California dives deeper into bidirectional charging. Bollinger announces how its electric trucks will be made. We take a look back at a Nissan electric vehicle that could have been more than a point on would-be EV history. And might EVs go without brakes as we know them in the future? This and more, here at Green Car Reports.
While some of us have grown accustomed to strong regenerative braking and the one-pedal driving modes it can enable, cranking up the brake regen and removing the pads entirely is a bold next step at least one automaker is considering. Could the EVs of the future omit friction pads entirely?
Bollinger Motors announced its manufacturing partner for electric trucks, including platforms and chassis cabs: Roush Industries. Bollinger will source and provide materials, while Roush will assemble the trucks at a flexible facility in Livonia, Michigan. Wondering about the B1 electric SUV and B2 electric pickup? They remain postponed indefinitely.
The California utility Pacific Gas & Electric has seen three large pilot programs for EV bidirectional charging, sometimes called V2X tech, just approved by the state. They’ll test technologies that could help smooth the grid and prevent brownouts with hundreds of commercial customers and up to 1,000 residential customers. One of the pilots also includes a “microgrid” scenario using medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks to back up power during outages.
And long before the Tesla Roadster or the Leaf, the Nissan FEV electric car could have rivaled the GM EV1. Called the FEV and never any more than a prototype, it boasted an aero-savvy shape, a heat pump, low-rolling-resistance tires, solar-supplemented accessories, aluminum-intensive construction, and something akin to fast-charging. In 1991, it was a harbinger of the EV age.
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