Company shows magnetic induction charging units for electric vehicles.
Qualcomm’s new subsidiary, Halo, just unveiled its Wireless Electric Vehicle Charging (WEVC) at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Essentially, the Halo will charge an electric vehicle with no wires or cables whatsoever. Base Charging Units (BCUs) are installed beneath parking spaces or garages (even roads); vehicles equipped with a Vehicle Charging Unit (VCU) simply park above them, and the electricity is transferred between the BCU and VCU to charge the vehicle wirelessly.
The system works using magnetic induction. Two coils -- one in the vehicle and one imbedded in the pavement -- are lined up, and current is then fed to the bottom coil. The charge creates a magnetic field between the two, inducing the top coil to begin charging the vehicle batteries. Qualcomm's Halo version has two coils in the vehicle to improve power-transfer efficiency -- up to 97% to a power of 7 kilowatts -- and allow for up to 2 feet of clearance.
The Halo system is designed with dynamic charging being the end goal. Embedding induction coils beneath an existing city grid means an electric bus could wirelessly charge its batteries while running its route, conceivably never having to stop for recharging. Qualcomm asserts that dynamic charging is also beneficial to battery life, as keeping battery charge between 40 to 80 percent will lengthen battery life. It also means that continuous, top-up charging in consumer vehicles via induction would likewise extend the battery life in those vehicles -- another small step in making the EV's promises of cost savings come true.
