Charging up the commute

ORNL researchers achieved the highest wireless power transfer level for a light-duty passenger vehicle when the team demonstrated a 100-kW wireless power transfer to an EV using ORNL’s patented polyphase electromagnetic coupling coil.
Credit: Genevieve Martin/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Novel technology reaches 100-kW wireless power transfer for passenger vehicle.

A team of researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory demonstrated that a light-duty passenger electric vehicle can be wirelessly charged at 100-kW with 96% efficiency using polyphase electromagnetic coupling coils with rotating magnetic fields.

ORNL’s patented system transferred power to a Hyundai Kona EV across a five-inch airgap using electromagnetic fields, a process similar to the wireless charging of small consumer devices.

“We’ve achieved the highest power density in the world for a wireless charging system for this class of vehicle,” ORNL’s Omer Onar said. “Our technology reaches power densities 8-10 times higher than conventional coil technology and can increase battery charge state by 50% in under 20 minutes.”

While researchers previously achieved a 120-kW charge using conventional coil technology in benchtop lab testing, this marks a milestone achievement for vehicle integration using ORNL’s polyphase coils.

The polyphase electromagnetic coupling coil’s lightweight and small design allows for the highest power density within the smallest coils possible. Rotating magnetic fields generated by the coil phase windings boost the power.

 “This is a breakthrough achievement and opens the door to fast and efficient wireless charging for passenger electric vehicles,” Onar said.

Media Contact

Jennifer Burke
Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL)
burkejj@ornl.gov
Office: 8654146835

Media Contact

Jennifer Burke
Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL)

All latest news from the category: Power and Electrical Engineering

This topic covers issues related to energy generation, conversion, transportation and consumption and how the industry is addressing the challenge of energy efficiency in general.

innovations-report provides in-depth and informative reports and articles on subjects ranging from wind energy, fuel cell technology, solar energy, geothermal energy, petroleum, gas, nuclear engineering, alternative energy and energy efficiency to fusion, hydrogen and superconductor technologies.

Back to home

Comments (0)

Write a comment

Newest articles

Looking inside battery cells

The power of combining different views. Lithium-Ion batteries presently are the ubiquitous source of electrical energy in mobile devices, and the key technology for e-mobility and energy storage. Massive interdisciplinary…

New snail-inspired robot can climb walls

A robot, designed to mimic the motion of a snail, has been developed by researchers at the University of Bristol. Adding to the increasing innovative new ways robots can navigate,…

New technique improves finishing time for 3D printed machine parts

North Carolina State University researchers have demonstrated a technique that allows people who manufacture metal machine parts with 3D printing technologies to conduct automated quality control of manufactured parts during…

Partners & Sponsors