Wireless Charging

[jerry33]

I still remain puzzled by what problem induction charging is supposed to be addressing. It seems to require a garage with a fixed placement of cars. Even back when I had a garage, there were times when I would need to reshuffle what was parked where. Not a problem with cord-based chargers, but a non-starter with induction charging.

Is it really so hard to plug the car in physically when you park? I don't have any troubles doing so with my phone.

My belief is that this a solution to the FUD statement "Electric cars are inconvenient because you have to plug them in". From reading the Leaf forums, it's not the plugging-in that's the problem it's ensuring that the Leaf will actually charge. The settings appear very complicated (for the average non-technical user--remember, these are the same people that never set the clock on their microwave or DVD player because it is too complex/troublesome) and the EVSEs sometimes don't deliver power for a variety of reasons. Wireless won't help either the complexity of set-up or the "variety of reasons".

 

[VolkerP]

Given the tremendous amount of posts that focus on "convenience/luxury" options (e.g. cup holders, keyless entry, power folding mirrors) I am puzzled how the inconvenience of plugging in is defended. Why can't my EV just park in the garage and find some electricity all on its own? Be it inductive charging or some self-mating apparatus. Autonomous electric lawn mowers can do this!

 

[Doug_G]

My belief is that this a solution to the FUD statement "Electric cars are inconvenient because you have to plug them in".

That stupidity will go away on its own. It's far more convenient to spend 5-10 seconds plugging in your car once a day compared to standing at a gas pump for any length of time. Especially in bad weather.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Inductive Charging 2

I still remain puzzled by what problem induction charging is supposed to be addressing. It seems to require a garage with a fixed placement of cars. Even back when I had a garage, there were times when I would need to reshuffle what was parked where. Not a problem with cord-based chargers, but a non-starter with induction charging.

Is it really so hard to plug the car in physically when you park? I don't have any troubles doing so with my phone.

Luxury. People used to use keys. Then they got RKE. Then they got smart keys.

Park, get out, come back in the morning and your car is full. No waste of 18 seconds (2 x Robert Llewellyn's iMiEV plug-in time) each day. It'll cost you, because it's less efficient, but it's a selling point to luxury owners.

It also has potential for parking lots since it doesn't rely on a cord. In a parking lot it also has the advantage that you can use it as a carrot to make people park their cars properly.

 

[stopcrazypp]

In a parking lot it also has the advantage that you can use it as a carrot to make people park their cars properly.

That's actually the biggest problem. Judging by the way people park in the parking lot, getting the pad to align well is probably more difficult than just plugging in. But assuming they design a system that self aligns (or has enough tolerance without too big a drop in efficiency), it may be a convenience feature.

 

[DuncanWatson]

Since many luxury cars already have self-parking features I suspect that this technology will be adapted for induction charging. Though I know my co-worker was spooked by the way his car parallel parks I suspect it is something people will get used to. Heck I know that my wife would like an auto parking feature that worked for more than just parallel parking.

 

[rolosrevenge]

But what if there's only two EV charging stations and both slots are full? I've had this problem at the office when using the company LEAF. Thankfully, I was able to see that one of the LEAFs plugged in had finished charging so I was able to unplug them and plug in mine when parked next to them in a non-EV slot, but the cord reached. Now with inductive charging, no such solution would have been available, which makes the infrastructure problem more costly and less convenient.

 

[jerry33]

which makes the infrastructure problem more costly and less convenient.

Assuming there are no copper thieves in your area. That would be the only real advantage to inductive charging--nothing to tempt thieves.

 

[DuncanWatson]

@rolosrevenge, induction charging is more expensive and less useful if there isn't excess capacity as compared to the current chargers. There are compatibility issues as well. The only benefit is convenience. I think it is an interesting feature that will be very useful for taxis, police vehicles and possibly fleet vehicles. Though fleet vehicles may not like the higher cost due to losses and installation costs. But the benefits of being able to move vehicles around in a garage easily may trump that. I don't know the cost drivers for fleets.

At the moment we are still dealing with early adoption and a lot of technology will hit the wall and we will have to see if it sticks.

 

[dpeilow]

The HaloIPT technology (now owned by Qualcomm) reportedly has similar losses to a complete end-to-end cable assembly, can work over a large air gap (think SUV) and tollerates bad alignment. It even works while the vehicle is in motion. They say that a highway could embed this for 10% of its construction cost to have "charge while you drive".

However in the near term I see this being needed for taxi ranks and the type of on-street parking that is common in UK cities. IPT has already been demonstrated at 20kW so a taxi could get a useful charge while waiting.

Also buses in Italy have been doing this at 120kW for a while now: News: 10 years of electric buses with IPT Charge | Conductix Wampfler Global

 

[jerry33]

They say that a highway could embed this for 10% of its construction cost.

I'd say that pretty well kills adoption. If it was 1% maybe.

 

[hvb]

Wouldn't inductive charging automatically make the Infiniti LE a commuter car, since most chargers in the wild require a port? How many wireless chargers are out there?

 

[goyogi]

I think it would be cool to have a robot arm plug in your car for you. Running GLaDOS.

 

[woof]

I still remain puzzled by what problem induction charging is supposed to be addressing.

For me it's aesthetics, and the ability to walk past the cars without tripping on cables. Consider the 3 EV car garage--that's a lot of cabling draped everywhere...reminds me of the 1900's when the retrofitted electric wiring in the house was tacked across the walls and ceilings. Hidden charging looks so much better, and is not a tripping hazard.

 

[Larry Chanin]

I still remain puzzled by what problem induction charging is supposed to be addressing. It seems to require a garage with a fixed placement of cars. Even back when I had a garage, there were times when I would need to reshuffle what was parked where. Not a problem with cord-based chargers, but a non-starter with induction charging.

Is it really so hard to plug the car in physically when you park? I don't have any troubles doing so with my phone.

Hi Robert,

For the home charging environment I don't see a big advantage.

However, for in-road highway situations it could be a real game changer. Much smaller batteries would be needed, thereby greatly reducing the weight and expense of owning an EV. It might also solve the problem of the lack of a location for a charger as in the case of apartments or condominiums. Obviously, this would require a clever way to embed charging loops in existing highways and the political will to fund infrastructure improvements. I'm not sure whether utilities would be friends or foes for such infrastructure expansion.

Larry

 

[WarpedOne]

Is it really so hard to plug the car in physically when you park? I don't have any troubles doing so with my phone.

You plug in your phone in a garage using a heavy poorly-flexible cable that collects dirt and dust night and day?

 

[Talkredius]

think of charging at public places, there is heavy rain now, you arrive :

open your umbrella, damned where is the smart card for the charging station ?
open the trunk (or frunk) get out the charging cable while you still trying to hold your umbrella
plug it in, what says the monitor, can't read the smart card ? Perhaps I should wipe it dry ?

Now with the wireless charging :

you park your car., smart card is in its slot in the car all the time you only have to confirm, if you want to charge or not.
Your car is communicating with the charging station of course wireless.

You still have to face the rain when you leave the car but that's all.:wink:

Home work :
Imagine the same situation when the temperature is -10 C° (Canadians should assume a temperature of -25 C° ):biggrin: :tongue:
For the more advanced one : assume that your smart card isn't working below -9 C°:biggrin:

 

[FalconNinetyD]

A Wireless Charging Solution for the Leaf and Volt - NYTimes.com

 

[clea]

Crossposting here from Electric Bus - Page 7

News is about a trial starting next winter in Montreal (and Germany next year) of wireless charging of public buses at the bus stops. This sounds feasible as it reduces the amount of infrastructure that needs to be modified.

 

[Iz]

Charging at home in one's garage or driveway (as I do) does not necessitate wireless charging. However, a large city such as NY would benefit from wireless charging, particularly for apartment dwellers or those who do not have access to a personal charge location. Charging on the streets of an urban area leaves open the possibility of vandalism - to the charge port, cable or charger. Wireless charging mitigates this and will attract future GEN III owners.