US Creates 270 kW Wireless Charging Station For Electric Vehicles
Engineers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have set a new record for wireless charging of electric vehicles, reaching 270 kW while charging a Porsche Taycan. The technology does not require precise parking and is safe for health.
Researchers have developed an extremely efficient way to transmit energy wirelessly. Using special coils with a variable phase electromagnetic field, a rotating field is created. Due to this, an efficiency of energy transfer of over 95% is achieved. In March of this year, an improved 100 kW installation was able to charge the battery of an electric car Hyundai Kona in less than 20 minutes to 50% capacity through a 5-inch (12.7 cm) air gap with an efficiency of 96%.
Another refinement of the prototype wireless charger allowed the Porsche Taycan electric car to receive 270 kW of power through a 4.75-inch (12 cm) air gap. The electric car’s batteries were charged to 50% in 10 minutes with an efficiency of over 95%. Together with Volkswagen, which provided the practical side of the experiment on a real electric car, ORNL scientists agreed to develop powerful wireless chargers for residential premises.
The system allows the vehicle to move more than 12 cm while maintaining effective charging. It can work with an air gap of up to 28 cm between the receiver and transmitter, which allows it to be used for various types of vehicles with different ground clearances.
