Imagine a future where electric vehicles are the norm. Drivers are returning home, parking in their garages and their cars recharge wirelessly overnight – thanks to a panel located on the garage floor hooked up to the home electrical system.
This could be the future as Hyundai-Kia America Technical Center (HATCI) and Mojo Mobility, a wireless power company, have been funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Vehicle Technologies (VT) program to develop such technology.
HATCI and Mojo Mobility developed, implemented and will demonstrate the wireless power transfer system on a test fleet of 2015 Kia Soul EV over three phases.
Phase One saw the power system operate with 85 percent grid-to-vehicle energy efficiency, capable of transferring in excess of 10 kW to the vehicle while charging. The system allows for misalignment between the energy transmitter on the ground and the energy receiver on the vehicle, for ease of use.
Phase Two testing saw 92 percent energy efficiency after integrating a compact system optimized for the Soul EV.
That much improvement in efficiency could be game changing.
Inductive charging is known for low energy efficiency, waste heat, slow charging times and expensive price tags. But at 92 percent energy efficiency, this new system blows the Magne Charge inductive charging system out of the water, which tops out at 86 percent energy efficiency (6.6 kW delivery from a 7.68 kW power draw).
Real-world performance data will be gathered in the third and final phase of the project using five Kia Soul EVs and corresponding energy transmission units. The final phase will test the system’s durability, interoperability, safety and performance.
Testing facilities are located at HATCI in Superior Twp., Michigan and Mojo Mobility in Santa Clara, California.
KMA and Mojo Mobility have not yet announced when the system will be available for purchase.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.