SightGlass

SAE International has chosen Mahle’s Differential Inductive Positioning System (DIPS) as the preferred alignment method for wireless EV charging standard the SAE J2954, concluding a 10-year effort to establish a standardised solution. Mahle chair and CEO said the decision “confirms the systems expertise of Mahle in electrification”. Continue reading SAE selects Mahle tech as wireless EV charging standard

Sunswap, a UK-based clean-tech company, is on a mission to revolutionise the global cold chain industry with its groundbreaking solar and battery-powered transport refrigeration unit. The company, founded by Michael Lowe, Nikolai Tauber, and Andrew Sucis in January 2020, is driven by the goal of disrupting and decarbonising the reefer sector through their innovative technology. Continue reading Cooled by the sun: Sunswap’s solar-powered electric transport refrigeration unit

CES: Construction Equipment Show?

This year’s CES exhibition – formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show but famously became one of the world’s biggest car shows in recent years – included a surprising amount of earthmoving equipment among the transparent televisions, artificial intelligence toilets (no, really) and other gadgets. Held annually in Las Vegas, CES is where companies debut … Continue reading CES: Construction Equipment Show?

Porsche GT4 e-Performance

Believe it or not, there is a link between the Porsche GT4 e-Performance cover star of SightGlass edition 32 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N that graced edition 31 – less obvious that both are performance cars which likely borrowed heavily from technology developed by Croatian electric hypercar manufacturer Rimac in which both companies have … Continue reading Oil cooled and not a refrigerant in sight: inside the Porsche GT4 e-Performance

Researchers at Washington State University (WSU) have devised a solar-powered test chamber with battery storage, enabling year-round validation of cooling systems in a controlled environment. The facility maintains a consistent 51–54°C and allows for accurate measurement of temperature, humidity, and air velocity. Its calibration was conducted based on the results of a full-scale experiment on … Continue reading Passive downdraft cooling system experiment

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have made a significant breakthrough by generating electricity from latent heat produced during a substance’s phase transition through the phenomenon known as the thermoelectric effect.  This breakthrough has profound implications for enhancing thermocells, devices that convert temperature differences into electricity. With increasing global temperatures and demand for cooling, this … Continue reading Latent heat energy breakthrough

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics (IAF) in Germany are making significant progress in the development of electrocaloric heat pumps that offer a promising alternative to compressor technology, with the goal of increasing efficiency and offering a more eco-friendly alternative to refrigerants. This type of heat pump utilises the unique properties … Continue reading Refrigerant-free heat pump

Researchers at the University of Surrey have developed an innovative solution to tackle the persistent problem of potholes caused by freezing and thawing during the winter, which could significantly improve the state of major roads across Britain. Potholes are created by three main factors: First, road surface cracks develop due to traffic. Second, water enters … Continue reading Can heat pumps prevent potholes?

Major shareholders of global refrigerant specialist A-Gas have reached an agreement to sell a majority stake in the company to TPG Rise Climate, the climate investing platform of TPG Rise. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of 2023, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Current major shareholder KKR will … Continue reading TPG Rise Climate acquires majority stake in A-Gas but KKR remains involved

Daimler Truck head of truck technology Andreas Gorbach

Mercedes-Benz has been making headlines recently. First, its GenH2 prototype – approved for public road use – completed the #HydrogenRecordRun, where it covered 1047km using just one fill of liquid hydrogen. Soon after, an eActros 600 prototype took the spotlight, travelling over 1000km with only a single intermediate charge. Daimler has since confirmed that the … Continue reading Mercedes-Benz pushes the range envelope with hydrogen and electric trucks