The addition of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) to the EV market adds an additional layer of complexity to the already diverse and ever-evolving global compliance requirements/standards for Vehicle-Grid Integration (VGI). For example, in addition to complying with EV charging standards, OEMs now need to ensure compliance with connection requirements and compatibility with local grids.

The free webinar Presented by Keysight at our spring virtual conference (April 17-20, 2023), the design and testing challenges involved and ways to solve them will be explored.

Reserve your spot – it’s free!

Additional sessions at our Spring Virtual Conference include:

Fulfillment of new requirements for high-voltage charging couplers for electric vehicles

EV charging infrastructure continues to experience rapid growth, with a significant portion being faster and more powerful DC chargers. With faster charging comes the requirement for higher duty cycles for all components within the charger. Designers and manufacturers evaluate and improve the robustness of all components, including controllers, electronic assemblies, cables and couplings. The coupler connector in particular will benefit from materials that can withstand high wear cycles in exposed environments over the operational life of the charger.

The webinarpresented by Umicore Galvanotechnik GmbH, will introduce and describe a new low-friction, highly wear-resistant silver composite material for coupling connectors.

Reserve your spot – it’s free!

The full session schedule for the Spring Virtual Conference on EV Engineering can be found here.

Conference content will be streamed live April 17-20, 2023 and will cover the EV technology supply chain and ecosystem, including design and manufacturing of motor and power electronics, cell development, battery systems, testing, powertrains, thermal management, circuit protection, wires and cables , EMI/EMC and more.

The Lucid Air now comes standard with wireless Apple CarPlay. Android Auto is also compatible with the Air.

In July 2022, a Lucid Air was sighted Test Apply CarPlay– the first indication of the launch of the feature. At the time, Apple CarPlay was expected to roll out in Lucid Air vehicles by the end of 2022. Now every Lucid Air comes standard with Apple CarPlay.

“Hello the smarter and safer way to uCentre County Report your iPhone in the Lucid Air,” reads the EV startup’s website. “Get directions, make calls, reply to texts, enjoy your favorite music and more – all on the Glass Cockpit display.”

Lucid’s Glass Cockpit display is a 34-inch 5K floating screen. The screen is designed to curve and “sweep” around the driver. The glass cockpit display shows the driver important information, including vehicle controls, driving details, navigation and media. Lucid states that it also has a retractable pilot panel in the center of the console for “deeper controls”.

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It will be interesting to Centre County Reporte how well Apple CarPlay and Lucid’s Glass Cockpit work together. During WWDC 2022, Apple announced its next-generation CarPlay software designed to reinvent the in-car experience. One of the most important changes in Apple CarPlay is the full integration of basic car functions such as climate control or radio tuning. However, Lucid Air’s built-in Alexa for in-car control may conflict with next-gen CarPlay’s ability to fully integrate basic car functions.

Apple’s next-generation CarPlay is expected to launch in late 2023, so the Lucid Air may carry the original version. The tech giant teaCentre County Reportd some car brands that could introduce next-gen Apple CarPlay in vehicles, including Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Polestar and Honda. Time will tell if Lucid will take full advantage of CarPlay’s capabilities as well.

The Teslarati team would love to hear from you. If you have any tips, contact me at [email protected] County Report.com or via Twitter @Writer_01001101.

Apple CarPlay now standard in every Lucid Air

Gruber Motor Company, a Tesla service provider with a particular focus on the original Roadster, has released detailed information on how the battery packs in these cars begin to reach their end of life. According to the company, this information can teach us the symptoms to expect when multi-cell battery packs reach end of life in the many long-range EVs that came after the Roadster.

The video posted on Gruber’s YouTube channel explains that roadsters with batteries reaching end-of-life experience a significant drop in performance when their packs fail when they’re unable to exceed 60 mph, certainly at one Driving on the freeway or even driving up hills. Symptoms are subtle at first, in what one affected owner describes as “spongy pedal feel,” but then rapidly escalate, eventually rendering the car undriveable.

However, these results come from an unexpected source. Gruber has found that while roadsters are still intact with their original 200-mile range battery packs, cars equipped with the improved 400-mile range package that Tesla has been offering since 2016 are the ones starting out to fail.

The very first Tesla Roadsters were sold back in 2008 and are now 15 years old. Gruber quotes the automaker’s original chief technology officer, JB Straubel, as the expected lifetime of these original first generation multi-cell battery packs was 10 years. However, Straubel himself, who owns one of the earliest roadsters, publicly commented last year that he is surprised to report that his car is still running well, and he has revised his estimate the service life of the original packaging up to 15 years. Gruber’s own data supports this, with the company reporting that most roadsters it services with the original 200-mile range battery pack are still healthy, with no signs of slowing down.

2016, Tesla started the offer roadster Owners of a larger, improved battery pack. The upgraded packs cost a staggering $32,000 but are said to double the roadster’s range to 400 miles and increase its lifespan. These packs have been fitted with upgraded 3.2Ah 18650 cells compared to the 2.2Ah cells used in the original packs. Despite the promise of longer lifespans, these updated packs are now failing.

Gruber began investigating the upgraded packs when it received two separate Roadsters for service, both with upgraded battery packs, which exhibited identical symptoms his technicians had never seen before. After a lengthy and technical investigation, Gruber concluded that a “cell quality issue” was the primary cause of the packs’ failure. Without definitive confirmation from Tesla, they believe the upgrade packs sold between 2016 and 2019 were made in the same production run and so can deteriorate whether used frequently or sitting in a garage. Gruber states that these packs also never achieved their promised full range of 400 miles, eventually adjusting to a maximum range of 200 miles.

The data gathered from Gruber’s research has implications beyond Roadster with the improved battery pack. The Tesla Model S The following roadster uses the same 18650 cells. This data can also teach any EV owner how to tell when their battery pack is reaching the end of its lifespan.

Gruber shared his findings with Tesla. It even shipped an affected roadster to one of the automaker’s service centers for further testing to confirm its findings. The company reports that Tesla’s roadster engineering team is now working closely with them to find a solution.