#LithiumIonBatteries

Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the U.S. company responsible for developing product safety tests, is revamping the lithium-ion battery standards.

Recently, the University of Wyoming’s researchers released data that showed the state’s Rock Springs Uplift could provide up to 18-million tons of lithium.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is backing away from its previously announced plan to see 1 million electric cars on U.S. roads by 2015, saying the timeline isn’t really all that important.

Specifications for the U.S.-built 2013 Nissan Leaf EV are still unavailable, but its official unveiling during the Detroit Auto Show on January 15 is drawing very near. 

Nissan has built its first lithium-ion cells for its electric vehicle’s batteries at its plant in Smyrna, Tennessee, which will first be used in its 2013 Leaf.

A year riddled with controversy for electric cars is winding down, but not without at least one more flare up — Chinese firm Wanxiang Group won the bidding war for A123 Systems.

Bankrupt battery maker A123 Systems was scheduled to go up for auction today behind closed doors at a Chicago law firm, but the list of bidders is likely to cause trouble.

From in-car technology to turbocharging, there is perhaps no other trend that’s fundamentally changing new cars more than the move to dramatically reduce the weight of modern vehicles.

Prices might be falling soon on the cost to produce electric vehicles, which means (hopefully) that the MSRP will fall soon as well.

A new report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance shows the cost of lithium ion batteries falling 14 percent over this time last year. Furthermore, prices took a 30 percent swan dive since 2009.

The recent stories of the Tesla Roadster “bricking” will likely cause owners of other electric vehicles to worry. We’ve managed to track down and get a comment about the measures in place that can prevent other EVs from becoming damaged like the Tesla.

Following on from the announcement that GM is looking at redesigning the Chevrolet Volt’s lithium-ion battery system in the wake of several highly publicized fires resulting from test crashes, comes further news that both the automaker and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration delayed disclosure of their original findings by months.

Mercedes-Benz is rethinking their line of Smart cars and will bring the ForFour, a four door, four passenger vehicle, to American consumers by 2015.