Solar glass delivers a small boost in EV range Climate control can reduce electric-vehicle range by up to 46% from A/C usage in hot weather and up to 68% from electric heaters in cold temps. Tests of a solar glass windshield at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory show 4% savings in required A/C cooling capacity, providing an up to 1.0 mi (1.6 km) increase in vehicle range. Read full story

Protean unveils production in-wheel electric drive system Using motors that fit within a pair or all wheels of a vehicle, it is designed to be an integral part of a hybrid powertrain system when paired with a traditional internal-combustion engine, or it could be the only source of traction drive in pure electric vehicles. The plug-and-play nature of the concept can offer a transitional solution for automakers. Read full story

Lithium-ion micro-battery demos potential new path to high performance The innovation is a novel, three-dimensional battery design from the University of Illinois that simultaneously expands the cell’s reactive surface area while boosting its ion and electron transport capacity. Read full story

Boeing and FAA confident in 787 battery fix (video) U.S. National Transportation Safety Board on April 23-24 will hold a hearing focusing on the design and certification of the 787's battery system. Read full story

Video interview: CARB sticking by its regulatory guns CARB chief Mary Nichols defends her agency's past, present, and future regulatory activities before an SAE 2013 World Congress audience, promising flexibility where necessary. Read full story

Schaeffler-Ford electric wheel-hub development enters next phase Second-stage testing by Schaeffler and Ford has demonstrated significant weight saving, power and torque increases, and cold weather performance. Read full story

2013 Nissan Leaf integrated e-powertrain a smaller, lighter package Nissan integrated the motor, inverter, and charging unit into a single stack under the hood, freeing up space and reducing mass. Read full story

Hitachi Metals reduces rare-earth dysprosium in electric-motor magnets In response to high prices and supply risks for dysprosium and other rare-earth elements used in magnets for HEV/EV traction motors and other actuators and electric motors, Hitachi Metals America has developed an alternative solution based on its DDMagic technology that reduces dependence on such rare earths. Read full story

Subaru introduces a different kind of hybrid The gasoline-electric system, incorporated in the XV Crosstrek model, has a 10-kW electric motor integrated into the back of its CVT transmission to provide a full menu of hybrid functions including brief electric vehicle operation, idle stop-start, and acceleration assist. Read full story