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Engineers have discovered a way to more than double the lifespan of batteries used in smartphones and electric cars.

The battery breakthrough was successfully demonstrated by researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia, who increased the lifespan of a lithium-ion (li-ion) battery from several hundred charge/ discharge cycles, to more than 1,000.

“Our process will increase the lifespan of batteries in many things, from smartphones and laptops, to power tools and electric vehicles,” said Professor Lianzhou Wang from the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology.

Kyte’s Tesla Model 3 subscription aims to remove some of the headaches of car buying and leasing. A 3-month term costs $1,350 per month.

A 50-year-old woman was buried with a unique “male” pendant.

The result is a series of specialized accessories, including a sunglass holder, a can holder, and a phone or cardholder explicitly created for the new Peugeot 308. Made using the latest HP Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing technology, the products are not just innovative but also “pleasant to the touch, light, solid and easy to use.” According to the brand, they go a long way in enhancing the car’s interior, which showcases a new generation of Peugeot’s i-Cockpit –a patented new design that revolutionizes the driver’s cockpit through advanced ergonomics, head-up digital instrument displays, and interactive touchscreen technology.

According to the brand, this is just one of the first 3D printing used at Peugeot, as the company plans to continue implementing it for more technical parts in future car models. Moreover, as part of the PSA Group, which recently merged with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) to create Stellantis, Peugeot is now a sister company to 13 other car manufacturers, including Dodge, Jeep, and Maserati, so looking at the bigger picture, we can imagine that the use of additive manufacturing will trickle down to the other brands under the Stellantis umbrella.

One of Melbourne’s busiest roads will host a world-leading traffic management system using the latest technology to reduce traffic jams and improve road safety.

The ‘Intelligent Corridor’ at Nicholson Street, Carlton was launched by the University of Melbourne, Austrian technology firm Kapsch TrafficCom and the Victorian Department of Transport.

Covering a 2.5 kilometre stretch of Nicholson Street between Alexandra and Victoria Parades, the Intelligent Corridor will use sensors, cloud-based AI, machine learning algorithms, predictive models and real time-data capture to improve traffic management – easing congestion, improving road safety for cars, pedestrians and cyclists, and reducing emissions from clogged traffic.

The secret sauce? An improved manufacturing process that eliminates corrosive carbon dioxide gas.

There’s a better way to build solid-state lithium batteries, scientists say. By studying the battery manufacturing process, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Upton, New York-based Brookhaven National Laboratory have eliminated a tiny (but crucial) contamination issue, which could cut down on the complexity in future battery designs.

Solid-state batteries are widely considered to be the next great thing in rechargeable battery design. With an energy capacity at least two times greater than traditional lithium-ion batteries with flammable liquid electrolytes, solid-state batteries are safer, as well as more efficient—a huge pair of selling points for electric consumer vehicles in particular.

Continue reading “Solid-State Batteries Could Pack in Twice as Much Energy Per Pound” »

Tesla’s idea for a crazy windshield wiper that would clear debris from a driver’s line of sight using a laser beam has been officially published by the United States Patent Office. Tesla filed the application for the patent in May 2019, and it finally was granted in late 2021. Now, the U.S. Patent Office has published the patent, making it publicly viewable.

Tesla has long been interested in some pretty crazy and revolutionary ideas for automobiles. Over the years, Tesla has looked at several different designs and ideas for windshield wipers, using anything from a single-wiper system for the Next-Gen Roadster that would utilize an electromagnetic linear actuator to rid the windshield of moisture, to no wipers at all when it unveiled the Cybertruck in November 2019. Most recent sightings of Tesla’s Cybertruck have indicated the vehicle will have wipers, but Tesla is still revising the design.

With all of the crazy ideas Tesla has thrown around for wipers in the past, the patent for the automaker’s “Pulsed Laser Cleaning of Debris Accumulated on Glass Articles in Vehicles and Photovoltaic Assemblies” is among the most interesting. Originally filed in May 2019, Tesla recently had the idea published by the U.S. Patent Office, meaning if the Office does not ultimately grant the patent, the public can still learn from the work and perhaps develop another system that could be granted.

CEO of Tesla Elon Musk revealed in tweets posted on Saturday that he is giving serious thought to creating a social media platform.

“Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy,” Musk further tweeted.

Free speech

Continue reading “Elon Musk tweets about building a new social media platform” »

An Ola Electric scooter caught fire while parked at the roadside in Pune, Maharashtra. In an unverified tweet posted on March 26, an Ola electric scooter could be seen in plumes of smoke, which ultimately led to the scooter catching fire. As per the tweet, it could be an Ola S1 or Ola S1 Pro scooter.

“We’re in constant touch with the customer who is absolutely safe,” said the startup. “Vehicle safety is of paramount importance at Ola and we are committed to the highest quality standards in our products. We take this incident seriously and will take appropriate action and share more in the coming days,” Ola said.