Can battery charging technology limitations, such as supercharging and wireless charging, solve range anxiety for electric vehicles?
According to reports, TSLA recently upgraded the power transmission capacity of its Supercharger stations. Currently, the output power of some Supercharger stations in California has increased from 135kW to 145kW. When Superchargers were first established in 2012, they could only transmit 120kW of power, while the maximum charging power supported by TSLA batteries at that time was only 90kW. However, considering the upgraded output power of TSLA Superchargers and the charging capacity of TSLA batteries, the UK Advertising Standards Association considers TSLA cars to be the fastest-charging mass-produced electric vehicles currently available. It's worth noting that the Model S and Model X can achieve a range of 273.6 kilometers after just half an hour of charging, which is quite remarkable.
On one hand, TSLA is upgrading its Supercharger stations, solidifying its leading position in the electric vehicle charging field. On the other hand, WiTricity is forging alliances with OEMs and component suppliers everywhere, vigorously promoting its wireless charging technology.
According to foreign media reports, the wireless charging technology using WiTricity can output up to 11KW with a charging efficiency of 94%. Although this is still far from the TSLA's 145KW supercharging technology, it is already a good achievement in the field of high-power wireless charging.
WiTricity's rapid development is attributed to its deep expertise in wireless charging and its openness to other fields. Currently, the three major wireless charging standards—PowerMat, A4WP, and Qi—all use electromagnetic induction for power transmission, a technology with strict requirements on transmission distance. However, WiTricity's magnetic resonance technology enables long-distance power transmission and can charge multiple devices simultaneously. Notably, WiTricity's magnetic resonance technology can wirelessly charge vehicles of various shapes, sizes, and types, from Mercedes-Benz Smart cars to modified trucks, and even common AGVs found in factories.
Just days ago, WiTricity signed a licensing agreement with Delphi to supply commercial wireless charging technology to automakers. Earlier this year, electric vehicle battery supplier CTEK also signed a similar agreement with WiTricity. Seeing this, I'd like to ask: In the future, would you still want to drag a long cable around to charge your car?
Not only are tech companies making great strides in the electric vehicle charging field, but governments are also sparing no effort in promoting electric vehicle technology. The Obama administration recently announced a methodology for promoting electric vehicles. This methodology encompasses a wide range of activities, from reducing charging times and providing more charging stations to electrifying government vehicles and hosting "electric vehicle hackathons." Of course, the most exciting promise is undoubtedly to improve fast charging speeds.
Can battery charging technology limitations, such as supercharging and wireless charging, solve range anxiety for electric vehicles?
Currently, TSLA's Supercharger network is the fastest public charging infrastructure, with a charging power of up to 145kW. But imagine if the charging power were increased to 350kW, an electric vehicle with a range of approximately 320 kilometers could be fully charged in just 10 minutes. The US-based Battery500 Consortium has made an even cooler promise: to keep battery costs below $100/kWh.
Although no specific new technologies were demonstrated, the initiative has pointed the way for the future development of electric vehicle charging technology. The US government's promotional approach has been very effective, with 12 public utilities and charging companies already committing to increasing electric vehicle deployments and charging infrastructure, and 35 new partners (commercial, non-profit, university, and public utilities) joining the US Department of Energy's "Workplace Charging Initiative." An "Electric Vehicle Hackathon" will also be held.
The White House's approach follows closely on the heels of the STS (Sustainable Transportation Summit), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and held earlier this month in Washington. Following the summit, approximately 50 companies and organizations signed guidelines for advancing electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. The Obama administration has been consistently pushing for electric vehicles, including proposing to increase tax credits for electric vehicle buyers to $10,000. In 2011, Obama stated his hope to have one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015; although this goal was not achieved, the administration continued to explore new methods to reach it in 2016.
