PG&E has been granted approval to implement a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) export offset mechanism for commercial electric vehicle charging customers in California. Sono Motors is launching its Sion solar electric vehicles in the US market, while Toyota and Jera are installing innovative second-life battery systems in Japan.
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Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) was granted approval to establish the first vehicle-to-grid (V2G) export compensation mechanism in the United States for commercial electric vehicle charging customers. The new export rate structure in its California service area was agreed upon between PG&E and the Vehicle-Grid Integration Council, Electrify America LLC, and the Public Advocates Office of the California Public Utilities Commission. Owners of commercial electric vehicles will receive upfront incentives to help offset fleet costs, while encouraging vehicles to export electricity to support the grid during peak demand periods. Charging equipment will be paired with stationary energy storage systems, which will be available to support the grid and provide backup power to recharge vehicles during grid outages. PG&E says more than 420,000 electric vehicles have been sold in its service area, representing one in six electric vehicles in the United States.
PA Engines brought its Sion EV for a seven-city U.S. tour ahead of its scheduled delivery next year. The Sion is marketed as the world’s first affordable solar electric vehicle, with a price tag of around €25,000 ($24,700). Its outer shell has 456 solar half-cells to extend the time between charges and allow autonomy on short trips, according to the Munich manufacturer. Sion’s 54 kWh LFP battery will allow a maximum charging capacity of 75 kW (DC) and 11 kW (AC). The vehicle also has an on-board bi-directional charger up to 11 kW. The company says it has received over 20,000 private bookings and over 22,000 pre-orders from fleet operators to date. In partnership with Valmet Automotive, Sono Motors plans to start production in Finland in the second half of 2023 and aims to produce around 257,000 vehicles within seven years.
Toyota and Jera commissioned a second-life battery at Japan’s Yokkaichi thermal power plant. They combined lithium-ion, nickel-metal-hydride and lead-acid batteries into one system. The 485 kW/1,260 kWh sweeping energy storage system was built with batteries salvaged from electric vehicles (HEV, PHEV, BEV, FCEV) and is grid-connected to “inject approximately 100,000 kWh of electricity into the public grid by the middle of the decade.” Its scanning function, developed by Toyota Central R&D Labs, Inc., allows used EV batteries to be reused regardless of their level of deterioration. It can freely control the energy discharge by turning on and off the flow of electricity through series-connected batteries in microseconds.It also allows direct AC output from batteries to reduce cost and avoid power loss when converting from AC to DC .
Solar Botanical Trees has agreed to supply British company Raw Charging with 200 solar trees for its network of commercial electric vehicle charging sites. Deliveries will begin in mid-2023 and end in 2024. The solar trees feature thin film cell technology, are 5 meters tall, with a 5 meter dome and 5 kW of power. The order was signed just six weeks after SolarBotanic Trees launched as a business. “We are now beginning to seek out various regional sites for our manufacturing,” says SolarBotanic CEO Chris Shelley.
Evergrande began deliveries of the Hengchi 5, its first electric vehicle model. The first 100 customers received their cars on Saturday, the Chinese company said on its official WeChat account. Evergrande plans to shift its parent company’s core business from real estate to auto manufacturing over the next decade. Its goal is to manufacture 1 million vehicles by 2025.
BP pulse announced plans for a Gigahub network: a series of large EV fast-charging hubs to serve taxi fleets across the United States. The first planned location will be built near Los Angeles International Airport in conjunction with Hertz and will be partially funded by a $2 million grant from the California Energy Commission. The initiative aims to lessen the environmental impact of ride-sharing services in Los Angeles. “Vehicles used by California’s ride-hailing fleets represent 2.5% of the vehicle population, but consume 30% of all public fast-charging,” said Patty Monahan, California’s senior energy commissioner for transport.
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