Affordable, wireless EV charging a-go-go

CleanTechnica

Wireless electric vehicle charging systems have started to seep into the EV market, and little wonder. All you have to do is park your EV over a special pad and science does the rest. It’s far more convenient than using a plug-in electric charger, and it’s almost comically more convenient than pumping your own gas at a gas station, especially when you consider the potential for wirelessly charging an EV while it’s in motion. The only hitch, as is often the case with new technology, is that wireless charging is a pricey premium. Hey, we can fix that…

Wireless EV Charging Is Here

Wireless EV charging is based on the transfer of power between magnetic fields, from a small transmitting pad on the ground to a converter in the vehicle. Since the system converts energy to electricity only inside the vehicle, there is no danger of shock from touching the charging pad.

The basic phenomenon is called inductive power transfer, and though it sounds pretty futuristic, it has been in the tech lexicon since the heyday of Nikola Tesla. Today it is widely used in electrical transformers and it is coming into use for charging smart phones and other household products.

Affordable Wireless EV Charging

EV manufacturers have started to introduce wireless charging within the past couple of years, but in the form of a premium that adds another good chunk of change to an already hefty price tag (Nissan’s forthcoming 2014 Infiniti LE EV is one example).

However, mainstream EV buyers might not have long to wait before an affordable wireless EV charging system hits the market.

The wireless EV charging pioneer company Evatran has just announced that it has won a contract under a Department of Energy project called “Wireless Power Transfer and Charging of Plug-In Electric Vehicles.”

The contract pairs Evatran with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and other partners in a three-year effort to develop an “efficient, low cost production design” for integrating wireless charging systems into EVs.

If you’re wondering why the U.S. Department of Energy is interested, it’s part of President Obama’s EV Everywhere initiative, which aims at making EV ownership just as affordable and convenient as owning a gasoline vehicle.

For potential new car buyers who are on the fence between gas and electricity, the convenience issue is really the only obstacle, and that’s where wireless charging could be the deciding factor.

As for why federal dollars should go into wireless EV charging research, EV Everywhere is part of the Obama Administration’s broader goal of transitioning the entire U.S. transportation sector out of petroleum and into electricity and biofuels, and that’s not just for fun. National security, climate change management and a more stable, predictable fuel pricing structure for U.S. businesses and consumers are the end games.

What Could Be More Convenient Than Wireless EV Charging?

But wait, there’s more. In addition to demonstrating low cost EV wireless charging systems from a fixed position, the DOE project also calls for Evatran and its partners to demonstrate the capability for wireless systems to charge while the vehicle is in motion.

If that sounds pretty wild, consider that Evatran already has a huge jump on the project through its Plugless Power™ fixed wireless charging system, which is already undergoing trial launches through partnerships with Duke Energy, Clemson University, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Google, the City of Sacramento, EDTA (Electric Drive Transportation Association), DTE Energy, the City of Raleigh and the Hertz Corporation

Evatran is already poised to launch Plugless Power into the mass market, and they do mean mass. The company has already signed agreements with Sears Home Services as well as Bosch Automotive Service Solutions for national installation and distribution services.

This article was originally published on CleanTechnica. Reproduced with permission

Comments

6 responses to “Affordable, wireless EV charging a-go-go”

  1. Jenny Avatar
    Jenny

    It sounds like and interesting idea. However my concern would be with the efficiency of transfer of energy across air, Transformers work with a closely coupled system. I would expect with this form of loosely coupled system there would be considerable energy leakage

    1. Louise Avatar
      Louise

      There are more than a dozen companies working on this technology claiming that they have achieved efficiencies from higher than 80% and in one case up to 97%.

      I would think that the cars released in the near future come with cable charging facility and soon wireless charging option as well/in addition, not instead of a cable.
      Then the user would be able to decide if she or he prefers to be more efficient and use the cable or whether she or he likes the convenience of not having to do anything once the software is programmed according to individual preferences.

      Several companies already offer after market wireless chargers.

      1. Louise Avatar
        Louise

        Having a cable in ones own garage is not problematic, but having cables in public areas might get the attention of Occupational Health and Safety inspectors.

        Furthermore, placing a charging pad in a parking lot, above ground and cutting the pavers, concrete or bitumen just deep enough and wide enough the lay a cable and cover/fill-in the 2 centimeter wide cut would be less obtrusive than having charging stations cropping up in various places.

        With the wireless technology, your car would have a unique identity, just like your mobile phone’ SIM card has a unique identity, and therefore you would not need to take any action other than parking over the charge pad and the charging would happen automatically, provided you selected that option in the setup menu of the wireless charger.

        Thus, the car would be more convenient than a petrol car, because you would need to do something to get the petrol in your tank, but you would not have to do anything once you have setup your wireless charger when it is installed in your car.

        Having a wireless charger fitted does not mean that you can’t use the cable, you still can, and in fact the cable if plugged-in will take priority over the wireless charger.
        If you have both in your garage and you park your car, then the parked car will automatically start charging.
        Once you plug in the cable, the car stops charging via wireless and will instead charge via the cable which is more efficient.
        Some people will value efficiency over convenience.
        I prefer convenience, hence I would be charging wirelessly.

        1. Louise Avatar
          Louise

          The wireless charging pads could be installed at work places and the electricity used would not be charged to the employer, but to the user/PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle owner).

          It could be made to work like your private mobile telephone, you get charged for your calls regardless of your location. Whether your are at home, on the road or at work. Your mobile has your SIM card and thus you get billed and not anyone else.

          It could be made so that the local utility installs the charging pads and anyone who got an account with the local utility gets billed for what they use and if their house is also connected to the local utility’s power supply, then the billing could be combined.

  2. John D Avatar

    This is all very nice but, in Australia, pure EV will only be viable as a specialist urban car for quite some time. Plug in hybrids make more sense since they offer the option pure EV local trips as well as much much longer trips. The growth in plug in hybrid will help drive both the development of better batteries and more convenient charging systems.
    It is also worth noting that the amount of power required a pure EV is quite low. My recollection is that a TESLA has a 40 kWh battery or about $10 for a full charge at on demand household rates. Would have to rise to a real rip-off to justify building charging stations tha charge by the kWh.

    1. Louise Avatar
      Louise

      Phinergy, an Israel-based technology company, has created a car battery that powers an electrical vehicle (EV) for up to 1,000 miles before needing a recharge.

      “Our systems are mechanically reloaded, avoiding long charging time.”

      “ALUMINUM-AIR
      Widely available, aluminum contains high amounts of energy (8kWh/kg). It is also easily recyclable, making it an attractive material for energy systems.”

      “Phinergy, which aims to have an electric car model available by 2017, has landed a contract with Franco-Japanese automaker Renault-Nissan.”

      http://www.ibtimes.com/new-battery-made-israel-based-energy-startup-phinergy-can-power-car-1000-miles-further-typical

      http://www.phinergy.com/

Get up to 3 quotes from pre-vetted solar (and battery) installers.