- A Porsche Taycan is charged wirelessly at 270 kw
- The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has partnered with Volkswagen Group to conduct testing
- No timeline has been given for putting a system like this into production, but testing will continue.
In a recent test, the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) wireless charging A Porsche Taycan with 270 kW of power sets a new record that researchers say is wireless charging of light vehicles.
Existing wireless charging systems for light vehicles charge at much lower power levels, ORNL noted in a press release. Commercial hardware typically tops out at 11 kilowatts with 92 percent efficiency, according to ORNL, and standards cover power levels up to 20 kilowatts. A system deployed in 2020 with a fleet of vehicles Jaguar I-Pace Taxi in Oslo, Norway, was able to achieve 50 kw in 6-8 minutes burst.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory Tests 270kW Wireless EV Charging System
However, ORNL claims that their system has been tested in cooperation with Volkswagen Group of America as part of a research project announced in 2021, can match the power of many conventional DC fast charging stations, with an efficiency of 95%. It can also achieve a 50% increase in state of charge in 10 minutes, ORNL claims.
The system uses a lightweight multiphase electromagnetic coil just over 19 inches in diameter, which ORNL says allows for the highest possible power density. The receiver coil mounted on the underside of the Taycan actually has a power density eight to 10 times higher than existing systems, lead researcher Omer Onar said in a statement. Charging is done using 4.75 inch clearance between vehicle coils and ground.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory Tests 270kW Wireless EV Charging System
According to ORNL, this hardware could enable higher-power wireless charging without the need for bulky components that are difficult to package in passenger cars. The lab will continue to work with VW Group of America to bring the system closer to production readiness, but no specific timeline was given.
Meanwhile, a handful of companies offer their own wireless charging systems. Tesla appears to have bought one of those companies, German company Wiferionin 2023, hinting that the automaker is moving forward with plans provide wireless charging for your vehicles.
