Why Charging Wirelessly Is Crucial for EV Adoption
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Limited access to charging infrastructure is still one of the main hurdles to mass electric vehicle adoption. At the moment, the United States has more than 46,000 public EV chargers, a far cry from the million public chargers the country will need to support mass EV adoption. Emerging technologies such as wireless charging could help bridge this gap and allow more people to transition to zero-emission electric cars.
Wireless or induction charging has been around since the late 1970s but has gained popularity in recent years as OEMs develop mobile phones and laptops capable of charging wirelessly. In simple terms, this technology involves some kind of charging pad that transmits electric waves through the air to a receiver installed in the device being charged.
In the case of electric vehicles, it involves a charging pad installed on the ground and a receiver installed on the underside of an EV. The technology leverages the principle of electromagnetic induction to transmit electric waves from the charging pad through the air into the receiver installed in the EV. These charging pads can be installed in locations where EVs spend plenty of time parked, such as home garages, driveways or office car parks.
If your EV is compatible with induction charging, all you have to do is park the vehicle over a charging pad and its battery will begin filling up. Wireless chargers that use the J2954 standard can be used with several EV models as they provide enough ground clearance for most production vehicles to park and charge comfortably at around 35 miles per hour.
Since more than 80% of electric vehicle charging occurs at home, EV owners can benefit a great deal from wireless charging. WiTricity CEO Alex Gruzen likens it to having an “infinity-range car” as owners will never have to concern themselves with charging because their cars will always be fully charged when they head out in the morning. If their workplace has also installed induction chargers, EV owners could theoretically go months without having to think once about range.
Wireless charging for EVs is also more efficient as EV systems are designed to be as efficient as possible and minimize waste. For instance, WiTricity’s induction charging technology is 99% efficient, meaning nearly 100% of the energy transmitted through the air gap makes it to the receiver. On average, EV wireless charging systems tend to be 90-92% efficient.
Although no EV models in the U.S. currently offer wireless charging, this will change as companies such as WiTricity roll out affordable and efficient induction charging technologies and EV makers such as Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN) switch to using this or superior technologies.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/MULN
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