High Effeciency Wireless Charging of Electric Vehicles

Abstract: Wireless power transfer (WPT) technology offers significant improvement in convenience and electric safety for electric vehicle (EV) charging. Both capacitive and inductive wireless power transfer technology have been investigated for various applications. Experiments show that tens of kilowatts of power transfer can be achieved over 200mm distance with an efficiency of 97% (DC-DC), and an alignment tolerance of up to 300mm.
In this presentation, we will first look at the basic principle of WPT and its applications. Then we will show that safety is still one of the major concerns of WPT system for both inductive and capacitive power transfer. Then, we will discuss two unique topologies, the double-sided LCC topology which is one of the recommended topologies by the SAE J2954 standard for EV passenger car applications, and the LCLC topology for capacitive wireless power transfer. Finally, we will show some case studies that can be potentially commercialized with economic and safety viability. The application of WPT in various automotive vehicles will be discussed, including automatic guided vehicles (AGV), low-speed maglev trains, transit buses, elevators, delivery trucks, and fast charging of passenger cars.