Author: Solar Thermal Magazine
Image courtesy of International Center for Automotive Research and International Transportation Innovation Center

With the successful demonstration of a 6.9-kilowatt wireless power transfer system boasting 85 percent grid-to-vehicle efficiency, the U.S. Department of Energy’s  Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and partners are gearing up for the next phase of the electrified vehicles project.

The recent demonstration, hosted by Clemson University, utilized several Toyota vehicles and power electronics solutions developed by ORNL. Cisco collaborated with ORNL to provide wireless communications solutions while Clemson’s International Center for Automotive Research and International Transportation Innovation Center provided a testing facility and communications integration.

In the coming years, Stationary Wireless Charging (SWC) will be introduced to the U.S. Market by several major OEMs offering Electric Vehicles (EV) and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV). The advantage to consumers will be convenience and ease of use, as the charging process is fully automated and does not require a manual plug-in cable. Dynamic Wireless Charging (DWC), which is currently in its research phase, takes this a step further by eliminating the downtime necessary to charge a vehicle—the automobile can be charged dynamically, while in motion.

“These are exciting times for researchers in the field of transportation innovation,” says Dr. Joachim Taiber, CUICAR Research Professor and ITIC Chief Technology officer. “Wireless charging is bringing more flexibility and simplicity to the use of electrified vehicles.”

In addition to Toyota and Cisco, other partners in the $8.3 million project are Duke Energy and Evatran.

Original from : Solar Thermal Magazine