High-power wireless charging for electric cars could soon become a reality. Driven by the green transition being imposed on the automotive sector both in the European Union and in the United States, trials are under way to allow users to charge their vehicles in the easiest, fastest and safest way possible.

The trial on a Porsche Taycan

In the US specifically, Volkswagen Group of America recently launched a joint research project with Oak Ridge national laboratory, part of the government's Department of Energy, and with the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. The aim is to develop high-performance wireless charging for electric cars, examining the potential and the obstacles associated with this technology.

The trial focused on a Porsche Taycan, the first electric car from the German luxury brand: the research team succeeded in increasing the power level of the wireless charging hardware from 6.6 to 120 kilowatts — undoubtedly a strong result, but the target remains 300 kilowatts, which would be sufficient to charge the Taycan's battery to 80 per cent in just ten minutes.

Electric cars and wireless charging: growing interest

The project will build on previous research carried out by Oak Ridge national laboratory: in 2018, the researchers announced an excellent efficiency rate of 97 per cent for the technology at up to 120 kilowatts. For the time being, Volkswagen Group of America has not announced any specific commercialisation plans, but the automotive sector's interest in this charging option appears to be growing. Bmw, for example, has tested wireless technology on hybrid models in the 5 Series, but has yet to share the results; meanwhile, the Genesis GV60 — the electric crossover from the luxury brand belonging to Hyundai Motor Group — could be the first zero-emission vehicle to offer a wireless battery charging option.

Meanwhile, the Norwegian capital Oslo has launched an initiative called ElectriCity, which aims to make its taxi fleet emissions-free by 2024; as part of this programme, technology company Momentum Dynamics has tested its wireless charging system — capable of reaching 50 kilowatts in around 6 minutes — on Jaguar I-Pace taxis: the charging pads are installed beneath the road surface at spots where taxis queue while waiting to pick up passengers.

Ultimately, this technology still has a long way to go before mass adoption. But things are moving, not least because of the significance of the potential benefits: electric vehicles could be charged at multiple points around our cities, with passengers remaining on board and no cables to handle.