Launch of new Vehicle Electrification website expands SAE and helps auto industry

SAE International is already a repository for automotive technology and standards information. Now it has gone one step further by expanding communication of its knowledge base with the creation and launch of its new Vehicle Electrification website, ev.sae.org

Think of all those strange acronyms and terms that you are reading in print and on the web; like BEV, HEV, PHEV, EVSE and Li-Ion. Put them together and you have information overload generating a ton of misunderstandings or at least uncertainty.

For the record, BEV = Battery Electric Vehicle; HEV = Hybrid Electric vehicle; PHEV = Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle; EVSE = Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment; and Li-Ion stands for Lithium Ion.

The new website, ev.sae.org showcases SAE International’s portfolio of vehicle electrification intellectual property, including articles, books, technical papers, standards, research reports, events, and training opportunities.

Mobility engineers, as they are often referred by SAE, seek the most up-to-date information on standards, technology advances, product solutions, supplier news, vehicle development trends, and insights from the most plugged-in experts in the electrified-vehicles field . They will now have that information at their finger tips.

According to a news release by SAE International, creation of the site was the natural next-step progression. SAE already offered many relevant programs, products, and services for vehicle electrification professionals. The goal is to have a one-stop shop and to be regarded as a go-to resource.

In conjunction with the online information, SAE International also launched a new digital magazine series devoted to hybrid- and electric-vehicle technology. In case you haven’t read the first issue of the digital magazine series featuring a full development story of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, here’s the link: SAE Digital Magazine - First Issue.

Commentary

It’s crucial that the automotive engineering community have the confidence that they always have access to the most relevant and timely technical content available. As a former design engineer within the auto industry, there were times when I was uncertain I had the latest and greatest information with which to make an informed decision. Nowhere was that more obvious than when it came time to develop the first charge plug prototype for the Chevy Volt.