Volkswagen on Tuesday confirmed that it’s engaged on wi-fi charging—in its personal patented coil and charging pad design, with silicon-carbide supplies, aimed partly towards each day storage use. 

The venture goes nicely past that, although—into cost charges which are at the moment on the speedy facet of DC fast-charging territory. 

Based on Volkswagen, their authentic try was within the kind an early 6.6-kw prototype, which might carry out at cost charges similar to dwelling Degree 2 (240-volt) techniques. However in early trials at the side of a silicon carbide inverter, the system has carried out as much as 120 kw with a prototype. Additional VW has a future objective of upping the system to 300 kw. 

Mahle wi-fi charging

Thus far, wi-fi charging has principally been within the type of functions meant for dwelling use. There are only some high-power techniques in use or improvement, and most of them are focused towards use on bigger business autos. One exception is a wi-fi charging taxi take a look at in Norway from Momentum Dynamics (InductEV). 

The U.S. improvement of this Volkswagen system is being finished at VW’s Knoxville Innovation Hub, at the side of Oak Ridge Nationwide Lab (ORNL) and the College of Tennessee (UT), making the most of the 2 educational establishments’ experience with high-power wi-fi charging and power-electronics optimization, respectively. 

Along with the tease of future hands-free charging tech for its autos, VW boasted that with supplies work being finished at the side of UT, leading to a 3D-printed resin-based construction, it could possibly create a body for the battery pack that cuts weight by 60%—with sturdiness and vitality absorption past that of metal. That might assist enhance driving vary in future EVs. 

VW wi-fi charging tech

VW additionally confirmed the opportunity of utilizing paper-based merchandise (hot-pressed cellulose fiber strengthened thermoplastics) to exchange plastics in some automobile areas. Additional, it revealed U.S.-based analysis with light-weight supplies that may be put to make use of in “pickup beds and rugged elements” for future merchandise. In a course of known as “sizing,” it’s working to optimize the fiber-matrix-interface in sheet molding compound (SMC) processes for higher sturdiness. It kicked off that venture by producing a light-weight model of a VW Atlas liftgate that saved 13 kilos (35%) versus steel. 

VW Kind 20 Microbus Idea wheel made with generative design

This type of devoted design method to weight financial savings is arguably associated to the AI-based generative design method that VW has dabbled with in U.S.-based ideas and analysis within the current previous—together with its Kind 20 Microbus Idea that the corporate’s U.S. arm developed whereas the ID.Buzz electrical van was taking kind in Germany.