Chinese and British researchers have developed a wireless electric vehicle charging system with an efficiency of 98.51%. The system has a power output of about 20 kilowatts and could eventually be used in autonomous transport, according to infohub.kz.
The principle is similar to wireless smartphone charging. Special components are installed in the charging pad and in the vehicle, and energy is transferred between them via a magnetic field. The driver does not need to plug in a cable—the electric vehicle simply needs to be positioned over the pad that transmits energy to the receiving system.
The project involved specialists from the Dongguan Institute of Materials Science and Technology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, the University of Cambridge, and the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The researchers developed a 20-kilowatt system based on nanocrystalline alloys. Its magnetic core has a design resembling an overpass. The core strip, measuring 440 × 330 mm, is only 4 mm thick. According to the developers, it is half as thick as traditional ferrite solutions while capable of withstanding higher power density.
The scientists intend to improve the technology's performance and move it toward industrial application.
The technology is primarily being considered for autonomous electric vehicles. Eliminating the need to plug in a cable could simplify the use of autonomous transport. In addition to cars, the system is planned for use in rail transport, industrial automated carts, and low-altitude aircraft.
Earlier, Kursiv Auto reported that Porsche plans to promote a similar technological solution.