Originally featured in Palm and Nokia cell phones as early as 2009, wireless charging entered the mainstream in 2017 when the technology was incorporated into the iPhone 8. Unsurprisingly, cell phone users have been eager to do away with fiddly cables and connectors and adopt this convenient new way to keep their device’s battery charged up. The number of people who charge their phones wirelessly has tripled in recent years, and users report a decrease in “battery anxiety” as a result of this convenient charging solution.
Of course, the fear of running out of charge has far greater implications for the users of EVs, who run the risk of becoming stranded in their discharged cars if they are unable to find a suitable public charging point away from home. However, the development of wireless charging technology embedded into road surfaces could allow EVs to charge as they drive, effectively eliminating concerns over range.
The technology, which requires a special receiver to be fitted to the underside of the EV in addition to rows of inductive charging coils built into the roadway, is already being trialed in cities across the United States and Europe. In the “Motor City” of Detroit, a quarter-mile stretch of wirelessly charging road has been installed. Electreon, one of the manufacturers of wireless EV charging tech, has set a new world record for the longest time and distance driven by a passenger electric vehicle. In a 100-hour demonstration, an electric Toyota RAV4 covered over 1,200 miles (1,931 km) nonstop.
For now, the significant cost of installing wireless charging infrastructure (as much as $2 million per mile) means that the concept of “range-free” EVs is still some way off. Instead, developers are looking at wireless charging solutions that can have the greatest impact with the most efficient footprint. Vehicles with regular fixed routes, such as buses and commercial vehicles, could benefit from wireless charging embedded into the roadways they frequent, and charging pads installed at stoplights, where vehicles can enjoy a longer charge duration while they wait, are also being considered.
Sweden leads the charge for EV charging:
- If the setup costs can be brought down, the environmental benefits may be significant. A Swedish study estimated that installing around 180 miles (290 km) of wireless charging on a busy roadway could reduce CO2 emissions by 200,000 tons per year.
- However, plans to install around 13 miles (21 km) of permanent wireless charging technology on a highway in Sweden were paused in late 2024 following a spending review, which found the costs to be impractical.
- Sweden is also exploring projects that adapt existing physical contact charging technologies, such as the “third rail” power supply long used by trains and trams, for commercial road vehicles.
