Wirless car charging

[JamieGeek]

I've read a lot about wireless charging for EV's over the years without seeing any movement or any commercial products.

Apparently that is all about to change now that an official SAE spec exists:
https://www.freep.com/story/money/c...ctric-cars-wireless-charging-pads/6428778002/

Owning an electric vehicle is about to get more convenient.
Automakers and suppliers from around the world have agreed to a system that makes it possible to charge electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids without ever actually plugging them into a wall outlet.
Luxury vehicles like the $57,900 BMW 530e plug-in hybrid and $2 million McLaren Speedtail are ready for the system now, but expect more attainable EVs to offer it soon.
A technology to simplify using a product hardly anybody has, wireless charging for electric cars may initially look like the answer to a question nobody asked. But it’s the kind of convenience people get used to fast, making it easier to own and use vehicles that are becoming increasingly common.
Astounding cooperation
More important, the SAE International engineers association got an “astoundingly large” group of automakers and suppliers to cooperate to develop the universal charging system, the first step in making it affordable and easy for drivers to use, according to Ky Seal, who led one of the SAE committees that created the standard. Seal’s day job is senior principal engineer at Witricity, an MIT-bred company created to develop wireless charging for vehicles and appliances.

The SAE — previously Society of Automotive Engineers — is responsible for creating most of the standards that help drivers figure out everything from which oil to buy to how big a trailer their truck can tow safely. The wireless power transfer (WPT) standard is SAE J2954, for those of you scoring at home.
Automakers won’t commit to when they’ll have the system on production cars, but engineers are quietly optimistic about offering it on mainstream EVs soon.

If you use wireless charging for your phone, you know how quickly having to plug in seems as old-fashioned and laborious as carrying a bucket of well water to your house. People will get used to wireless vehicle charging just as quickly.
“It makes EVs more convenient,” IHSA Markit senior analyst Stephanie Brinley said. “Giving customers more choices will expand the market.”
The system delivers DC current up to 11 kilowatts at the maximum voltage the vehicle can accept over up to 10 inches of space between a pad mounted on the floor to a receiver on the vehicle. Charging efficiency is up to 94%, comparable to wired connections. The SAE is working on higher power levels for future passenger vehicles and heavy-duty applications like mining equipment.

'Park and walk away'
The charging pads can be equipped to guide the vehicle into place, either at the driver’s control or autonomously.
The pads can be used at home or in commercial parking spaces. The plan is that an EV from any automaker could charge from a pad made by any supplier, at any charging station. That’s similar to the current hardwired system, where all automakers except Tesla use a standard plug to charge.
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Electric vehicle owners already rave about the convenience of not having to stop for gas in the rain, wind and snow. Imagine how much more they’ll like it when they don’t even have to connect a plug to their vehicles at home.
“Charging your car should be as simple as parking and walking away. The wireless charging standard SAE J2954 gives freedom and convenience to do exactly that,” Jesse Schneider, chair of the SAE task force that created the standard, told SAE publication Automotive Engineering. “The standard is a game-changer by giving a ‘cookbook’ specification for developing both the vehicle and charging infrastructure wireless power transfer.”

There’s no indication yet of how much the systems will cost. Prices for wired home chargers have fallen rapidly, from above $2,000 in 2010 to less than $400 on Amazon today.
The SAE began research for the standard more than 10 years ago. The federal Food and Drug Administration has tested the system to make sure it doesn’t interfere with medical devices like pacemakers.

 

[ChasingCoral]

There are some real values to these systems, especially in public charging infrastructure. One company I posted about here a while back has systems that can be embedded into concrete or asphalt so no structure exists to be vandalized. Of course, at home, nothing could be simpler!

 

[Rotting Piñata]

I am a patent examiner and have reviewed a lot of wireless power systems for the past 10+ years. I've been curious when these vehicle systems will actually come to market (patentability does not equal marketability). There are some limitations to wireless power transfer (alignment, foreign object detection, human exposure, transfer efficiency) that stand in the way of them being widely used.

I've also seen patents for battery changing stations. You pull up to the station and a machine takes off your depleted battery, installs a fully charged one, and off you go. The station can hold tens or hundreds of batteries that it recharges to prepare for more customers.

 

[CHeil402]

There are some real values to these systems, especially in public charging infrastructure. One company I posted about here a while back has systems that can be embedded into concrete or asphalt so no structure exists to be vandalized. Of course, at home, nothing could be simpler!

My only concern with these systems would be the efficiency loss compared to a wired system, especially when you consider it to be deployed at large scale. The article says it's comparable but I'd want to see actual data.

 

[macchiaz-o]

I am a patent examiner and have reviewed a lot of wireless power systems for the past 10+ years.

I understood everything you wrote (I think?). I'm happy to see that reading Patent English for 10+ years hasn't bled over to your non-work life.

 

[sockmeister]

My only two concerns with it, for cars, is:
1. It is less efficient than plug-in charging. I think Qi chargers peak at around 70% efficiency of wired charging, for example

2. It generates more heat, which could be bad for the battery.

Other than that, the convenience factor may outweigh these anyway.

 

[Badger_Prof]

I am a patent examiner and have reviewed a lot of wireless power systems for the past 10+ years. I've been curious when these vehicle systems will actually come to market (patentability does not equal marketability). There are some limitations to wireless power transfer (alignment, foreign object detection, human exposure, transfer efficiency) that stand in the way of them being widely used.

I've also seen patents for battery changing stations. You pull up to the station and a machine takes off your depleted battery, installs a fully charged one, and off you go. The station can hold tens or hundreds of batteries that it recharges to prepare for more customers.

The drive-up and swap out battery exchange already existed (and, unfortunately, failed). Shortly before their demise, I had the pleasure of visiting with Better Place in Israel, driving one of their vehicles, and meeting with their CEO. They sold custom Renaults with exchangeable batteries. They had a series of battery exchange sites that looked like drive-in oil change facilities. To swap your battery for a fully charged one, all you had to do was pull in following the guides and stop for a minute

while robotics removed your battery and installed a fully charged one. It was a very quick process. Cars could also be charged with a cord as we do today. Unfortunately, the company went bankrupt due primarily to a non-tenable business plan, mismanagement, and over-ambitious expansion plans. Too bad. It was a nice ride and there was a lot of potential.

 

[ClaudeMach-E]

There are some real values to these systems, especially in public charging infrastructure. One company I posted about here a while back has systems that can be embedded into concrete or asphalt so no structure exists to be vandalized. Of course, at home, nothing could be simpler!

Well I'm not so sure of that in 6 inches of snow or in icy rain conditions ? For Californis yes but in cold snowy country not so much. Once again like range it depends where you live and what you need.

 

[timbop]

Sure it's "convenient" not to have to plug in, but there clearly will be a significant loss of efficiency. I'd rather have to take the 15 seconds to plug and unplug than pay for say 30% extra electricity for the "convenience" of saving those 15-30 seconds. I already envision using 500 kwh a month, I'd rather not draw another 150kwh because I'm lazy.

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

I noted that one BEV manufacturer is conspicuously missing from the Auto OEM list.

Elon? Elon? Elon?

 

[RonTCat]

I've read a lot about wireless charging for EV's over the years without seeing any movement or any commercial products.

Apparently that is all about to change now that an official SAE spec exists:
https://www.freep.com/story/money/c...ctric-cars-wireless-charging-pads/6428778002/

Owning an electric vehicle is about to get more convenient.
Automakers and suppliers from around the world have agreed to a system that makes it possible to charge electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids without ever actually plugging them into a wall outlet.
Luxury vehicles like the $57,900 BMW 530e plug-in hybrid and $2 million McLaren Speedtail are ready for the system now, but expect more attainable EVs to offer it soon.
A technology to simplify using a product hardly anybody has, wireless charging for electric cars may initially look like the answer to a question nobody asked. But it’s the kind of convenience people get used to fast, making it easier to own and use vehicles that are becoming increasingly common.
Astounding cooperation
More important, the SAE International engineers association got an “astoundingly large” group of automakers and suppliers to cooperate to develop the universal charging system, the first step in making it affordable and easy for drivers to use, according to Ky Seal, who led one of the SAE committees that created the standard. Seal’s day job is senior principal engineer at Witricity, an MIT-bred company created to develop wireless charging for vehicles and appliances.

The SAE — previously Society of Automotive Engineers — is responsible for creating most of the standards that help drivers figure out everything from which oil to buy to how big a trailer their truck can tow safely. The wireless power transfer (WPT) standard is SAE J2954, for those of you scoring at home.
Automakers won’t commit to when they’ll have the system on production cars, but engineers are quietly optimistic about offering it on mainstream EVs soon.

If you use wireless charging for your phone, you know how quickly having to plug in seems as old-fashioned and laborious as carrying a bucket of well water to your house. People will get used to wireless vehicle charging just as quickly.
“It makes EVs more convenient,” IHSA Markit senior analyst Stephanie Brinley said. “Giving customers more choices will expand the market.”
The system delivers DC current up to 11 kilowatts at the maximum voltage the vehicle can accept over up to 10 inches of space between a pad mounted on the floor to a receiver on the vehicle. Charging efficiency is up to 94%, comparable to wired connections. The SAE is working on higher power levels for future passenger vehicles and heavy-duty applications like mining equipment.

'Park and walk away'
The charging pads can be equipped to guide the vehicle into place, either at the driver’s control or autonomously.
The pads can be used at home or in commercial parking spaces. The plan is that an EV from any automaker could charge from a pad made by any supplier, at any charging station. That’s similar to the current hardwired system, where all automakers except Tesla use a standard plug to charge.
Your stories live here.
Fuel your hometown passion and plug into the stories that define it.

Electric vehicle owners already rave about the convenience of not having to stop for gas in the rain, wind and snow. Imagine how much more they’ll like it when they don’t even have to connect a plug to their vehicles at home.
“Charging your car should be as simple as parking and walking away. The wireless charging standard SAE J2954 gives freedom and convenience to do exactly that,” Jesse Schneider, chair of the SAE task force that created the standard, told SAE publication Automotive Engineering. “The standard is a game-changer by giving a ‘cookbook’ specification for developing both the vehicle and charging infrastructure wireless power transfer.”

There’s no indication yet of how much the systems will cost. Prices for wired home chargers have fallen rapidly, from above $2,000 in 2010 to less than $400 on Amazon today.
The SAE began research for the standard more than 10 years ago. The federal Food and Drug Administration has tested the system to make sure it doesn’t interfere with medical devices like pacemakers.

I'd like to see data on:
- The noise this thing makes, i.e. transformer hum
- The magnetic field strength at a few feet away

Based on anticipated field strength alone, I'm a hard pass.

 

[mattbostonmache]

The drive-up and swap out battery exchange already existed (and, unfortunately, failed). Shortly before their demise, I had the pleasure of visiting with Better Place in Israel, driving one of their vehicles, and meeting with their CEO. They sold custom Renaults with exchangeable batteries. They had a series of battery exchange sites that looked like drive-in oil change facilities. To swap your battery for a fully charged one, all you had to do was pull in following the guides and stop for a minute

while robotics removed your battery and installed a fully charged one. It was a very quick process. Cars could also be charged with a cord as we do today. Unfortunately, the company went bankrupt due primarily to a non-tenable business plan, mismanagement, and over-ambitious expansion plans. Too bad. It was a nice ride and there was a lot of potential.

Swapping batteries are deployed and working in China by the manufacturer NIO.

 

[engnrng]

I'd like to see data on:
- The noise this thing makes, i.e. transformer hum
- The magnetic field strength at a few feet away

Based on anticipated field strength alone, I'm a hard pass.

WAVEipt.com has had some systems in service for bus fleets. The company I work for offers wireless charging from WAVE for our high capacity BEV forklifts (30,000 lbs to 75,000 lbs capacity). The field shaping software for the WAVE unit has high efficiency and very small amounts of side lobe bleeding. Please reconsider your “hard pass” based on your college physics lab experiments! This technology is quite sophisticated...

 

[ChasingCoral]

WAVEipt.com has had some systems in service for bus fleets. The company I work for offers wireless charging from WAVE for our high capacity BEV forklifts (30,000 lbs to 75,000 lbs capacity). The field shaping software for the WAVE unit has high efficiency and very small amounts of side lobe bleeding. Please reconsider your “hard pass” based on your college physics lab experiments! This technology is quite sophisticated...

That's great to hear and confirms what I expected. Do you have any estimates on their losses vs. wired charging?

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