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The Basics of Trailers: Types, Sizes, and Uses

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The Basics of Trailers: Types, Sizes, and Uses

Buyer’s Guide to Everything You Add Behind Your Rig

This article may contain affiliate links.

Trailers, while often overlooked, represent an essential component in the transport and logistics industry, as well as for many personal uses. They come in a myriad of types and sizes, each designed with specific tasks in mind. From small utility trailers used for hauling home improvement supplies to massive semi-trailers transporting goods across continents, the range and versatility of trailers are truly vast. Understanding the different types of trailers, their sizes and specific uses can make the difference between a smooth, efficient operation and a logistical nightmare. Whether you’re looking to delve into the world of trailers for personal use, or you’re in the transport business looking to optimize your operations, gaining a solid understanding of the basics can be hugely beneficial. This buyer’s guide aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to the world of trailers, offering insights into the diversity of types, sizes and uses that define this versatile tool.

Types of Trailers and Their Uses

To start with, trailers can be broadly categorized into two groups: open trailers and enclosed trailers. Open trailers, as the name suggests, do not have any enclosing sides or top. They are often used for transporting large, bulky items, such as machinery or heavy equipment. These types of trailers can often require the use of additional equipment, such as a rolling ladder to access the goods. It can help in the loading and unloading process, making it an important equipment to use with these trailers. On the other hand, enclosed trailers offer protection from weather elements and are ideal for transporting sensitive goods like electronics, furniture and perishables. Each of these categories encompasses a variety of specific types of trailers, designed for particular tasks and needs. In the subsequent sections, we will delve deeper into the different types of trailers within these categories, discussing their sizes and specific uses.

Utility Trailers

Utility trailers, a type of open trailer, are one of the most common and versatile types used today. They come in various sizes, from small ones that can accommodate household goods, to larger models capable of carrying heavy-duty machinery. They are typically used for transporting loose materials like gravel or sand, moving gardening supplies or even hauling small pieces of furniture or appliances. Their open design allows for easy loading and unloading, making them a practical choice for a wide range of tasks. Built with sturdy materials like steel or aluminum, utility trailers are designed to withstand heavy loads and rigorous use.

Flatbed trailer; https://www.pexels.com/photo/red-coupe-on-flatbed-trailer-943930/

Flatbed Trailers

Flatbed trailers are another type of open trailer, but with a flat platform instead of an enclosed bed. They are preferred for carrying oversized items or those that cannot be loaded onto regular trailers due to their size or shape. These include large equipment, vehicles and construction materials like lumber or pipes. Flatbed trailers come in various sizes and styles, such as standard flatbeds, drop decks and lowboy trailers. They are typically used in the construction and agriculture industries, as well as for transporting goods that cannot fit into enclosed trailers.

Horse Trailers

Horse trailers are a type of enclosed trailer designed specifically for transporting horses. They come in various sizes to accommodate different numbers of horses, ranging from one-horse trailers to large models capable of carrying multiple horses. Horse trailers typically feature a ramp for easy loading and unloading, as well as partitions to keep the horses separated and secure during transport. They also have ventilation systems and padding inside to ensure the safety and comfort of the animals.

Manufacturers and Customization Options

While trailers can be purchased from various manufacturers, many also offer customization options to cater to specific needs and preferences. From color choices and branding to specialized features like ramps or shelving, customization allows for the creation of a trailer that best fits individual requirements. Moreover, the professionals at ACE Trailers Cleveland remind us that choosing the right trailer manufacturer is crucial for ensuring a high-quality and reliable product. By working with a reputable manufacturer, individuals or businesses can have peace of mind knowing that their customized trailer will meet their needs and exceed expectations. Consider researching and comparing various manufacturers to find the one that offers the best options and quality for your specific needs.

Refrigerated Trailers

Refrigerated trailers, also known as reefers, are a type of enclosed trailer that are specifically designed for transporting perishable goods. These trailers are equipped with a refrigeration unit to maintain a specific temperature inside, making them ideal for transporting goods like fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy products and pharmaceuticals that require a controlled temperature environment. Reefer trailers come in various sizes depending on the cargo’s requirements, and their use is most common in the food and pharmaceutical industries. They play a crucial role in maintaining the cold chain during transport, ensuring that perishable goods retain their freshness and quality from the point of origin to the destination.

dry van trailers; https://www.pexels.com/photo/three-white-enclosed-trailers-1267325/

Dry Van Trailers

These spacious rectangular trailers are a common sight on highways, often hitched to semi-trucks. They serve as reliable means of transporting a diverse range of goods, particularly those requiring protection from the elements, such as electronics, textiles and non-perishable food and beverage items. Dry van trailers are versatile and can handle most types of cargo, which makes them a popular choice for many industries. They come in a variety of sizes, with the most common size being 53 feet long. The inside of these trailers is often outfitted with straps, e-tracks or other securing devices to keep cargo in place during transport. Some models even come with climate control options, making them suitable for transporting temperature-sensitive items.

Dump Trailers

Dump trailers are a specialized type of open trailer, primarily used in the construction and agriculture sectors. They are designed to transport materials such as sand, gravel and soil, and then unload them via an integrated hydraulic lift system. This design allows for quick and easy offloading of materials, making dump trailers a vital tool in many construction and landscaping projects. Available in various sizes and capacities, they can handle anything from small home renovation jobs to large-scale commercial projects. They are usually constructed from heavy-duty materials to withstand the rough and tumble of construction sites, ensuring longevity and reliability.

In conclusion, trailers come in an extensive array of types, sizes and uses to meet a variety of transport needs. Whether it’s the versatile utility trailer, the spacious dry van trailer, the specialized horse trailer or the temperature-controlled refrigerated trailer, each serves a unique purpose in different industries. Notwithstanding their differences, all trailers have one common goal: to assist in the safe and efficient transportation of goods and materials. It’s essential to understand the distinct features and capabilities of each type to make an informed decision when purchasing or renting. Remember, choosing the right trailer ultimately contributes to the overall efficiency and success of your transportation needs.

The post The Basics of Trailers: Types, Sizes, and Uses first appeared on Clean Fleet Report.

Source link by Clean Fleet Report
Author Emma McCarthy

#Basics #Trailers #Types #Sizes
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Kia EV Day 2025 recap: EV4 is coming to US, plus an up-close look at the EV2 and PV5 [Video]

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Kia EV Day 2025 recap: EV4 is coming to US, plus an up-close look at the EV2 and PV5 [Video]

Kia EV4

Kia recently held its annual EV Day event overseas, and we were one of the select outlets invited to attend in person. During that time, Kia executives outlined the Korean brand’s global EV strategy, which reiterated its unwavering approach to going all-electric, bolstered by several new models that made global debuts, including the Concept EV2, PV5 lineup, and the Kia EV4, which we learned will officially be sold in the US.

Kia continues to establish itself as a bona fide mover in the EV segment as part of a larger electrification strategy from the parent company, Hyundai Motor Group. The Group’s decision to invest in advanced platform technology early on culminated in the E-GMP platform, the 800—or 400-volt nucleus of all its bespoke EV models. This platform has already paid dividends in the market growth of all its marques, particularly Hyundai and Kia.

The Korean marque found early success with its EV6 and EV9 models and has since introduced several additional vehicles set to join the lineup, including the EV3, EV4, and EV5. Additionally, Kia shared plans to enter the commercial EV segment with a new lineup of modular BEVs called “Platform Beyond Vehicles,” or PBVs for short.

During Kia’s second annual EV Day event, these models and some additional surprises were on display in Tarragona, Spain. We were there in person to get an up-close look at the nine different models on display (see the video recap below) and have some exciting news to share about Kia EVs and the US market.

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Kia unveils EV4 and confirms it’s coming to the US

Much of Kia’s EV Day 2025 touched upon new models designed for Korean and European markets, hence why the event was held in Spain, but there were some juicy tidbits for North American customers, including news that the new EV4, which was unveiled in Tarragona, will enter the US market.

The EV4 initially debuted as a concept model at the 2024 LA Auto Show alongside the EV3 concept, which has since been confirmed for the US market. We have been covering all the glimpses of the EV4 since, which has expanded into sedan and hatchback configurations.

During EV Day 2025, Kia officially unveiled both four- and five-door versions of the EV4, described as an “athletic all-rounder launched to redefine the C-segment.” This is another core model in Kia’s global EV strategy and the automaker’s first dedicated sedan hatchback EV.

When it arrives, it will offer the best-in-class cabin and cargo space (490 liters in the sedan and 435 liters in the hatchback) and is currently being optimized to deliver the best-in-class EV range. Kia is also targeting another IIHS Top Safety Pick award for this model, and it will be the first in the EV lineup to feature over-the-air (OTA) updates available through the Kia App. Here are some key specs:

  • Battery size: Standard (58.3 kWh) and Long Range (81.4 kWh) packs will be available
  • The Long Range battery is expected to deliver up to 630km (392 miles) of WLTP range, and 430 km (267 miles) of range in the Standard model
    • The long-range hatchback version can deliver up to 590km (367 miles) of WLTP range
  • A full underbody cover contributes to aerodynamic performance and a drag coefficient of 0.23 Cd
  • A front-mounted 150 kW motor can accelerate from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 7.4 seconds with the standard pack and 7.7 seconds with the long range battery.
    • Both battery variants can reach a top speed of 170 km/h (106 mph)
  • It features a 400V E-GMP platform, enabling the long-range pack to charge from 10-80% in 31 minutes (29 minutes for the standard pack)
  • Comes equipped with vehicle-to-load (V2L) (3.6 kVa) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) (10 kVa) capabilities with an 11 kW onboard charger

Here’s a closer look at the sedan version:

Source: Kia

The Kia EV4 will also arrive with new tech, including Digital Key 2.0, which allows your smartphone to act as a key and is compatible with Apple Watch. The BEV also features i-Pedal 3.0 regenerative braking, which we recently tested in the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5.

Another feature is “Rest Mode,” which utilizes front-row relaxation seats and a mood lamp to create a comfortable atmosphere while parked and/or charging. Theater mode optimizes the dashboard’s 30″ display, mood lighting, and optional Harmon/Kardon 8-speaker sound system for video streaming on newly added services like YouTube, Netflix, and Disney+.

Per Kia, the EV4 sedan will be built at its new EVO Plant in Korea, and the hatchback version will be built in Slovakia for targeted sales in Europe only. Sedan production will begin in Korea in mid-March, followed by hatchback production in the second half of 2025. Production for North America is planned for later this year, but we do not have a more concrete timeline yet.

Kia President Ho Sung Song told the crowd the automaker is targeting a build of 160,000 units of the EV4, 80,000 of which will be sold in North America. Kia said it targets a starting MSRP of 37,000 euros for the EV4. While we don’t have US pricing yet, Mr. Song told reporters the US dollar and Euro are pretty even right now, so we can expect US pricing to be similarly competitive to Europe, at least for the entry-level model.

Kia debuts the Concept EV2 alongside the EV4

In addition to the EV4, Kia unveiled its new Concept EV2 – its smallest BEV model to date, representing the automaker’s “vision for a B-segment all-electric SUV.—its smallest BEV model to date.” Per Kia President and CEO, Ho Sung Song:

The Kia Concept EV2 represents a bold step forward for the future of urban mobility. With the Concept EV2, we challenged ourselves to create a vehicle that defies expectations, offering innovative technology and practicality beyond its size. This concept previews Kia’s future vision to redefine the segment, bringing a new level of sophistication and usability to urban drivers. It’s a clear signal of our dedication to making electric vehicles truly accessible for everyone.

While the EV2 remains a concept for now, Kia expressed a goal to deliver a production version that closely resembles it. Kia’s executive vice president and head of global design, Karim Habib, told the media that it is much easier to accomplish on a vehicle’s exterior. Still, it will try to bring as many elements of the EV2 interior to the masses as well.

We hope Kia will continue to incorporate sustainable materials in the EV2’s interior as well as its unique seat configuration, which includes a folding second row, a sliding front bench, and rear-hinged back doors, which allow the BEV to open up for an innovative spot to hang out. Here’s a detailed look from Kia:

Source: Kia

Per Kia, the EV2 is targeting a starting MSRP of 30,000 euros but, unfortunately, is not planned for a US launch, just Europe and “other regions” in 2026.

Our best look at the PV5, which may or may not come to the US

In addition to the EV4 and Concept EV2 debuts, Kia also shared complete details of its PV5 EVs, the first model from its new PBV lineup to hit the market. The Korean automaker drove four unique variants onto the stage in Spain, showcasing the PV5’s modularity atop Kia’s new E-GMP.S platform, designed specifically for those vehicles. The “s” stands for “service.”

Kia describes the PV5 as a Car-Derived Van (CDV) offered in three body styles: Passenger, Cargo, and Chassis Cab. The variants on display were Passenger, Cargo, Crew, and WAV, which stands for “Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle.”

While these are commercial BEVs at their core, Kia has taken a welcomed sales approach and will sell them to the public as well. That means the everyday consumer can get their hands on one and design it to their liking using Kia AddGear, enabling customers to choose from a wide range of custom accessories for personal and business use.

On the commercial side, Kia announced several partnerships to empower fleet customers with cutting-edge software with the help of companies like 42dot, Geotab, and Samsung. Furthermore, the PBV’s Android Automotive Operating System (AAOS) will allow commercial customers to integrate their own software into fleets. Here are some key specs:

  • Choice of a 51.5 kWh or 71.2 kWh NMC battery pack for all versions, plus the option for an additional 43.3 kWh LFP battery in the PV5 Cargo
  • All versions feature a 150 kW front motor than can produce 250 Nm of torque
  • The PV5 Passenger with the larger pack delivers a range up to 400km (249 miles)
  • All versions can charge from 10-80% in 30 minutes
  • PV5 Passenger: A three-row seat configuration that can be optimized for luggage or camping scenarios and has been developed with ride-hailing use cases in mind (Kia has partnered with Uber)
  • The PV5 Cargo (High Roof): This variant offers up to 5.1 m³ of capacity, with standard, long, and high-roof options available. There is also an optional L-track mounting system and V2L functionality
  • The PV5 Chassis Cab: It will be delivered as an unfinished vehicle, with a shared cabin, which utilizes the front section of the PV5 Cargo. It was developed with modularity to support a range of conversion configurations, from Drop Side to Freezer Box models

Other variants in the works include the PV5 Crew, which features various cargo securing options like lashing points and L-tracks, plus the PV5 WAV (both pictured above), which comes equipped with a sliding ramp that supports up to 300 kg (661 lbs) and can be positioned on the road or the sidewalk, as well as hardware to secure the wheelchair during transit.

My first thought after seeing the modularity of the PV5 was “electric camper van,” so when I interviewed Mr. Song, it was the first thing I asked. The Kia President could not confirm a camper version of the PV5 or larger PV7 was coming but did say it was being discussed. You may remember Kia unveiled a similar PV5 concept called the WKNDR at SEMA 2024, so this feels imminent and could sell well. Furthermore, Kia’s press release outlining the 2025 Kia EV Day event specifically mentioned a camper option:

Additionally, Kia has developed the Flexible Body System, an innovative technology that enables the modular assembly of body components, akin to assembling a puzzle. This capability allows Kia to effectively address the diverse needs of its customers by providing standard models including Passenger, Cargo, Chassis-Cab, WAV (Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle), and Family. Additionally, it will feature conversion models including the Crew, Drop Side, Box Van, Freezer Box, Prime (advanced model based on Passenger), and Light Camper.

Kia said the PV5 Cargo will have a starting MSRP of 35,000 euros, including VAT, and other models will be “priced competitively.”

Like the EV4, the PBVs will be built at Kia’s new dedicated EVO plant in Korea, which also includes a conversion facility next door for those customized builds. Kia shared that PV5 sales will begin in Korea and Europe in July, followed by launches in additional markets in 2026. Conversion models are also expected to begin production “sequentially” between 2025 and 2026.

But will the PV5 come to the US? This question came up multiple times during executive interviews, but we still don’t have a concrete answer. Mr. Song confirmed that the PV5 would be sold in Canada but cited the United States’ “chicken tax” as a hurdle for market entry in the US.

Given that information, it is hard to believe Kia won’t find a workaround to get its PV5s imported into the US market, but that has been all but confirmed so far. That will undoubtedly be a process to keep an eye on.

Other key highlights from Kia EV Day 2025

Overall, EV Day 2025 showcased Kia’s continued dedication to BEVs and its impressive innovation in the space, including variety, modularity, and advanced technology. I always reiterate that Hyundai Motor Group appears to be doing everything right, and you can look at the growing global market share of both Hyundai and Kia in recent years as clear evidence of modularity.

What I found most impressive was President Song’s unwavering support of Kia’s all-electric future, which entails staying the course set out when the Korean automaker rebranded itself in 2021. Mr. Song said that the automaker has no plans to backtrack to ICE vehicles like some competitors. Tariffs came up a lot in interviews, and Mr. Song took a moment to gather his thoughts before addressing the looming threat to the room.

His sentiment was that the threat of tariffs in the US is scary, but it affects most automakers, not just Hyundai Motor Group. Kia plans to keep the best interests of its customers in mind. The location of EV production and its position in the market are key factors in its business strategy. Still, if tariffs arise, Kias is ready to pivot its strategy to continue providing customers with the best technology at a competitive price (again, there was no mention of steering away from BEVs at all). That’s refreshing to hear.

Chinese BEVs also came up in interviews, and Mr. Song’s response was forthcoming and honest (again quite refreshing from a CEO):

Chinese brands are a big burden to all OEMs. Their prices are significantly lower, and they’re growing in new markets. We are growing too. Maybe someone is losing market share, but we aren’t. We cannot catch up with that price gap, but will continue to improve our technology and customer experience.

Alongside potential plans for the PV5 in the US, Kia executives also told the media that it is exploring the possibility of bringing the EV5 to the US but cannot confirm anything at this time. So, in total, we know the US will see sales of the Kia EV3 and EV4 for sure; the PV5 and EV5 are question marks, and the EV2 is a definitive no.

Overall, Kia’s EV Day 2035 showcased the brand’s continued innovation and expansion into new segments led by some of the best bang for your buck in technology and charging capabilities. Like Hyundai, Kia is becoming an absolute vanguard in BEVs (one of its internal goals), which is why its market share continues to grow (see evidence above). Here’s an up-close look at some of the sights from EV Day 2025, including footage of the EV4 sedan, hatchback, and GT-Line.

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Source link by Electrek
Author Scooter Doll

#Kia #Day #recap #EV4 #coming #upclose #EV2 #PV5 #Video
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Virtual test environments: enhancing vehicle bucks with greater capability and efficiency (Webinar)

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Virtual test environments: enhancing vehicle bucks with greater capability and efficiency (Webinar)

Join this webinar at our March Virtual Conference on EV Engineering, presented by ACL, as we dive into an innovative approach to building vehicle bucks with greater efficiency and enhanced functionality. Designed to streamline development and testing, this virtual test environment enables faster prototyping, improved validation processes, and greater adaptability for a wide range of applications.

In this session, AVL experts will discuss:

  • Key benefits and simulation capabilities
  • Accelerating development while reducing complexity
  • Real-world applications and success stories

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore how AVL is transforming vehicle prototyping and testing. Register now to secure your spot!

Reserve your spot—it’s free!

Other sessions at our next Virtual Conference include:

Testing BMS Systems On Signal Level With Cell Controller Virtualization

Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) systems, that test Battery Management Systems (BMS) with cell controllers as part of the ‘System under Test,’ typically require complex high-voltage (HV) configurations for simulating the battery pack.

By means of virtualization, the cell controller functionality is moved into the simulation, allowing the HIL to provide cell controller communication to the BMS. This means the functionality of the cell controller can be simulated, resulting in a less complex HIL setup with fewer HV components.

Join this session, presented by Space, to learn more about testing BMS systems on a signal level with cell controller virtualization.

Reserve your spot—it’s free!

See the complete session list for the Virtual Conference on EV Engineering here.

Broadcast live on March 10-13, 2025, the conference content will span the EV engineering supply chain and ecosystem, including motor and power electronics design and manufacturing, cell development, battery systems, testing, powertrains, thermal management, circuit protection, wire and cable, EMI/EMC and more.



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Author Charged EVs

#Virtual #test #environments #enhancing #vehicle #bucks #greater #capability #efficiency #Webinar
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Upcoming Nissan EV getting NACS port: Will it be next-gen Leaf?

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Upcoming Nissan EV getting NACS port: Will it be next-gen Leaf?

  • NACS will debut in Nissan-branded pure EV in 2025, be available in 2026
  • Unclear whether that’s refreshed Ariya, or next-generation Leaf
  • Nissan won’t immediately renew home charging around NACS

Nissan was the first Japanese automaker to confirm a switch to the Tesla-based North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector for future U.S.-market EVs. 

It announced back in July 2023 that Nissan EVs with a NACS port would begin arriving in 2025, and in a recent check-in with Green Car Reports, Nissan confirmed that it remains on-track for that target—with a few intriguing details.

Nissan is now offering a NACS adapter for the Ariya, which has a CCS charge port, so that it can take advantage of the Tesla Supercharger network and other additional NACS connectors. That’s ahead of a message that Nissan is now adding a little more detail to: It confirmed Wednesday its plan to “introduce” a Nissan-branded pure EV with a native NACS port later this calendar year, with on-sale availability assured for calendar-year 2026. 

That potentially pegs a refreshed Ariya as the first U.S. Nissan with a NACS port, but Nissan wouldn’t confirm that’s the case. Further, its hint of “introduce” opens the door to a different model potentially leading the transition, at least from a show stand. A next-generation Nissan Leaf is likely to be previewed globally before the end of the year, for instance, but its U.S. arrival and timing are unclear as of yet.

Nissan Chill-Out concept - December 2021

Nissan Chill-Out concept – December 2021

Nissan Chill-Out concept - December 2021

Nissan Chill-Out concept – December 2021

Nissan Chill-Out concept - December 2021

Nissan Chill-Out concept – December 2021

In advance of this, Nissan updated its app earlier this year so that you can now see live station availability, compatibility with your vehicle, and what equipment is needed to achieve the peak charge rate. You can also start and stop charging sessions—even those on the Supercharger network—with the app. 

To prepare for the adapters and then that bigger shift, Nissan already has all compatible Supercharger stations listed in the Nissan app, according to Ansu Jammeh, an engineer overseeing charging compatibility and development at Nissan in the U.S. 

Nissan app - network filters including Tesla Supercharger

Nissan app – network filters including Tesla Supercharger

Nissan app -- ability to send Tesla Supercharger guidance to vehicle

Nissan app — ability to send Tesla Supercharger guidance to vehicle

With NACS compatibility, Nissan added an additional 20,000 DC fast-charger posts. That essentially doubles the charge connectors available to a Nissan customer, Jammeh recently noted to Green Car Reports.

Regardless of what happens with a range of factors such as the federal charging buildout, Nissan is expecting “steady growth” in U.S. charging infrastructure over the next few years, according to Jammeh. “Industry-wide, we still see the customer want, and the necessity, behind more charging infrastructure,” he underscored. 

Home charging remains a big part of it, too, and Jammeh emphasized that part of it won’t be changing immediately—and it doesn’t need to, with adapters playing their part. 

Nissan Ariya at Tesla Supercharger station

Nissan Ariya at Tesla Supercharger station

“The beautiful part is that, between J1772, CCS1, and NACS, they’re compatible,” said Jammeh, referring to what’s assured by the developing J3400 standard around the NACS connector. “So in terms of a customer, do they actually need to change their home infrastructure? No, they can utilize the same equipment they have.”

As for that adapter, it’s available now, and it can be purchased for $235 through Nissan dealers or directly from Nissan. 

Nissan strongly advises against using a third-party adapter—or for that matter, even the Tesla Magic Dock, and cautions that it’s prohibited under Nissan’s own terms and may also violate Tesla’s terms of use for the Supercharger Network. In Nissan’s design specifically, a plastic tab that fits within the adapter helps it fit securely. 

The adapter fully supports the Ariya’s peak charge rate of 130 kw, which allows it to charge from 10-80% in as little as 35 minutes, according to Nissan. 

2023 Nissan Ariya at EVgo charging station

2023 Nissan Ariya at EVgo charging station

Jammeh said that looking ahead, Nissan “will support any change that needs to be done on the vehicle design or equipment side to make sure customers are best-equipped.” But the engineer couldn’t yet say whether or not that means better support in its electric vehicle products for bidirectional charging—just that it hopes to adopt those technologies in the future. 

Future charging technology announcements, Jammeh hinted, might also correspond with Nissan’s plans to offer an all-solid-state battery in at least one global vehicle by 2028. 

Nissan, on a global basis, has emphasized the importance of bidirectional charging tech, including vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technologies, and it once said those capabilities were built into the Ariya. In the U.S., Nissan does support Leaf bidirectional charging, but the only compatible (and warranty-supported) unit at present is one that enables V2G rather than home-backup capability. 

2023 Nissan Leaf

2023 Nissan Leaf

The Leaf is Nissan’s only U.S. vehicle to use the CHAdeMO charge port. A 2026 Nissan Rogue plug-in hybrid has also been confirmed, and seeing that its Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV cousin uses CHAdeMO, it will be interesting to see whether it arrives with that, CCS, or NACS. Nissan also has several Mississippi-made EVs in the works, but those have now been pushed out to 2028 and will surely offer NACS. 

In the meantime, with such variance in upcoming EVs, adapters, and different charge ports, it’s going to be much more of a challenge for automakers to communicate what to plug into—both within apps and in-person.


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Author news@greencarreports.com (Bengt Halvorson)

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Another luxury automaker is cutting jobs after failing to keep up in the EV race

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Another luxury automaker is cutting jobs after failing to keep up in the EV race

luxury-automaker-cuts-jobs

Another global luxury automaker is cutting jobs after struggling to keep pace as the industry shifts to electric vehicles (EVs). With EVs gaining market share in most major regions, some are starting to get left behind.

Aston Martin cuts jobs, delays its first EV (again)

Aston Martin announced plans to cut 5% of its workforce on Wednesday after its fourth-quarter losses (before tax) surged 400%. The company expects the move will save around 25 million pounds ($31,700).

The British luxury brand missed full-year estimates after wholesale volume slipped 9% last year. It’s ballooning debt also reached 1.16 billion pounds ($1.47 billion), up 43% from 2023.

CEO Adrian Hallmark blamed “industry-wide supply chain disruptions” and the “macroeconomic weakness in China” for the poor performance and job cuts.

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Aston Martin’s wholesale volumes plunged 49% in China last year compared to 2023. Like most global OEMs, Aston Martin is getting squeezed out of the market after struggling to keep up with EV leaders like BYD, Tesla, XPeng, NIO, and others.

Aston-Martin-cuts-jobs
Aston Martin Valhalla, its first plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) (Source: Aston Martin)

Despite falling behind early, Aston Martin is delaying its first fully electric vehicle (EV), yet again. The luxury automaker pushed back the long-awaited EV last year until 2026. It was initially scheduled to launch later this year. Now, it’s planned for “the latter part of this decade.”

In 2023, the British luxury brand entered a strategic tech partnership with Lucid Motors to use its advanced EV powertrain technology for its future electric sports cars.

Aston-Martin-cuts-jobs
Aston Martin Valhalla, its first plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) (Source: Aston Martin)

Aston Martin is the latest luxury automaker to announce job cuts as it struggles to keep up in the global EV race. Earlier this month, Porsche announced plans to cut 1,900 jobs in Germany by 2029, also due to lower profits and sales in China, one of its most important markets.

Aston-Martin-cuts-jobs
The interior of the Aston Martin Valhalla, its first plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) (Source: Aston Martin)

Other global OEMs, including Ford (in Europe), Nissan, Stellantis, and Volkswagen all announced plans to cut jobs with more competition and rising losses in China.

In the meantime, Aston Martin will focus on its first mid-engine plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV), the Valhalla, which will launch later this year. The Valhalla is already sold out for the first year’s production, which is limited to just 999 units.

Electrek’s Take

Like most global automakers, Aston Martin is struggling to keep up with China’s EV surge. Luxury automakers like Aston Martin and Porsche have been hit especially hard, with more advanced, tech-loaded EVs coming out of China, many times at a much lower price.

Although BYD is best known for its cheap EVs, like the $10,000 Seagull, it’s quickly expanding with luxury sedans, SUVs, and electric sports cars hitting the market.

And BYD is not the only one. XPeng, NIO, Li Auto, and others are all gaining market share in China’s luxury market.

With China now flooded with domestic models, these companies are expanding into new overseas markets, including Europe, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America, to drive growth.

Can global automakers keep up? Or will China continue dominating the market over the next few years as the industry shifts to EVs? Drop us a comment below and let us know your thoughts.

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Author Peter Johnson

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Thermal conductivity considerations for EV power electronics (Webinar)

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Thermal conductivity considerations for EV power electronics (Webinar)

Join us to learn about the importance of thermal conductivity in enhancing the performance and reliability of power electronic systems. In this webinar at our March Virtual Conference on EV Engineering, presented by Parker Lord, you will discover key strategies for material selection, design optimization and real-world applications that can lead to improved efficiency and longevity in your power electronics projects.

Key Takeaways:

  • Understanding Thermal Conductivity: Gain insights into the fundamental principles of thermal conductivity and its critical role in power electronics applications
  • Material Selection: Learn how to choose the right materials for effective heat dissipation, including comparisons of various thermal interface materials (TIMs) and their properties
  • Design Strategies: Explore best practices for designing power electronics systems that optimize thermal management, enhancing performance and reliability
  • Impact on Efficiency: Understand the relationship between thermal management and the overall efficiency of power electronics, including how effective thermal conductivity can improve system performance.

Reserve your spot—it’s free!

Other sessions at our next Virtual Conference include:

Next Gen Capacitor Solutions: Driving Efficiency In Electric Mobility

Capacitor technologies play a crucial role in electric vehicle systems, impacting efficiency, reliability, and overall performance. This session will explore the latest advancements in film, aluminum, and ceramic capacitors designed specifically for EV applications, including onboard chargers (OBC), DC/DC converters and traction inverters.

Join this session, persented by TDK, where we will discuss innovations in mechanical design, enhanced durability, and key performance characteristics that make each capacitor type ideal for specific EV power electronics applications.

Reserve your spot—it’s free!

See the complete session list for the Virtual Conference on EV Engineering here.

Broadcast live on March 10-13, 2025, the conference content will span the EV engineering supply chain and ecosystem, including motor and power electronics design and manufacturing, cell development, battery systems, testing, powertrains, thermal management, circuit protection, wire and cable, EMI/EMC and more.



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Author Charged EVs

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Holtec unveils plan for small modular reactors at Palisades nuclear site

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Clean cement startup Brimstone can make another key material: alumina

A Michigan nuclear plant is looking to make history not once but twice over: First by restarting a reactor shuttered in 2022 and second with newly solidified plans to build the nation’s first small modular reactors.

Holtec International — the nuclear company best known for decommissioning shuttered plants and manufacturing the canisters that store spent fuel — bought the Palisades nuclear plant on the southeastern shore of Lake Michigan a month after utility giant Entergy took the financially troubled single-reactor facility offline.

Last year, the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office finalized a deal to give Holtec $1.52 billion to bring the 55-year-old, 800-megawatt pressurized water reactor back online. The company wants to plug the facility back into the grid by the end of this year.

Now Holtec plans to nearly double the electricity output from Palisades by building two of its own small modular reactors, or SMRs, at the site.

On Tuesday, top executives gathered at the facility in Covert Township, Michigan, to unveil blueprints for adding a pair of its proprietary SMR-300s and announce Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co. — the South Korean firm already working with the Florida-based Holtec to develop its 300-MW units internationally — as its partner in the debut U.S. project. Completing the reactor would be a first not just for the country but the company. While Holtec has disassembled reactors, it has yet to build one, much less its own design.

“If we can’t do it, I don’t know who else is going to do it,” Rick Springman, the president of Holtec’s Global Clean Energy Opportunities division, told Canary Media ahead of the event. ​“I really think we can be the horse America can ride to a clean-energy future and to enable AI and everything else we want to do in this global competition.”

First, Holtec will need the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s approval of its reactor design.

So far, the U.S. federal regulator has only approved one SMR, Oregon-based NuScale Power’s 50 MW unit. The first plant designed around NuScale’s reactors, a 720 MW station built on property owned by the Idaho National Laboratory to provide power to ratepayers in Utah, was scrapped in November 2023 amid rising costs.

2024 marked a breakout year for nuclear power in the U.S., as Congress passed new legislation to streamline reactor regulations, Microsoft put up $16 billion to reopen the mothballed unit at Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island, and SMR developers lined up major deals with Amazon and Google.

Yet no SMR developer got the green light from the NRC to become the nation’s second certified design.

“Most of our competitors are essentially offering the technology but don’t want to take any risk,” Springman said.

In other words, those developers will design and license the technology and make money off the intellectual property, he said, but utilities and construction firms must provide the financing, time, and materials.

“You have this stagnation where no one wants to stand behind the project,” Springman said. ​“Enter Holtec. We can manufacture the parts, build the plant, and arrange the financing for the project. We can also manage the spent fuel … and we can decommission the plant at end of life. We can do the entire spectrum of the project. There’s no U.S. company that can offer all of that.”



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Author Alexander Kaufman


#Holtec #unveils #plan #small #modular #reactors #Palisades #nuclear #site

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Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson has stepped aside after Gravity launch

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Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson has stepped aside after Gravity launch

  • Rawlinson becomes advisor as Lucid delivers Gravity, pivots to more affordable EVs
  • CTO of Lucid and parent Atieva since 2013, led efficiency-and-performance push
  • Oversaw Lucid Air and Gravity, Tesla Model S

Peter Rawlinson is no longer the top executive at California’s Lucid Motors. 

In a press release, Lucid said that Rawlinson “has stepped aside from his prior roles,” and will transition to a role as senior technical advisor to the chairman of the board at Lucid, while COO Marc Winterhoff has been made interim CEO.

Rawlinson was elevated to the role of CEO at Lucid in 2019, but it’s the chief technical officer (CTO) role that he doubly held that’s been especially important. As the engineering wizard behind a lot of what has propelled the company to its technological preeminence, Rawlinson especially has established the company as capable of extracting the most miles per kwh out of electric propulsion systems—even versus rival Tesla. As such, Lucid was the first automaker to crack 500 miles of EPA-rated range without an absurdly large battery pack. 

Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson - Arizona plant commissioning

Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson – Arizona plant commissioning

“Now that we have successfully launched the Lucid Gravity, I have decided it is finally the right time for me to step aside from my roles at Lucid,” said Rawlinson, in the release. “I am incredibly proud of the accomplishments the Lucid team have achieved together through my tenure of these past twelve years.”

It has indeed been that long. Rawlinson joined Lucid’s parent, Atieva, as chief technology officer in 2013. Rawlinson and design chief Derek Jenkins first presented to a small group, including yours truly, a concept version of the Air in 2016, when Lucid became the automotive brand of Atieva. 

Lucid almost didn’t make it—and might not have without Rawlinson’s perseverance. Ford considered buying Lucid in 2018, then took a pass. Finally in April 2019, with the completion of an initial $1 billion investment from the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), things got real and development accelerated. 

Amid Lucid’s cash-strapped starvation era, from 2017 well into 2019, Rawlinson kept a core engineering team and revisited some of the key tech in the Lucid Air—what he called the core competence of the company. That led to the breakthroughs like the 900+ volt tech and Lucid’s own permanent-magnet motor design it uses today. In the meantime Lucid had started providing Formula E battery packs for the entire racing series, which added to the company’s knowledge base. 

The company has “initiated a search to identify Lucid’s next Chief Executive Officer,” with support from an executive search firm, according to the release. “The new CEO will help Lucid execute its strategy and prepare for the next chapter,” it stated. 

Peter Rawlinson

Peter Rawlinson

Rawlinson has held positions at Jaguar and Lotus, among other companies, but Green Car Reports first came to know Rawlinson when he was Tesla’s chief engineer for the Model S, responsible for its design and production. Back in 2011, when he was in that role, Rawlinson told GCR that he was particularly proud of the Model S battery pack and how it fit electrically and mechanically within that trailblazer, which would go on to win all sorts of awards. 

The Lucid CEO has managed to hire top-tier talent at the automaker, including Tesla’s former manufacturing chief and other top executives from VW, BMW, and Apple, and hold on to them in a way Tesla hasn’t. He kept Lucid’s braintrust in the California’s Bay Area, but it opened its Casa Grande, Arizona, factory in 2021. 

Lucid midsize SUV teaser

Lucid midsize SUV teaser

The Lucid Air has been Green Car Reports’ Best Car To Buy, and even though it’s a very large car, the Air Pure stands as America’s most efficient EV. It’s now delivering the Lucid Gravity SUV and hopes to more than double its vehicle production this year as a result of having the model in the mix. And three affordable EVs, built off a new mid-size platform and with an even lower-cost Atlas drive unit spearheaded by Rawlinson as key to getting to further economies of scale, are due within a couple years. 

For now, Rawlinson and that tech preeminence remain Lucid’s strength; he’s suggested that it would take years for the competition to catch up with Lucid’s efficiency edge, and we think he’s right. 



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Author news@greencarreports.com (Bengt Halvorson)

#Lucid #CEO #Peter #Rawlinson #stepped #Gravity #launch
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Mercedes will stop treating EVs as a separate lineup and thats a good thing

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Mercedes will stop treating EVs as a separate lineup and thats a good thing

Mercedes will use the designation “with EQ technology” rather than naming its EVs with separate “EQ” model names, to focus on treating them more like normal models – in what this author considers an overdue move.

For many years now, Mercedes has added “EQ” to the model name of its electric models, as in the Mercedes EQS, EQE and so on. It’s meant to stand for “electric intelligence,” a play on the concept of “IQ.”

The convention started with Mercedes’ EQ concept cars, first named as such in 2016 (special mention here for the awesome EQA hot hatch concept, which ended up turning into an SUV… sigh).

Since then, Mercedes has carried it over into all of its electric models, treating “EQ” as a separate sub-brand or a model line on its own, to distinguish it from the company’s staid fossil-powered offerings.

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But that has led to some confusion among buyers. With models named EQA, EQB, EQC, EQE, EQE SUV, EQS, EQS SUV, EQV, and EQT, it starts to look like alphabet soup.

Mercedes noticed this confusion and commented on it back in 2023, when it first announced its plan to drop EQ branding from its model names.

Mercedes buyers are used to the convention of naming vehicles with lettering based on body style and numbers based on engine displacement. But for the EV line, all vehicles share the letters “EQ,” which could lead customers to think that there is some similarity between them, and engine displacement doesn’t really make any sense to apply to an EV. So there is room for confusion there.

Instead, Mercedes now says it will follow the convention it established with the release of the electric G-Class, which it officially calls “G580 with EQ technology.” That “with EQ technology” portion will stick and be carried through other Mercedes EVs, like the upcoming electric CLA. Plug-in hybrids will use “with EQ hybrid technology” as their designation.

Mercedes is treating this as somewhat of a compromise between dropping “EQ” entirely and still maintaining continuity with its past electric models. In this way, there is still a way to tell that a model is electric, but they will be treated more like “normal” models within the model range, instead of as a separate sub-brand.

Alongside these changes, Mercedes has also signaled a return to more “traditional” designs for its EVs, such as a fake grille for the 2025 EQS and perhaps less streamlined exterior shapes for upcoming EVs.

Electrek’s Take

It’s a bit of a mouthful, especially on the first available model with such naming, the G580 with EQ Technology – but we expect that people will start calling it “the electric G-Class” or “G-Class EQ” (perhaps a similar treatment to how people use AMG) or thereabouts, and that as other models gain the same designation, they will get the same colloquial treatment until it eventually feels normal. (Although, we still don’t know what the “580” means in that name).

And, I have long thought that automakers should do something like this, and treat electric models as normal models rather than some foreign thing.

We’ve seen a lot of odd naming conventions from automakers as they try to figure out what to call their EVs – like Audi, which originally introduced the E-tron as a singular concept model and later ended up using it as a designation for anything with an electric motor, or BMW, which started a separate “Projekt i” sub-brand in the early days (with actually interesting designs for once), then killed it off, then brought back the “i” to make more conventional-looking vehicles.

My theory is that by treating models as something foreign, something different, you create an internal conflict within the organization, confusion among customers, and all-in-all make the EVs seem less like a “normal” choice that a buyer could make. It almost feels like you’d have to go to a separate dealership, talk to a separate specialist, in order to find an EV. It adds another layer of friction which could push customers away.

But EVs don’t need to be different and weird, especially here in 2025 where just about everyone at this point has seen them, taken rides in them, has a friend who has one, or something of the sort. And if the entire auto industry is going to electrify – which, I think it bears repeating, is happening and is inevitable, no matter who tries to stop it – at some point we need to drop this idea that EVs are “something else” and recognize that they’re just cars.

So, why not call EVs something normal? Every gas car gets its own name – Tucson, Elantra, Camry, Palisade – so why can’t EVs just be normal too? Let’s get more Taycans, more Dolphins, more Leafs.

And, this is one step along the way towards that for Mercedes, and that’s a good thing. Other automakers should consider the same.

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Author Jameson Dow

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Utilities are flying blind on data center demand. That’s a big problem.

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Trump wants to end the $7.5B bipartisan EV charger buildout. Can he?

This is the second article in our four-part series on data centers and electricity demand. Read part 1.

There’s no question that data centers are about to cause U.S. electricity demand to spike. What remains unclear is by how much.

Right now, there are few credible answers. Just a lot of uncertainty — and ​“a lot of hype,” according to Jonathan Koomey, an expert on the relationship between computing and energy use. (Koomey has even had a general rule about the subject named after him.) This lack of clarity around data center power requires that utilities, regulators, and policymakers take care when making choices.

Utilities in major data center markets are under pressure to spend billions of dollars on infrastructure to serve surging electricity demand. The problem, Koomey said, is that many of these utilities don’t really know which data centers will actually get built and where — or how much electricity they’ll end up needing. Rushing into these decisions without this information could be a recipe for disaster, both for utility customers and the climate.

Those worries are outlined in a recent report co-authored by Koomey along with Tanya Das, director of AI and energy technology policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center, and Zachary Schmidt, a senior researcher at Koomey Analytics. The goal, they write, ​“is not to dismiss concerns” about rising electricity demand. Rather, they urge utilities, regulators, policymakers, and investors to ​“investigate claims of rapid new electricity demand growth” using ​“the latest and most accurate data and models.”

Several uncertainties make it hard for utilities to plan new power plants or grid infrastructure to serve these data centers, most of which are meant to power the AI ambitions of major tech firms.

AI could, for example, become vastly more energy-efficient in the coming years. As evidence, the report points to the announcement from Chinese firm DeepSeek that it replicated the performance of leading U.S.-based AI systems at a fraction of the cost and energy consumption. The news sparked a steep sell-off in tech and energy stocks that had been buoyed throughout 2024 on expectations of AI growth.

It’s also hard to figure out whose data is trustworthy.

Companies like Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle, and xAI each have estimates of how much their demand will balloon as they vie for AI leadership. Analysts also have forecasts, but those vary widely based on their assumptions about factors ranging from future computing efficiency to manufacturing capacity for AI chips and servers. Meanwhile, utility data is muddled by the fact that data center developers often surreptitiously apply for interconnection in several areas at once to find the best deal.

These uncertainties make it nearly impossible for utilities to gauge the reality of the situation, and yet many are rushing to expand their fleets of fossil-fuel power plants anyway. Nationwide, utilities are planning to build or extend the life of nearly 20 gigawatts’ worth of gas plants as well as delaying retirements of aging coal plants.

If utilities build new power plants to serve proposed data centers that never materialize, other utility customers, from small businesses to households, will be left paying for that infrastructure. And utilities will have spent billions in ratepayer funds to construct those unnecessary power plants, which will emit planet-warming greenhouse gases for years to come, undermining climate goals.

“People make consequential mistakes when they don’t understand what’s going on,” Koomey said.

Some utilities and states are moving to improve the predictability of data center demand where they can. The more reliable the demand data, the more likely that utilities will build only the infrastructure that’s needed.

A ​“wild west” of data center hot spots

In recent years, the country’s data center hot spots have become a ​“wild west,” said Allison Clements, who served on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from 2020 to 2024. ​“There’s no kind of source of truth in any one of these clusters on how much power is ultimately going to be needed,” she said during a November webinar on U.S. transmission grid challenges, hosted by trade group Americans for a Clean Energy Grid. ​“The utilities are kind of blown away by the numbers.”

A December report from consultancy Grid Strategies tracked enormous load-forecast growth in data center hot spots, from northern Virginia’s ​“Data Center Alley,” the world’s densest data center hub, to newer boom markets in Georgia and Texas.

Koomey highlighted one big challenge facing utilities and regulators trying to interpret these forecasts: the significant number of duplicate proposals they contain.

“The data center people are shopping these projects around, and maybe they approach five or more utilities. They’re only going to build one data center,” he explained. ​“But if all five utilities think that interest is going to lead to a data center, they’re going to build way more capacity than is needed.”

It’s hard to sort out where this ​“shopping” is happening. Tech companies and data center developers are secretive about these scouting expeditions, and utilities don’t share them with one another or the public at large. National or regional tracking could help, but it doesn’t exist in a publicly available form, Koomey said.

To make things more complicated, local forecasts are also flooded with speculative interconnection requests from developers with land and access to grid power, with or without a solid partnership or agreement in place.

“There isn’t enough power to provide to all of those facilities. But it’s a bit of a gold rush right now,” said Mario Sawaya, a vice president and the global head of data centers and technology at AECOM, a global engineering and construction firm that works with data center developers.

That puts utilities in a tough position. They can overbuild expensive energy infrastructure and risk whiffing on climate goals while burdening customers with unnecessary costs, or underbuild and miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime economic opportunity for them and for their community.

Getting a grip on what’s coming onto the grid

In the face of these risks, some utilities are trying to get better at separating viable projects from speculative ones, a necessity for dealing with the onslaught of new demand.

Utilities and regulators are used to planning for housing developments, factories, and other new electricity customers that take several years to move from concept to reality. A data center using the equivalent of a small city’s power supply can be built in about a year. Meanwhile, major transmission grid projects can take a decade or more to complete, and large power plants take three to five years to move through permitting, approval, procurement, and construction.

Given the mismatch in timescales, ​“the solution is talking to each other early enough before it becomes a crisis,” said Michelle Blaise, AECOM’s senior vice president of global grid modernization. ​“Right now we’re managing crises.”

Koomey, Das, and Schmidt highlight work underway on this front in their February report: ​“Utilities are collecting better data, tightening criteria about how to ​‘count’ projects in the pipeline, and assigning probabilities to projects at different stages of development. These changes are welcome and should help reduce uncertainty in forecasts going forward.”

Some utilities are still failing to better screen their load forecasts, however — and tech giants with robust clean energy goals such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are speaking up about it. Last year, Microsoft challenged Georgia Power on the grounds that the utility’s approach is ​“potentially leading to over-forecasting near-term load” and ​“procuring excessive, carbon-intensive generation” to handle it, partly by including ​“projects that are still undecided on location.” Microsoft contrasted Georgia Power’s approach to other utilities’ policies of basing forecasts on ​“known projects that have made various levels of financial commitment.”

Utilities also have incentives to inflate load forecasts. In most parts of the country, they earn guaranteed profits for money spent on power plants, grid expansions, and other capital infrastructure.

As a matter of fact, many utilities have routinely over-forecasted load growth during the past decade, when actual electricity demand has remained flat or increased only modestly. But today’s data center boom represents a different kind of problem, Blaise said — utilities ​“could build the infrastructure, but not as fast as data centers need it.”

Making data centers pay — and promise to stick around

In the face of this gap between what’s being demanded of them and what can be built in time, some utilities are requiring that data centers and other large new customers prove they’re serious by putting skin in the game.

The most prominent efforts on this front are at utility American Electric Power. Over the past year, AEP utilities serving Ohio as well as Indiana and Michigan have proposed new tariffs — rules and rates for utility customers — to deal with the billions of dollars of data center investments now flooding into those states.



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Author Jeff St. John


#Utilities #flying #blind #data #center #demand #big #problem

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