-cellslong-term-powerradiation-resistancebattery-efficiencyadvanced-materialsChevy Silverado EV Driven Over 1,000 Miles On A Single Charge - CleanTechnica
A 2026 Chevy Silverado EV recently demonstrated an impressive range by traveling over 1,000 miles on a single charge during a multi-day drive on public roads. Unlike a previous test where the truck achieved about 460 miles at normal highway speeds, this extended range was accomplished by maintaining slow speeds between 20 and 25 mph, occasionally hitting 50 mph, driving with the air conditioning off, windows cracked, and using a tonneau cover to reduce aerodynamic drag. The test involved around 40 different drivers and highlighted the vehicle’s efficiency, with estimates ranging from about 4.7 to 4.9 miles per kWh, and some drivers achieving up to 6.5 miles per kWh over shorter distances. The purpose of the slow-speed challenge was to showcase the Silverado EV’s potential to alleviate range anxiety, emphasizing that driving slower can significantly extend range when needed, such as when an EV is low on charge and the driver needs to reach a charging station safely. While some critics
energyelectric-vehiclesChevy-Silverado-EVbattery-efficiencyelectric-truck-rangesustainable-transportationelectric-mobilityA New Chevy Bolt EV For $17,000? (With Incentives) - CleanTechnica
The article highlights the affordability and practicality of the 2023 Chevy Bolt EV, emphasizing that with available incentives, the vehicle can effectively cost around $17,000 new. This challenges the common misconception that electric vehicles (EVs) are prohibitively expensive. The piece compares the Bolt’s price favorably to other EVs like the Nissan Ariya, Chevy Equinox EV, and Nissan Leaf, all of which have higher base prices before incentives. The author stresses that beyond the sticker price, EV owners can realize additional savings through lower fuel, maintenance, and repair costs. For example, a senior citizen featured in a related video replaced his gas-powered Honda Accord with a Bolt, benefiting from home charging savings and reduced brake wear due to regenerative braking. The article also notes the senior driver’s positive experience, including no range anxiety and achieving up to 300 miles on a single charge with an impressive energy efficiency of 4.9 miles per kWh. This underscores the Bolt’s capability for longer trips and
energyelectric-vehiclesChevy-Bolt-EVEV-incentivesbattery-efficiencyregenerative-brakingenergy-savingsChina boosts lithium battery life, efficiency using boron additives
Chinese scientists from Nankai University have developed boron-containing electrolyte additives to address key challenges in lithium metal batteries (LMBs), such as lithium dendrite formation, short cycle life, and low Coulombic efficiency. Lithium metal batteries offer high energy density (over 500 Wh/kg), but their practical use is hindered by these issues. The research highlights that optimizing electrolyte formulations with boron additives is a cost-effective strategy to improve battery performance. Boron additives help dissolve Li2O and LiF deposits, reducing interfacial charge transfer resistance and enhancing lithium-ion diffusion, which improves discharge capacity and rate performance. The team designed and tested four boron additives, focusing on their electron-deficient properties and electrostatic potential (ESP) to identify the most effective compounds. Tris(hexafluoroisopropyl) borate (THFPB) showed the highest ESP, indicating strong anion attraction and promising electrolyte additive characteristics. The oxidative decomposition of boron additives at the cath
energylithium-batteriesboron-additiveselectrolyte-optimizationbattery-efficiencyenergy-storagematerials-scienceHankook Tire Launches iON HT Tire for Electric Light-Duty Trucks - CleanTechnica
Hankook Tire has introduced the iON HT, its first highway-terrain tire specifically designed for electric light-duty trucks. Unveiled at the 2025 Electrify Expo in Los Angeles, the iON HT is part of Hankook’s iON product family, which focuses on EV-specific tire technology. The tire features an “XL” load designation to support the heavier weight of electric trucks due to battery packs and cargo, offering high-load support, ultra-low rolling resistance, and an 80,000-mile limited treadwear warranty. It combines all-season versatility with technologies like Roll Lite Compound and Opti Cure Technology to reduce internal friction and improve battery efficiency, as well as ProDurable Compound and Opti Tread Technology to enhance wear resistance. Additional design elements include 3D-Embossed Sipes and flared shoulder grooves for improved wet traction, an aggressive shoulder block design, and iON Clad construction to protect against external impacts without compromising ride comfort. The iON
energyelectric-vehiclesEV-tiresrolling-resistancebattery-efficiencytire-technologyHankook-Tire