Wireless charging for electric vehicles (EVs) is quickly becoming a serious commercial option, backed by global safety standards, proven technology, and major funding from governments.
This "park and charge" technology is now an official part of the growing EV market, aiming to make owning an electric car much simpler for consumers.
The core idea is simple: charge a car just by parking it over a special pad. Industry experts view this hands-free approach as a key way to boost EV adoption because it solves the hassle of plugging in cables. A study showed that giving consumers a wireless charging option could increase the chance of them buying an EV by 40 percent.
Standardization and Technology Drive Adoption
A crucial step toward market acceptance was the creation of a universal standard. SAE International J2954 is the global guideline that ensures different brands of vehicles and charging pads can work together smoothly. This standard sets power levels for passenger cars at 3.7 kW, 7.7 kW, and 11 kW, with charging efficiency reaching up to 93 percent, which is comparable to plug-in chargers.
The standard also includes a special tool called the Differential Inductive Positioning System. This system helps vehicles automatically line up perfectly over the charging pad, even in bad weather. This is especially important for the future of self-driving (autonomous) EVs that will need to charge themselves without any human help. SAE is already working on a future standard, J2954/2, to handle much higher power levels, up to 500 kW, for larger, heavy-duty vehicles.
Performance tests confirm the technology is ready for real-world use. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) recently developed a static system that delivered 100 kW of power to an EV with 96 percent efficiency. This level of power can add a 50 percent charge in just 20 minutes, demonstrating that wireless charging can match or exceed the speed of many traditional chargers.
Static and Dynamic Charging
The electric car technology is splitting into two main applications:
• Static Charging: This is the most developed form, where an EV charges while parked. It is the focus of the SAE J2954 standard and is best suited for homes, public parking spots, and commercial depots.
• Dynamic Charging: This revolutionary method involves putting charging coils directly into roadways to charge vehicles while they are driving. Projects around the world are testing this, including a quarter-mile electric road in Detroit, Michigan, using technology from Electreon. The project successfully charged a Ford E-Transit van while it was moving. Similarly, Italy's "Arena of the Future" project is testing this process for vehicles made by companies like Stellantis and IVECO. Dynamic charging aims to eliminate the stress of "range anxiety" and could lead to smaller, lighter, and cheaper EV batteries.
Key Players and Government Support
The industry involves a mix of specialized tech companies and major automakers. Key companies that provide the underlying technology include WiTricity, which was spun out of MIT and provides foundational technology for the SAE standard, along with InductEV, Electreon, and HEVO Inc. Large global corporations like Samsung, Qualcomm, Toyota, and BYD are also heavily involved, working to secure their place in the market through intellectual property and patents.
Government funding is a major driver of market growth.
In the United States, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law set aside a total of $7.5 billion for EV charging infrastructure. This includes $5 billion for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program.
While the cost of setting up wireless charging systems is still higher than for typical plug-in chargers, the promise of convenience and automation is a strong selling point. As more companies adopt the universal standard and the manufacturing process becomes more efficient, experts predict that costs will drop after two thousand twenty-five.
The usefulness of the technology extends beyond passenger cars. For commercial fleets—such as electric delivery vans and public transit buses—wireless charging allows vehicles to charge automatically and continuously, reducing labor costs and minimizing downtime. This broad range of applications suggests that wireless charging is on track to become a standard feature in the electric transportation sector.
By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com