Rough road ahead for EV battery costs Increasing manufacturing scale is critical in getting lithium-ion battery costs down; it will not be nearly enough to reach the U.S. Advanced Battery Consortium target of $150/kW·h by 2020. Read full story

Thermal storage evaporators offer idle-stop cost saving for A/C operation Idle-stop may add to city fuel economy and is eligible for 2.9 g/mi carbon credits, so it is starting to appear as a U.S. option. Need for A/C operation leads to evaluation of evaporators with thermal storage in waxes. Delphi promises U.S. OE installation for 2015, following low-volume Behr system in European BMW 7 Series. Read full story

Full charge ahead: SAE International launches Global Technology Libraries The first GTL knowledge product to launch focuses on ground vehicle electrification. Built from the ground up using agile-development techniques, with multiple interactions with industry-based testers, SAE’s GTL-EV is a unique subscription product. Read full story

J1772 'combo connector' shown at the 2012 Electric Vehicle Symposium SAE International's J1772 “combo connector,” which will allow for both slower ac charging and faster dc charging of plug-in vehicles using a single vehicle electrical inlet, gets its first North American public demo next week after months of internal testing by automakers. Read full story

Permits, prices are challenges for those building EV infrastructure Electric vehicles have support from governments and many corporations, but building an infrastructure to support them still poses many challenges. Installation costs are fairly high and licensing can be a challenge. Read full story

Video Interview: Protean Electric's Stewart talks about Brabus hybrid concept The company's Vice President of Business Development provides insight into the electric in-wheel motor system powering the Mercedes-Benz E-Class-based Brabus Hybrid at the SAE 2012 World Congress. Protean's Chairman and CEO Bob Purcell also announced several new global partners that will help the company launch its systems into volume production. Read full story

College students help TARDEC design hybrid vehicle Military vehicles are adopting hybrid technologies to help reduce oil consumption and carry extra battery capability when warfighters need it. The U.S. Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center in Warren, MI, is highlighting a demonstrator that performs the functions of a Humvee while consuming far less fuel. Read full story

Video Interview: ECOtality leading the charge in EV charging Paul Heitmann, Manager of Utility Solutions at ECOtality, spoke to Automotive Engineering International about the EV Project and about the company's Blink chargers. Read full story

GE’s Immelt sees future for EVs: ‘We don’t invest in novelties’ Key among the 10 ideas for business and country competitiveness that General Electric’s Chairman and CEO shared to open the SAE 2012 World Congress was that the U.S. must take a leadership role in the energy sector. And Jeffrey Immelt believes that is not just a pipe dream. Read full story