Fairly interesting article about wireless charging for EV's including a small mention about some EV buses in Italy using this method. BBC News - Wireless charging - the future for electric cars?
I hear there's an experimental/teslacoil quick-charge version in the works too. It's a little touchy ... but it doubles as a theft deterant, as well as a wireless car charger, so - either way . . . . no?
have to agree; putting the efficiency and losses aside, with power transfer rates one can imagine sitting inside 1200wt microwave being safer. :target:
How safe are they? What is the gap between the pad on the road and the one on the car? What happens if a child reaches under when the car is charging (as in reaching to get a ball?) or if a cat thinks it would be nice to sit on that nice warm pad under the car? Will they be OK or will they be zapped?
The energy's the pad to the vehicle through a magnetic field, not an electric field. You wouldn't get shocked. Rolls Royce is using this for their electric Phantom (yeah, a Rolls EV. Crazy huh?).
What would people that wear tin foil hats while passing under power lines and are convinced that cell phones give you cancer do.
They never venture out - its not safe - so they stay inside their tinfoil lined room trolling Prius forums. Well that's my take on it
This really IS interesting. They are rediscovering Tesla's work here. It's also sad that the petrol industry will do anything in it's power to prevent technologies like this one. And it's power if influence is quite large as it extends its tentacles all across the globe.
Good to hear that Toyota has invested in WiTricity. Not surprised to see Apple taking an interest. Shocked to learn that Italian city buses have implemented this since 2002! And glad to know that NZ is a pioneer in this field (as I plan to retire there someday). Great article. Thanks for posting.
My Wii controllers recharge without being plugged in, my iPhone and iPad recharge just by sitting on a pad... Why not a car?
I could see where this could develop or be specifically used in certain situations to advantage. But in general? For privately owned EV's? Doesn't seem to make much sense at this point. Because it's only "wireless" from the standpoint of electrical generation...to vehicle....pad to pad..via magnetic field. Well something HAS to be wired, be it electricity source to recharging pad or electricity source to vehicle socket via conventional wired cord. So for "most" private owners who concievably must be parking indoors and in a garage the advantage at most seems minimal almost non-existent. For the rest of us? Getting a wired "Pad" installed in a specific location to allow the process to happen I think would be far more problematic than simply plugging in a vehicle. Long term, if an infrastructure existed..perhaps for fleet vehicles being used and stored at specific locations then perhaps it makes sense. I think it's valid and necessary technology, but I think we are still a long way from the point where it makes sense for most "private" owners to apply. Baby steps I suppose. But I think we are a long way from cutting the cord...
Two easy differences present themselves. 1) Distance between the pad and the battery is significantly larger. 2) The wattage is much higher, look at the difference in wire size between a iPhone charger charging a a few volts, and maybe an amp, to that for a car charger which is at 100s of volts and 10s of amps (1000s of times the wattage). Additionally, consider what effect any of the following have on the pad: snow, water, wet leaves,stray pieces of metal. I am not saying that it won't work, I am not completely conversant with the engineering; however, it is not clear to me that the engineering is exhaustively tested, certainly not to the level of 'perfectly safe'.
In addition to having wired charging as a backup for wireless, and vice versa, would EVs still need to have a generator onboard (petrol based perhaps) as a third backup?
I'm still thinking about the neighbor's cat that keeps walking on my vehicles. Instead of unplugging each morning, I'd spend a few minutes with a shovel getting rid of Sum Yung Feline, a new Chinese delicacy. --- I am here: [ame="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=33.757580,-83.713950"]Google Maps[/ame] - iPad ?
Sorry, but Mr. Kitty would be just fine after walking across the charging pad. It uses a magnetic field, so it's got zero interaction with anything living unless they've got a pacemaker or other metal implant.
