Future is electric - Wireless charging of cars ... while driving!
During the Frankfurt International Motor Show, Qualcomm presented their new wireless charging technology for electric car (basically, the same tech used in smartphones). The Wireless Electric Vehicle Charging (WEVC) is a highly-efficient technology for charging parked electric car.
You basically stop over a Halo (the plate that will recharge your car) and that's it. Qualcomm is developing this as a complete systems design so that it can be integrated with as many as possible manufacturers.
But now, it's pushing things a bit further and they announced wireless charging while driving, so you won't even have to park to charge. The DEVC system (Dynamic Electric Vehicle Charging) is designed to work with speed up to 100km/h. The system has already been tested in the FIA Formula E race, quite a challenging environment.
Another question that rise often is, when could you buy a WEVC-ready vehicle? According to Qualcomm, this should happen in 2 or 3 years; and with the rise of Smart Cities and the need to fight climate change as well as generally, air pollution, roads could be DEVC ready in around 10 to 15 years. And as for everything, consumers' and key implementers' opinion and interest will be key in the wide adoption of this technology.
Tesla's development of super batteries combined with Qualcomm's advance will bring a new wind in the EV's evolution; batteries were always the biggest issue in EV's expansion, this isn't a problem any more, future is bright!
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