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Electric Future: Stalled car revolution

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How green are electric vehicles?

Believe it or not, if you had been walking through Manhattan in 1900, there is a good chance you would have seen an electric car. Roughly one third of cars on the road in New York back then were electric, while the city’s taxi fleet had 30 electric vehicles (EVs). It was to be a brief heyday.

It was Henry Ford’s Model T – first produced in 1908 – that signalled the beginning of the end of the electric car. Suddenly, petrol-fuelled cars were relatively affordable and, thanks to Ford’s pioneering use of the production line, ubiquitous.

Improved roads and cheaper petrol prices saw the electric car all but disappear by the mid-1930s, and it wasn’t until the 1970s – amid soaring oil prices and gasoline prices – that the potential of EVs began to be seriously considered again. [Read more…] about Electric Future: Stalled car revolution

Slack expands its usage of Cobalt’s security robots

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Communications app developer Slack has expanded its utilisation of Cobalt Robotics’ mobile security robot.

While Cobalt robots have been patrolling the hallways at Slack offices for some time now, the company’s says its recent trip to Chicago for GSX came with “some exciting news about the next phase of our relationship with Slack”.

The new integration with Slack’s widely used enterprise communications and collaboration platform “will help keep safety and security a priority for you and your entire office”, says Cobalt. [Read more…] about Slack expands its usage of Cobalt’s security robots

Cobalt Robotics raises $35 million Series B funding with Coatue

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Cobalt Robotics has raised $35 million in its Series B funding round, led by Coatue.

The company says the investment round will enable it to expand its security robots-as-a-service throughout the US.

Cobalt Robotics is a physical security service provider that builds indoor autonomous robots to make security and facility operations more effective. [Read more…] about Cobalt Robotics raises $35 million Series B funding with Coatue

Opinion: Super-material graphene could lead to an electric vehicle breakthrough

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Electric vehicle manufacturers and battery makers have long been searching for the “holy grail” technology that could lower the cost of batteries while also extending their range.

Government research labs, venture capital, startups, and large corporations have all toyed with different ways to get to the promise land.

But one material is emerging as the most promising innovation to date that could actually lead to cheap, long-range and fast-charging electric vehicles: graphite.  [Read more…] about Opinion: Super-material graphene could lead to an electric vehicle breakthrough