Inductive charging is a technology that has the potential to fundamentally change the charging of electric vehicles. Instead of connecting a charging cable to the car, this technology enables wireless charging using electromagnetic fields. This provides users with previously inconceivable comfort and could help to further increase the acceptance of electric vehicles. If we are honest, the charging process is still quite laborious at the moment.
Most charging stations in public spaces are not usually found in the most beautiful places in the world. And most of the time they're not under cover and are rarely lit. How nice would it be if you just had to activate the charging station and stay in the car? This is precisely what is achieved with wireless charging of electric vehicles, inductive charging.
But what actually is inductive charging? Inductive charging is based on the principle of "electromagnetic induction". This principle was discovered in the 19th century by physicist Michael Faraday and forms the basis for many modern technologies, including wireless charging of smartphones, watches, as well as electric cars.
How do inductive charging areas for electric cars work?
Inductive systems consist primarily of two components: a primary coil and a secondary coil. The primary coil is part of the charging station and generates an alternating magnetic field. If there is a secondary coil in the vehicle, it can absorb the energy from this magnetic field: When current flows through the primary coil, it creates a magnetic field. If the secondary coil is brought into this magnetic field, the magnetic field induces a current in the secondary coil. This power charges the battery in the electric vehicle.
This concept is familiar from the smartphone: Correct alignment is important for inductive charging: In future, this will also apply to the coils in electric vehicles, as, for inductive charging to work efficiently, the coils must be positioned precisely on top of each other. Automated parking aids will show the exact path or driving onto the charging facility will take place fully automatically. As no physical connection is required, vehicles can be charged automatically as soon as they are parked over a charging station. This could be particularly useful in public car parks or workplaces, but also in public parking and rest areas.
The bigging advantage of inductive charging station often goes unmentioned
The complete accessibility of inductive charging is an advantage that often goes unmentioned. The inductive charging option for electric cars is a game changer for people with disabilities, who currently also drive electric cars but are often unable to charge without assistance from others.
In addition to the advantages mentioned above, which primarily relate to increased comfort, there are also challenges. Inductive charging is currently not as efficient as wired charging, especially if the coils are not aligned precisely. The costs for installing inductive charging stations would also currently exceed those for conventional charging stations, and the secondary coil would also have to be installed in the electric vehicles, complete with the necessary charging technology.
Intensive research
Despite these challenges, inductive charging is regarded as an important technology for the future of electric mobility: Intensive research is being carried out to improve efficiency and reduce costs. BMW and Mercedes are already researching the concept on the manufacturer side, but have currently removed the topic from the specification. To achieve this, the OEMs are combining forces to work on inductive charging for electric cars. The automotive supplier Mahle, for example, recently presented a new automated positioning system for inductive charging technology. This system detects the induction surface in the ground and assists the driver with positioning.
Together with Siemens, the company plans to develop and test a complete system consisting of infrastructure and vehicle technology. The aim is to close gaps in the standardisation of inductive charging systems and to carry out joint tests. These tests are intended to verify the capability of different systems to ensure that they can work together as seamlessly as possible.
Looking to the future
However, it will definitely be a few more years before we can truly charge purely inductively. But who knows? Perhaps we will also be able to charge our cars on the road while driving in the future? If the vehicles could "charge everywhere", this would remove the need for large battery capacities, which would mean a significant weight advantage with the currently used lithium-ion technology.