Volvo is testing a charging solution in Sweden which could eventually lead to the ability to park an EV and drive away at a later time with a fully charged battery. Wireless charging technology has already been applied to smartphones and many other devices with plenty of success. However, wirelessly charging an electric vehicle, given the size and performance of its battery, is a significantly harder challenge.
EV car batteries are modified lithium-ion batteries with a similar design to those used for laptops and electronic devices. These batteries are chosen for their high energy density and longer life cycles, but do vary in resistance, charging speed, and duration. When it comes to smartphones, the lithium battery can be charged wirelessly by simply placing it on a pad, using a process known as inductive charging, and a similar process is now about to be tested with EVs.
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Volvo has announced that it will begin testing wireless charging stations in Sweden, with the test program set to last three years. The wireless chargers will provide 40 kilowatts of power which is about the same as most wired DC fast chargers. Using a fleet of fully electric Volvo XC40 Recharge taxis from the largest taxi operator in the Nordic region, the cars will automatically be charged once parked on a charging pad. The EV taxi fleet will be driven for 12 hours per day with a view to covering 100,000 km each year. The test will determine performance, endurance, and future commercial adaptations.
Volvo is far from being the first company to test wireless EV charging systems. For example, a company called Genesis has an SUV model that can be wirelessly charged, and
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