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Tesla Would Be Proud: Wireless Charging For Electric Cars Gets Closer To Reality

Posted by timothy on from the get-amped dept.

curtwoodward writes "For some reason, we're still plugging in electric-powered devices like a bunch of savages. But technology developed at MIT could soon make that a thing of the past, at least for hybrid cars. A small Boston-area company, WiTricity, is a key part of Toyota's growing experiment with wireless charging tech---something the world's largest car maker says it will start seriously testing in the U.S., Japan and Europe next year. The system works by converting AC to a higher frequency and voltage and sending it to a receiver that resonates at the same frequency, making it possible to transfer the power safely via magnetic field. Intel and Foxconn are also investors, and you might see them license the tech soon as well."

7 of 176 comments (clear)

  1. Efficient? by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Whether or not it catches on will depend mostly on efficiency. If the losses are minimal, it makes sense to eliminate mechanical connections.

    1. Re:Efficient? by internerdj · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Just don't plug it in at your kid's tennis match.

    2. Re:Efficient? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Considering the price of energy and the whole economic crisis, a lot of people would probably rather plug in manually if the losses are any more than a couple of percent. Even 1% would probably put a lot of people off if they were aware of it.

      Millions of people still insist on using incandescent light bulbs. Do you think the majority would give a damn about 1%?

  2. I would like to turn my nerd card in by oodaloop · · Score: 4, Funny

    When I read Tesla in the title, my first thought was the car manufacturer. It wasn't until a few minutes later I realized it was referring to the inventor. If someone would kindly give me the proper address, I will hand in my nerd card. I'm sorry, everyone.

    --
    Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
    1. Re:I would like to turn my nerd card in by goombah99 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Moreover, none of the nerds here have noticed yet that Tesla would not be proud of this. He was trying to do wireless power across nations and oceans not inductive coupling at short range. Magnetic coupling falls off at very short range compared to propagating waves.

      --
      Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
    2. Re:I would like to turn my nerd card in by geekoid · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I have written several papers through out my life about Tesla. The fact that everyone goes on and on about the stuff Tesla didn't invent and has no clue about the work he actually did is annoying as hell.

      The Oatmeal ruined pretty much everything about Tesla.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  3. Old news for buses by wren337 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Italy has been using this for buses since 2003.
    http://www.wired.com/autopia/2013/08/induction-charged-buses/