You've probably heard of wireless charging for smartphones, but did you know that this technology is also available for electric cars? Inductive charging allows you to use your electric car easy and convenient to charge without a cable. In this article, you'll learn everything you need to know about inductive charging.
How does inductive charging work?
In inductive charging, energy is wirelessly transferred from a charging coil (magnetic coil) in the charging station or in asphalt to a corresponding charging coil on an electric car. The charging station generates a magnetic field that is recognized by a charging coil in the car. As a result, electrical energy is transferred and the vehicle is charged.
Inductive charging when parking but also while driving is currently in the test phase. For many, it is considered a major milestone in electric mobility, as it can reduce the much-discussed charging stops as the car can charge while driving.
The advantage of wireless charging
The biggest advantage of inductive charging is convenience. You don't need to connect or plug in any cables. You simply park your electric car over the charging station and charging starts automatically. It's particularly handy when charging at home or in public parking lots. Charging while driving, which is currently in the test phase in many places around the world, is even more convenient.
Where can you find inductive charging stations?
Inductive charging stations are still widely used. In 2018, BMW released a stationary charging pad that can theoretically be installed in parking spaces. However, this technology is still complicated, as an exact position and distance from the car must be established so that charging works. Inductive charging is still mainly in the test phase, in particular charging while driving.
Is my electric car suitable for inductive charging?
In order for your electric car to be able to charge inductively, it needs a mobile coil that is built into the vehicle floor. This is currently the case with a few vehicles. Should inductive charging become suitable for mass production, car manufacturers will certainly install this equipment as standard or retrofit it.
Future prospects for inductive charging
Inductive charging is still in its infancy, but it is expected that this technology will be further developed and spread in the future. There are already projects that integrate inductive charging on motorways and parking lots to enable charging while driving or parking. The future of inductive charging for electric cars looks promising.
In Karlsruhe, for example, there is already a plug section on which buses can be charged inductively. However, with an efficiency of 85%, there is currently still potential for improvement. Further test tracks are to be built in Stuttgart and Bavaria soon. Florida is testing inductive charging on a 1.6 km long test track in the near future, the cars with up to 200 using a built-in charging pad kw allows charging.
Disadvantages of inductive charging
Some industry representatives do not see inductive charging as a technology of the future because it has too many disadvantages and hurdles. Among others, the following disadvantages are mentioned:
- expenses: The technology is currently still very expensive. A test track planned for 2025 in Bavaria is expected to cost around 8 million euros. For this reason, only one lane is required during the tests.
- perpetuity: Due to the costs and effort, expanding a nationwide supply would take decades. It certainly makes more sense to focus on the nationwide expansion of traditional charging infrastructure (charging stations) for now.
- Technical challenges: Speeds of 100 km/h and more are not uncommon, especially on motorways. At this speed, charging the vehicle becomes a major challenge for which engineers must find a solution.
- efficiency: At present, the efficiency of inductive charging is not yet high enough. Current tests reveal a maximum efficiency of 85%, which does not necessarily correspond to efficient charging technology.
- refitting: Most electric cars are not yet capable of inductive charging. Here, existing vehicles would first have to be converted to make charging via induction possible — which means effort and costs. Manufacturers of electric cars must take this into account in the future and install further components for inductive charging in e-vehicles.
conclusion
Inductive charging of electric vehicles sounds super exciting and could help, in particular the prejudices against e-cars regarding charging stops, Charging time and range to dissolve. The technology is currently in the test phase, but it is becoming apparent that we cannot expect widespread availability soon. In particular, the costs, effort required to build and retrofit existing vehicles and the efficiency of the technology are not yet up to par to be suitable for mass production.