Wireless Smartphone Charging?

[lupend88]

With many Samsung phones offering wireless charging and Apple's new iPhone 8 and X offering the same technology, do you think Tesla will add/include some way to wirelessly charge your smartphone in the Model 3? It would be very welcomed on my part!

 

[run-the-joules]

It's very inefficient. While the losses might not be major I'd say in an electric car that'd be sort of a strange use…

 

[kengchang]

You can easily get this sort of stuff....

https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Wirele...=UTF8&qid=1505282923&sr=8-1&keywords=anker+qi

 

[lupend88]

I guess I was asking more about a dedicated spot to charge wirelessly. In the same way Tesla brilliantly thought of a dedicated spot to dock/charge your phone, I would love to see the same dedicated solution for wireless charging.

 

[Chewy3]

I guess I was asking more about a dedicated spot to charge wirelessly. In the same way Tesla brilliantly thought of a dedicated spot to dock/charge your phone, I would love to see the same dedicated solution for wireless charging.

I think companies will make aftermarket products that will fit into or replace specific trim pieces within the Model 3 that will provide wireless charging. I'm already planning a DIY project for precisely this

 

[MorrisonHiker]

If you read Road & Track's review, they do mention the Model 3 has inductive charging...but I never saw this mentioned anywhere else: Exclusive: Tesla Model 3 First Drive Review - Motor Trend

meaning better-grade materials, wood-veneered dash, 12-way front seats, 12-speaker sound, heated rear seats, side-by-side inductive phone chargers, and that panoramic glass ceiling that nevertheless protects like SPF 90 sunscreen.

I've been using wireless charging for years and will be adding a Qi charger to my S soon.

 

[Chewy3]

Until I hear it from Tesla...I'm under the assumption a writer was mistaken when he wrote that.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Until I hear it from Tesla...I'm under the assumption a writer was mistaken when he wrote that.

Well he was with Franz in his personal car. Perhaps Franz has a few extras installed or they will be added at a later date.

 

[Chewy3]

Well he was with Franz in his personal car. Perhaps Franz has a few extras installed or they will be added at a later date.

The video with Franz where he docks his phone into a plug thats mounted in the console and he never mentions wireless charging?

I really really want wireless charging to the point I will install it myself. But I fear everyone is getting their hopes up like they did with HUD and it never came.

 

[mal_tsla]

It's very inefficient. While the losses might not be major I'd say in an electric car that'd be sort of a strange use…

How inefficient we talking? Cell phones charge at around 12W for maybe 90 minutes, so a zero-100% charge would consume 18Wh of power (high-end estimate, phone charge taper means it'll consume far less), and then it will sip power at less than a 1W. Moving the car consumes 250-400Wh.

Unless wireless charging is an order of magnitude less efficient than cable charging, I can't imagine it's a factor at all. What am I missing?

 

[GTIceman]

I think it makes sense for them to add as an option at some point. I mean BMW and others are doing it. Samsung devices charge pretty quickly on the fast chargers.

 

[ecarfan]

If you read Road & Track's review, they do mention the Model 3 has inductive charging...but I never saw this mentioned anywhere else: Exclusive: Tesla Model 3 First Drive Review - Motor Trend
I've been using wireless charging for years and will be adding a Qi charger to my S soon.

That sentence in the MT review does seem pretty clear;
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Franz’ car is a loaded version—a Premium (add $5,000), meaning better-grade materials, wood-veneered dash, 12-way front seats, 12-speaker sound, heated rear seats, side-by-side inductive phone chargers, and...
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When the Model 3 design was finalized (which must have been last year, 2016) Tesla did not know that Apple would be launching the iPhone 8 and X in late 2017 but of course there are many Samsung and LG smartphone models that can charge inductively, see Products

If the Model 3 Premium Package option really does include two Qi-standard inductive chargers I am impressed with Teslas foresight. See Qi (standard) - Wikipedia

Note: during the Apple event yesterday, Phil Schiller talked about how next year Apple plans to offer the "AirPower" inductive charger which is a large pad that can charge multiple devices simultaneously. See The iPhone 8 supports wireless charging Apparently the current Qi standard does not allow that but Apple hopes to get the standard changed so that it will do that.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Unless wireless charging is an order of magnitude less efficient than cable charging, I can't imagine it's a factor at all. What am I missing?

Some people just don't believe in wireless charging. They argue that it is too slow or too inefficient. Sure a USB cable could be faster but wireless is very convenient. 99% of the time, I don't need a fast charge because I can just set my phone down and add a bit of charge to it. It's kind of like supercharging vs. charging at a level 2 charger. Most of the time, I don't need a fast charge and a slower level 2 charge is sufficient. During road trips, I do need to charge the car quickly so I Supercharge. I wonder if these same people who complain about wireless charging only Supercharge their car and never use level 2 chargers because Superchariging is so much faster.

Since Apple has finally added wireless charging, maybe some of the non-believers will finally agree that it's a good idea. Millions of Android users have appreciated it for years.

 

[ecarfan]

Unless wireless charging is an order of magnitude less efficient than cable charging, I can't imagine it's a factor at all. What am I missing?

I would say you are not missing much. While inductive charging is less efficient than wired charging, the power losses are about 20%. Given the tiny amounts of power involved in charging a phone, it's trivial.

Here is one opinion about inductive charging efficiency https://www.quora.com/How-energy-efficient-is-Qi-wireless-charging-compared-to-wired-charging

 

[Mishakim]

The problems I have with inductive charging (I use a case with it on my iPhone) are that (a) it's very sensitive to position (rotation as well as x-y alignment), and (b) in a moving car, the phone will slide off the pad. So to use it in a car, you need to strap the phone down to the pad. At that point, you might as well use a plug, get the higher efficiency, and either let the plug hold the phone in place, or be able to pick up the phone and use it without stopping charging

 

[MorrisonHiker]

The problems I have with inductive charging (I use a case with it on my iPhone) are that (a) it's very sensitive to position (rotation as well as x-y alignment), and (b) in a moving car, the phone will slide off the pad. So to use it in a car, you need to strap the phone down to the pad. At that point, you might as well use a plug, get the higher efficiency, and either let the plug hold the phone in place, or be able to pick up the phone and use it without stopping charging

It sounds to me that your problem is that the iPhone doesn't have inductive charging built in and the case you chose wasn't the best solution. In my opinion, it's not the wireless charging that is to blame.

Many Android phones and wireless chargers have magnets in them to avoid this issue. In my last car, I could just get in and place my phone on a magnetic phone dock on the dash. It would charge my phone and hold it securely in place. I could instantly place it and remove it with one hand. I don't think I ever had it fall off in the 3+ years that I used it.

Try a phone that has wireless charging built in and you'll begin to appreciate the convenience.

 

[kengchang]

It sounds to me that your problem is that the iPhone doesn't have inductive charging built in and the case you chose wasn't the best solution. In my opinion, it's not the wireless charging that is to blame.

Many Android phones and wireless chargers have magnets in them to avoid this issue. In my last car, I could just get in and place my phone on a magnetic phone dock on the dash. It would charge my phone and hold it securely in place. I could instantly place it and remove it with one hand. I don't think I ever had it fall off in the 3+ years that I used it.

Try a phone that has wireless charging built in and you'll begin to appreciate the convenience.

I have been using wireless charging since 2012. What he said is right, the position matters on the charging pad due to coil placement. Not sure about the magnet, at least the one I have don't have magnet built in.

 

[Cyclone]

It sounds to me that your problem is that the iPhone doesn't have inductive charging built in and the case you chose wasn't the best solution. In my opinion, it's not the wireless charging that is to blame.

Many Android phones and wireless chargers have magnets in them to avoid this issue. In my last car, I could just get in and place my phone on a magnetic phone dock on the dash. It would charge my phone and hold it securely in place. I could instantly place it and remove it with one hand. I don't think I ever had it fall off in the 3+ years that I used it.

Try a phone that has wireless charging built in and you'll begin to appreciate the convenience.

I used to do the same with my Palm Pre and had the inductive charger mounted to my dash. It was very convenient.

 

[favo]

I had a Pre also. Nice phone. Magnets worked every time.

 

[burnside]

That sentence in the MT review does seem pretty clear;
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Franz’ car is a loaded version—a Premium (add $5,000), meaning better-grade materials, wood-veneered dash, 12-way front seats, 12-speaker sound, heated rear seats, side-by-side inductive phone chargers, and...
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It sounds like the writer saw the phone sitting in the compartment but did not see the charging ports and assumed that the phones were charging wirelessly. No doubt Tesla would have displayed wireless phone charging as a feature on the M3 page if it were available.