Electreon just took a big step toward expanding wireless EV charging. The Israel-based company signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to acquire the assets of InductEV, a Pennsylvania-based firm known for its ultra-fast, high-power static wireless charging systems used by heavy-duty electric transit and freight fleets.

If the deal closes after due diligence and regulatory approvals, the combined company would bring together Electreon’s dynamic wireless charging tech – the kind that can charge vehicles while they drive – with InductEV’s high-power stationary systems. That would create one of the most complete wireless charging portfolios on the market, covering everything from passenger EVs to vans, buses, heavy-duty trucks, and even autonomous vehicles.

Electreon and InductEV together hold around 400 granted and pending patents, and have a lot of field experience across their respective projects. Electreon says that pairing its manufacturing capabilities and global footprint with InductEV’s ultra-fast tech will help streamline and speed up fleet electrification.

Both companies already work with major vehicle OEMs, which Electreon asserts will make integrating wireless charging into future vehicle platforms easier.

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Electreon CEO Oren Ezer said the deal would combine the two companies into “a truly global powerhouse for wireless EV charging.” He added that “the decision by InductEV’s shareholders to invest in Electreon is a tremendous vote of confidence in our shared vision.”

InductEV CEO John F. Rizzo said, “Together, we’re combining world-class innovation with real-world experience to deliver even greater value to our North American and European customers and accelerate the shift to wireless power for sustainable commercial transportation.”

Read more: Michigan installs the US’s first wireless EV charging public roadway

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The Dolphin Surf is already one of Europe’s cheapest EVs, yet BYD may have an even more affordable electric car up its sleeve.

Is BYD launching the Racco mini EV in Europe?

BYD revealed the Racco at last month’s Japan Auto Show, its first EV designed exclusively for overseas markets.

The mini EV, or “kei car,” is launching in Japan, where over 1.55 million of them were sold last year, accounting for about a third of new vehicles sold.

Although Japan has been a brutal market for foreign brands to crack, BYD believes it may have an edge. The Racco measures 3,395 mm in length, 1,475 mm in width, and 1,800 mm in height, or about 600 mm longer than the Dolphin Surf.

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That’s about the size of the Nissan Sakura EV, Japan’s best-selling electric car. Like the Sakura and most kei cars, the Racco has a boxy, upright stance. It has four doors, with the back two sliding open.

Powered by a 20 kWh battery pack, the mini EV is expected to have a driving range of around 180 km (112 miles).

BYD is using its Blade lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery packs to keep costs down. Although prices have yet to be revealed, the Racco is expected to start at around 2.5 million yen ($18,000) in Japan, putting it on par with the Nissan Sakura.

If it launched in Europe, the Racco could go on sale for under £15,000 ($20,000), putting it on par with the Dacia Spring (£14,995) and Leapmotor T03 (£15,995). The BYD Dolphin Surf currently starts at £18,650 ($24,300).

Although it will arrive in Japan first, BYD may launch its smallest, cheapest EV in Europe after all. BYD’s vice president Stella Li suggested to Autocar that the Racco could play a key role globally as an affordable, entry-level EV.

“In Japan, we are already launching a kei car; we will be very interested to follow the EU regulation,” Li said, adding, “If there’s some space, we can bring that car here.”

The regulation Li is referring to is the new “E-car” segment that the European Commission president, Ursula Von der Leyen, called for in September.

Von der Leyen said that Europe “should have its own E-car,” where “E” stands for efficient, economical, and European, and added “we cannot let China and others conquer this market.”

The Racco could sit underneath the Dolphin Surf in BYD’s growing European lineup. However, the company is focusing on expanding hybrid options. Li said launching Racco was “not a topic” the company is immediately focused on.

The Seal U, Europe’s best-selling plug-in hybrid through September, will be the first vehicle built at BYD’s new factory in Turkey, as it seeks to gain an edge through local production.

With a modular design that supports up to 100kW of DC fast charging output, this new collaborative charging platform gives businesses, municipalities, and fleet operators a scalable solution to accelerate EV adoption to sites without -phase power.

Most high-powered DC fast chargers pull a lot of electricity from the grid very quickly, and a normal single-phase power line (the kind most homes and small businesses) can’t handle that kind of load demand. That’s where 3-phase power comes in.

From the Wikipedia entry:

Three-phase electric power is the most widely used form of alternating current (AC) for electricity generation, transmission, and distribution. It is a type of polyphase system that uses three wires (or four, if a neutral return is included) and is the standard method by which electrical grids deliver power around the world.

In a three-phase system, each of the three voltages is offset by 120 degrees of phase shift relative to the others. This arrangement produces a more constant flow of power compared with single-phase systems, making it especially efficient for transmitting electricity over long distances and for powering heavy loads such as industrial machinery. Because it is an AC system, voltages can be easily increased or decreased with transformers, allowing high-voltage transmission and low-voltage distribution with minimal loss.

Three-phase circuits are also more economical: a three-wire system can transmit more power than a two-wire single-phase system of the same phase-to-phase voltage while using less conductor material. Beyond transmission, three-phase power is commonly used to run large induction motors, other electric motors, and heavy industrial loads, while smaller devices and household equipment often rely on single-phase circuits derived from the same network.

Three-phase electrical power was first developed in the 1880s by several inventors and has remained the backbone of modern electrical systems ever since.

WIKIPEDIA

All well and good, in theory. In practice, however, it can take a long time for a utility to add 3-phase power to a given site. They have to order new transformers and wires, get permits from the municipality and various environmental offices, dig up streets or parking lots, and then schedule crews to install everything, get it inspected, and finally energized. That process is crazy expensive, and can take months (if not years) to see through. That’s why this news from Lincoln Electric and its partners at Edge Energy and DC America is such a huge deal.

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Their new product, a 100 kW single-phase DC fast charging “platform,” installs on a skid, and enables small businesses with limited access to big-time grid capacity the ability to deliver up to 100 kW of charging to their EV customers sooner rather than later.

“This collaboration represents a significant step forward in our mission to accelerate the adoption of sustainable energy solutions,” says Shaun Shuler, CEO of Edge Energy. “By unlocking fast charging in places where it was previously impossible, we’re helping communities and companies embrace the EV transition with greater speed, flexibility, and efficiency.”

The single-phase collaborative charging platform skids are expected to begin in the final days of 2025, with units available for order as I type this.

Electrek’s Take

The welding equipment experts at Lincoln Electric know a thing or two about high-voltage equipment. Now, they’re bringing that electrical expertise to a whole new market with this collaborative platform serving as a terrific follow up for the company’s opening act in the EV space: a portable, self-contained, 50 kW DC fast charger designed to deliver a quick shot of range and get stranded drivers back on the road.

If they keep this up, we’re going to start calling them the EV charging experts who also happen to know a thing or two about welding!

SOURCE | IMAGES: Lincoln Electric; Edge Energy.

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