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Gov't Researchers Develop Wireless Car Chargers That Are Faster Than Plug-ins (computerworld.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the government-research dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Computerworld: The U.S. Department of Energy has demonstrated a 20,000 watt (20KW) wireless car-charging system that offers three times the efficiency of today's plug-in systems for electric vehicles (EVs). The research is the first step in creating a 50KW wireless charging system that may someday allow roadways to charge vehicles while they are being driven. The DOE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee demonstrated the new system in partnership with Toyota, Cisco Systems, Evatran and the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research. ORNL said the 20KW charging system for passenger cars is the world's highest power wireless system. It was developed in less than three years using a "unique architecture that included an ORNL-built inverter, isolation transformer, vehicle-side electronics and coupling technologies."

3 of 169 comments (clear)

  1. 270% efficiency by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 4, Funny

    A Tesla charger has an efficiency of over 90%. If this charger has an efficiency three times that, then it should be above 270%. Maybe it can feed the extra 170% back into the grid.

    1. Re:270% efficiency by michelcolman · · Score: 4, Funny

      A Tesla Supercharger charges an empty 90 kWh battery to 80% in 40 minutes. That would be 108 kW, right? And the new wireless demonstration is 20 kW, the first step into creating an unbelievable 50 kW charging system? Yawn...

      O, but of course it's wireless, so it will save you a massive amount of time! Sure, it will take an hour and 26 minutes to charge that same battery to the same 80% BUT when you have to connect to a supercharger it can take up to 60 seconds to plug in and unplug! Wireless is obviously better then.

  2. Re:Wireless charging is probably dangerous by Plus1Entropy · · Score: 3, Funny

    There's an abundance of research showing that strong electric and magnetic fields can be hazardous.

    Sure, like the electric field formed between clouds and the Earth, but only if you happen to be around when the field discharges.

    --
    Only crack the nuts that crack. You don't put the ones that don't crack in the sack.