The charging speed of car batteries is very important in encouraging customers to buy EVs, and the number of charging stations around the world is not enough for the current number of electric cars. This is why more effort is being put into the development of wireless charging. Currently, commercial wireless solutions offer charging speeds of up to 11 kW, but the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in collaboration with Volkswagen has made progress in the development of wireless charging, proving that in the future it could be as easy as parking.

To demonstrate the achievement, ORNL used a modified Porsche Taycan prototype reaching a wireless charging speed of 270 kW, which is equal to the DC charging speed of earlier models. This is achieved thanks to a polyphase wireless charging design integrated into the car’s chassis and light electromagnetic coils with a diameter of about 48 centimeters, which create a high power density.

The people who worked on the project claim that the used receiving coil can achieve eight to ten times higher power density compared to existing systems, making it the easiest charging system in the world.

The project is far from over. It still requires development to be ready for production. This could definitely revolutionize electric vehicle charging by making it more convenient and accessible. ORNL’s wireless charger can add 50 percent charge to the Taycan’s current battery capacity in just 10 minutes, which is comparable to a DC fast charger.

Source: Reuters