Researchers at Victoria University of Wellington and Chalmers University of Technology developed a TD3-Powered Charger using a deep reinforcement learning algorithm that adapts safe voltage levels during charging based on a battery’s current degradation state.The system adapts charging behavior based on a battery’s degradation state, dynamically adjusting safe voltage levels during charging rather than relying on fixed routines.

In simulation tests using a real-world battery model, the AI-driven method extended battery cycle life by…

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Waymo just keeps growing. Driverless rides started slowly at first in a couple of cities. Now Alphabet’s robotaxi business is scaling up quickly as it heads to more markets. 

On Thursday, America’s autonomous-car leader said it had cracked a new milestone: 500,000 paid rides per week. That weekly throughput has doubled in less than a year, with Waymo first crossing 250,000 rides per week last April. 

 

Expanding into new territory has helped. Last month, Waymo started offering rides in…

• Frequent fast charging can accelerate a lithium-ion battery’s aging.
• Researchers in Sweden found a way to use artificial intelligence to slow degradation.
• The simulation results are impressive, and could make a huge difference if commercialized. 

Artificial intelligence is already seeping into cars, with the technology now embedded into everything from autonomous vehicles to voice assistants. A new study now shows that AI could also extend your electric vehicle battery’s life…

The new iX3 enters one of the contentious segments in the EV world: premium midsize SUVs, where being merely good gets you forgotten. The Audi Q6 E-Tron is deeply competent, the Porsche Macan Electric is properly sorted, the Mercedes-Benz GLC EV is very convincing, and the Tesla Model Y still lords over the class with its annoying blend of usefulness, software, and value. On paper, the iX3 arrives loaded for bear.

It rides on a new bespoke EV platform, promises standout range and efficiency, and it finally feels like an EV conceived from the ground up to be electric. The iX3 is also truly excellent…

• Rivian is considering making its own lidar sensors for future R2 versions.
• CEO RJ Scaringe said a partnership with a Chinese company is possible.
• A lidar sensor can create detailed images of a car’s surroundings, boosting automated driving capabilities.

Rivian may manufacture its own lidar sensors in the United States, CEO RJ Scaringe told Reuters in an interview yesterday. If the plan works, the R2 mid-size electric SUV will become the first mass-market American EV fitted with a lidar sensor manufactured domestically.

The California EV startup’s head honcho added that Rivian is mulling…

Not-for-profit organisation Yarra Energy Foundation (YEF) has commissioned a community battery storage system paired with two wheelchair-accessible EV charging bays in Clifton Hill, an inner-city Melbourne suburb in Victoria, Australia.

This marks the first dedicated front-of-meter community battery storage system designed to integrate with public EV charging infrastructure in inner Melbourne.

The project, installed at Collingwood Leisure Centre on Turnbull Street, was funded through a AU$750,000 (US$535,000) grant from the Victoria…

Nine in 10 house hunters (93%) want their dream home to have green energy modifications like solar panels and EV charging, according to research from E.On Next.

More than two-thirds (70%) of prospective buyers say energy technology is now a non-negotiable when choosing a property, while 68% say they would not have been looking for these features a year ago.

Almost all of today’s buyers (93%) report growing energy uncertainty is shaping what they want in a home.

Rising energy costs (52%) and a desire for greater energy security (29%) are…

• Firefly updated its in-car software via OTA update recently, adding features like Nintendo Switch casting and customizable lock and unlock sounds and animations.
• The Nintendo Switch streaming comes via a USB capture card, and a physical connection to the car. 
• Firefly’s game casting feature works with both generations of the Nintendo Switch.

Too many cars available in the U.S. take themselves too seriously. Luckily, elsewhere in the world, more whimsical minds have prevailed. While in China last month, I got some seat time with the Firefly, a cutesy little hatchback from Nio’s sub-brand of the…