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New York City To Get Manhole Covers That Wirelessly Charge Electric Vehicles

Posted by Soulskill on from the sending-power-through-the-ether dept.

Lucas123 writes "A new project between NYU and start-up HEVO Power will disguise wireless charging stations in manhole covers. The wireless charging stations are aimed at providing fleets of delivery vehicles with power in parking spaces around the city. Next year, Toyota plans to test a wireless charging Prius in Japan, Europe. And, U.S. Auto electronics giant Delphi is developing technology for electric vehicles that could be used industrywide. The charging stations could be embedded in asphalt or pads that lay on garage floors. Wireless charging, however, still has many obstacles to overcome, including the time it takes to recharge a vehicle, cost to deploy the technology and power loss during electrical transfer."

6 of 112 comments (clear)

  1. ConEd has had that for a while by disposable60 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I recall news stories from over a decade ago lamenting the fact that ConEd manhole covers were being used to charge dogs. Inadvertently, and sadly fatally, but this technology has been around for a while.

    --
    You're looking for quotes? See my journal.
    1. Re:ConEd has had that for a while by rhazz · · Score: 3, Informative

      Citation: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/15/nyregion/15dog.html?_r=0

      I recalled this too and had to find the article :)

  2. Now THAT is E/M radiation by i+kan+reed · · Score: 4, Funny

    Will the nutjobs afraid of wireless routers be able to survive walking down the sidewalk in NYC now?

  3. Disguise? by stillnotelf · · Score: 4, Informative

    I was really curious about the need to "disguise" the chargers as manhole covers - it's not like they'd be an eyesore, and they'll be "public enough" that they won't be secret, either. Unfortunately it was poetic licence in TFS, not in TFA...

  4. The Second Law of Thermodynamics isn't your friend by SirGarlon · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Color me skeptical -- between the energy losses in electricity generation, transmission to the wireless charger, the wireless charging process, storage in the car's battery, and finally conversion to mechanical energy, it is hard to imagine this being a win in terms of overall energy efficiency or emissions reduction. If NYC had a big surplus of low-cost, zero-carbon energy sources, of course, this would make perfect sense. I suspect they'll instead end up burning more fossil fuels to charge the electric cars than they would to just drive equivalent diesel or internal-combustion vehicles.

    --
    [Sir Garlon] is the marvellest knight that is now living, for he destroyeth many good knights, for he goeth invisible.
  5. Michael Bay! by Culture20 · · Score: 3, Funny

    How much power will this add to manhole explosions? Will the explosions be triggered more often with live wires in the manholes (and the loose connectors that manholes would require)? Was Michael Bay involved in the design?