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Battery-pack production for plug-ins, hybrids, triples in three years

Panasonic's standing in the plug-in and hybrid battery production industry has zoomed ahead like a Tesla Model S taking off from a standstill. That's appropriate because the Japanese company's relationship with the California-based automaker has been the primary reason for its growth, which looks like it will continue to be rapid. According to new numbers from Lux Research, battery manufacturers are producing 1.4 gigawatt-hours worth of batteries for plug-in and pure battery-electric vehicles per quarter, up from under 200 MWh in early 2011. Lithium-ion batteries account for 68 percent of the current total, while nickel-metal hydride batteries (like the one used in the non-plug-in Toyota Prius) account for 28 percent. The rest are made up of small numbers of things like solid-state batteries. Panasonic has been the primary beneficiary of electric vehicle growth (click on chart to enlarge). The company has a 39percent market share for plug-in and hybrid batteries, while NEC has 27 percent and LG Chem has 9 percent. As for demand, Toyota, Tesla and Renault-Nissan account for about three-quarters of all batteries used for plug-in and hybrid vehicles. Panasonic expanded its battery-production deal with Tesla last October. There are more details in the Lux Research press release below. Panasonic Has 39% Share of Plug-In Vehicle Batteries, Thanks to Its Deal With Tesla Batteries for Plug-Ins and Hybrids Were a $660 Million Market in Q1 2014, Led by U.S. Demand, According to Lux Research's New Automotive Battery Tracker BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - May 6, 2014) - Batteries for hybrids and plug-in vehicles are growing fast, more than tripling over the past three years to reach 1.4 GWh per quarter, according to the Automotive Battery Tracker from Lux Research. Panasonic has emerged as the leader thanks to its partnership with Tesla, capturing 39% of the plug-in vehicle battery market, overtaking NEC (27% market share) and LG Chem (9%) in 2013. "Even at relatively low volumes -- less than 1% of all cars sold -- plug-in vehicles are driving remarkable energy storage revenues for a few developers, like Panasonic and NEC, that struck the right automotive partnerships," said Cosmin Laslau, Lux Research Analyst and the lead author of the new Lux Research Automotive Battery Tracker.

Recharge Wrap-up: California breaks ground on high-speed rail, Ford launches global mobility experiments

California has celebrated the groundbreaking of the country's first high-speed rail system. The ceremony took place in Fresno, in the San Joaquin Valley, situated along the line's initial route through California's Central Valley. The train will travel at speeds of up to 220 miles per hour, delivering passengers from San Francisco to LA in less than three hours when finished by 2029. California eventually plans to extend high-speed rail service north to Sacramento and south to San Diego, with a total of 24 stations. The project is expected to cost a total of $68 billion, but could potentially ease road and air traffic, as well as the pollution that comes with it. See the groundbreaking ceremony in the video below, and read more at Engadget or the California High-Speed Rail Authority website. Elon Musk (barely) commented on the Tesla Model 3 during his Reddit AMA. A commenter asked for any new information on the upcoming electric sedan, to which Musk merely replied, "It won't look like other cars." Unfortunately for Tesla fans, the lone comment was the only reference to the electric automaker Musk leads as CEO. The event was full of some really cool space talk, though. Musk also noted he gets an average of six hours of sleep per night, and that showering is the daily habit that impacts his life the most positively. Read the entire AMA at Reddit. Ford outlined its Smart Mobility Plan at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It includes 25 global mobility experiments designed to provide insights into the future of transportation needs around the world. "We see a world where vehicles talk to one another, drivers and vehicles communicate with the city infrastructure to relieve congestion, and people routinely share vehicles or multiple forms of transportation for their daily commute," says Ford President and CEO Mark Fields. The mobility experiments include carsharing programs in Michigan, London, Germany and India, a fast-charging infrastructure experiment, a shuttle service in New York and London and even a cycling focused data program in Palo Alto. Read more at Ford's website. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. "Our priority is not in making marketing claims or being in a race for the first autonomous car on the road," Fields said. "Our priority is in making the first Ford autonomous vehicle accessible to the masses and truly enhancing customers' lives.

Recharge Wrap-up: DIY Tesla charging arm, Tesla vs. Maserati smackdown

A Tesla Model S owner built his own version of an automatic charging arm. Assumingly inspired by the creepy, snake-like prototype Tesla previewed a while back, Deepak Mital's autonomous robot – which he calls the Evtron – finds the plug on his Model S and connects the cable to begin charging. Mital says he plans to open source his design once he's finished. It may not be as "sensual" as Tesla's prototype, but people are less likely to flee it in terror. See the Evtron in action in the video above, and read more at Electrek. A Maserati dealership has taken down a comparison between the Ghibli and the Tesla Model S after a thrashing from the EV community. First of all, the Tesla corner pointed out that the listed price of the Model S 60 at $89,320 is misleading, as the current model starts at $66,000 (a loaded 2015 could be optioned up to the price stated by Maserati, but to call that a fair comparison to the $69,800 Ghibli is highly debatable). Other, older Tesla specs also angered the EV supporters. After a Reddit post and a subsequent backlash toward Maserati of Kirkland, the dealership removed the comparison from its website. Read more at Electrek. A new report predicts that the EV charging system market will generate $8.02 billion by 2022. The report from Allied Market Research, titled "World Electric Vehicle Charging System Market," says that the market will see a CAGR of 30.7 percent from 2016 to 2022. In terms of region, Europe will dominate the market, and home charging systems will outpace public chargers. Forces like unstable fuel prices and government programs to reduce carbon emissions will spur EV sales, which, in turn, will boost the market for charging systems. Read more in the press release below. Electric Vehicle Charging System Market is Estimated to Generate $8.02 Billion by 2022 A new report by Allied Market Research titled, "World Electric Vehicle Charging System Market", forecasts that the world electric vehicle charging system market would generate revenue of $8.02 billion by 2022, registering a CAGR of 30.7% during the forecast period, 2016-2022. In 2015, Europe was the highest revenue-generating region owing to the increasing penetration of home and commercial charging systems in countries such as the Netherland, Denmark, UK and France.