Switch Mobility, Ashok Leyland's Electric Vehicle Division, Introduces Innovative Electric Commercial Vehicles

Ashok Leyland, a big company that makes trucks and buses, is celebrating its 75th birthday. They have introduced a new kind of vehicle called the IeV Series, which runs on electricity and is for carrying light loads. They showed this new vehicle to a government minister named Nitin Gadkari. They also showed off a special bus that runs on a special kind of clean fuel called hydrogen. This is the first bus like this in India. They even had a truck that runs on hydrogen too, which they made with another big company called Reliance Industries.

Ashok Leyland started in 1948 and has become one of the biggest truck and bus makers in India. The IeV Series is the first of its kind in India and is good for small businesses, little factories, and online shopping because it doesn't cost too much to use and doesn't harm the environment much.

The boss of Ashok Leyland, Dheeraj Hinduja, talked about how the company has changed and come up with new ideas over 75 years. He's excited about the future and wants to keep making trucks and buses that help India grow.

The CEO of Ashok Leyland, Shenu Agarwal, said they've always been good at making new standards in their industry and want to make vehicles that are good for the environment.

The CEO of SWITCH Mobility, Mahesh Babu, said the new IeV Series is a big step for the company and shows that they want to make things better in their industry.

As part of the 75th-anniversary party, Ashok Leyland sent out 10 of their vehicles on a special drive around the country. They also had another drive with military vehicles that went from one end of India to the other, showing their support for the Indian military.

A Comprehensive Review of Wireless Charging Technologies for Electric Vehicles

 Abstract: — The profitable commercialization and adoption of electrified transportation require fast, economical, and reliable charging infrastructure. This paper provides a comprehensive, state-of-the-art review of all the wireless charging technologies for electric vehicles (EVs), characteristics and standards available in the open literature, sustainable implications and potential safety measures. A comparative overview of conductive and wireless charging is followed by a detailed description of static wireless charging, dynamic wireless charging (DWC), and quasi-DWC. Roadblocks, such as coil design of power pads, frequency, power level limitations, misalignment, and potential solutions, are outlined. The standards are then tabulated to deliver a coherent view of the current status, followed by an explanation of the crux of these standards. Necessity and progress in the standardization of wireless charging systems are then deliberated. Vehicle-to-grid application of wireless charging is reviewed, followed by an overview of economic analysis, social implications, the effect on sustainability, and safety aspects to evaluate the commercial feasibility of wireless charging. This paper will be highly beneficial to research entities, industry professionals, and investment representatives as a ready reference for the wireless charging system of EVs, with information on important characteristics and standards.

The Full Manuscript is here.

Advancing Global Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Deployment

Introduction:

Electric vehicles (EVs) have gained significant traction worldwide as a cleaner and more sustainable mode of transportation. Governments and organizations around the globe have set ambitious goals to promote EV adoption and deploy efficient charging infrastructure. In this blog, we'll explore some of the efforts made by various countries to establish electric vehicle charging stations and foster the growth of EVs.

1. United States: A Million EVs on the Road

In the United States, the government wanted to see one million electric vehicles (EVs) being used on the roads by the year 2015. They introduced various policies and incentives to encourage people to adopt electric vehicles. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of EVs sold nearly doubled, going from 308,000 to over 600,000. In March of this year, companies sold more than 56,000 electric vehicles.

In the first three months of 2022, there was a record-breaking 60% increase in the number of EVs registered, totaling about 158,600. This means that 4.6% of all new car registrations during that period were for electric vehicles. Moreover, in just 2022 alone, companies managed to manufacture approximately 442,000 electric vehicles. These figures show that electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular and widespread in the United States.

2. Canada's Green Investment Fund

The government of Ontario, Canada, invested $20 million to build 500 electric vehicle charging stations at 250 locations in the province by 2017. They wanted to make it easier for people who own electric vehicles to charge their cars. In 2022, 123,562 electric vehicles were sold in Canada, which is more than the previous year, where only 86,032 were sold. This growth in electric vehicles can bring many benefits to the country. It can create more jobs and business opportunities in the electric vehicle sector and also help reduce pollution that harms the environment. The government plans to have 20% of all vehicles sold in Canada be electric by 2026, and this percentage will increase to 60% by 2030 and 100% by 2035, according to the proposed regulations.

3. Germany's Electric Mobility Platform

In 2020, Germany wanted to have one million electric vehicles (EVs) on its roads. To help with this, they planned to build 70,000 public charging stations for the increasing number of EVs. The Electric Vehicles market has been doing well, and it's expected to make around US$52.79 billion in 2023. The market is predicted to keep growing at a rate of 14.39% each year from 2023 to 2028, and by 2028, it's estimated to be worth about US$103.40 billion. They expect to sell about 1,721,000 electric vehicles in 2028. The average price of electric vehicles in 2023 is expected to be about US$60,100. Looking worldwide, China is predicted to make the most money in the Electric Vehicles market, reaching around US$292,100 million in 2028.023.

4. Solar-Powered Charging Stations in China

China faced challenges with its renewable energy practices and increasing demand for electric vehicles. To address these issues, a model for setting up solar-powered charging stations was designed, offering a sustainable and environmentally-friendly solution.

5. Electric Vehicles Initiative (EVI) - A Global Policy Forum

Ten countries, including Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the U.K., and the U.S., formed the Electric Vehicles Initiative (EVI) in May 2017. Their mission was to accelerate the growth of electric vehicles worldwide. India and Korea also participated in EVI's activities, while South Africa continued as an active observer.

6. India's National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020

India has been actively promoting electric vehicles and clean fuels to reduce transportation emissions. The National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020 was introduced in 2013 and became an Act in 2015. Additionally, the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME) India Scheme was launched to provide subsidies to consumers and utilities, fostering EV adoption.

7. Infrastructure Challenges in India

Despite India's strong commitment to EV adoption, one of the significant obstacles remains the lack of sufficient charging infrastructure. The country still faces a shortage of charging stations, hindering the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

Conclusion:

Around the world, countries are actively investing in electric vehicle charging infrastructure and promoting EV adoption through various initiatives and policies. From North America to Europe, Asia, and beyond, the global community is working together to create a cleaner and greener future for transportation. However, challenges persist, and collaborative efforts will be crucial in advancing the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure on a global scale.

Revolutionizing Electric Vehicle Charging: The Rise of Wireless Charging

Written By: Dr. Aqueel Ahmad

Introduction:

In recent years, electric vehicles (EVs) and their various iterations, including plug-in EVs and xEVs, have garnered immense popularity as a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to traditional gasoline-powered ICE vehicles. The key advantage of xEVs lies in their superior performance, thanks to highly efficient electric motors, high-voltage energy storage systems, and electrified power trains. However, the widespread adoption of EVs faces a significant hurdle: range anxiety caused by the lack of robust charging infrastructure within the immediate driving range. To overcome this limitation, researchers and engineers have been actively exploring wireless charging technology, which shows great promise in revolutionizing the way we charge our vehicles.

The Challenges of Conductive Charging:

Conductive charging, the conventional method used to recharge EVs, faces several challenges that hinder its wide-scale adoption. Long charging times, limited charging locations within the range of EVs, potential traffic congestion at charging stations, and queuing times are some of the issues that deter potential EV owners from making the switch.

The Potential of Wireless Charging:

Wireless charging technology emerges as a promising solution to address the limitations of the current charging infrastructure for EVs. Its advantages lie in the safety and convenience of charging while the vehicle is at rest or in motion. The automated charging of vehicles through wireless charging can be achieved in three different modes: static charging, quasi-dynamic charging, and dynamic charging.

1) Static Charging: This mode involves charging EVs while they are parked, and it eliminates the need for physical wires, thus enhancing safety and ease of installation.

2) Quasi-Dynamic Charging: This system provides charging to EVs while they are stopped for short periods, such as at traffic lights, effectively extending the vehicle's range and reducing energy storage requirements.

3) Dynamic Charging: The most revolutionary mode, dynamic charging continuously charges the EV while it is in motion through specified charging lanes on the road, further increasing the driving range and reducing the need for large battery sizes.

Advancements in Wireless Charging:

Resonant capacitive power transfer (CPT) used for dynamic charging at dedicated lanes and resonant inductive power transfer (IPT) employed in both quasi-dynamic and dynamic charging have emerged as highly effective methods of wireless charging. Research and development have led to significant improvements in efficiency, power levels, and air gap distances. MIT researchers, for instance, have achieved impressive milestones like lighting a 60-W bulb at a distance of 2 meters, instilling confidence in increasing the wireless power transfer distances.

The Future of Wireless Charging:

The continuous efforts of researchers and engineers have resulted in almost 96% efficiency achieved at a 200-mm distance with several kilowatts of power. Today, the conductive charging system is in a stable stage and has spawned various commercial products and standards.

Conclusion:

As the world seeks sustainable alternatives to combat climate change and air pollution, electric vehicles have emerged as a key player in the transportation revolution. However, the successful mass adoption of EVs depends heavily on addressing the challenge of charging infrastructure. Wireless charging technology, with its numerous advantages and continuous advancements, promises to be the catalyst that will propel EVs into mainstream usage. The ongoing research and development in wireless charging are bringing us closer to a future where charging an electric vehicle becomes as convenient as fueling a traditional gasoline-powered car, if not more. With this technology, we can usher in a new era of cleaner, greener, and more efficient transportation for a sustainable future.