The fear of running out of battery is undeniably one of the concerns that keep electric vehicle owners and enthusiasts awake at night. Although progress is being made, the era of electric car batteries surpassing the range of traditional combustion vehicles is still on the horizon. Manufacturers are vigorously exploring ways to extend driving ranges. Ford has now filed a patent application that aims to enable continuous charging for moving vehicles.
Ford’s Innovative Approach
At first glance, this may not seem like a groundbreaking solution. Wireless charging attempts and concepts are not entirely new. In Ford’s case, the system involves coils embedded within the road surface. The setup is expected to operate on a similar principle to existing inductive charging solutions. While Ford was the first to support Tesla in creating the American standard charging connector, it continues to pursue independent projects with its own solutions.
The process of charging while driving would resemble the familiar principle of the Qi standard used for wireless charging in mobile phones. Just as you align your phone on a charging pad, a vehicle would need to be positioned optimally for charging. Ford proposes equipping electric cars with a specialized radar capable of detecting the ideal coil position and guiding the vehicle along its trajectory. – Wireless Charging as an Alternative to Stationary Chargers.
Photo by Ford Media
Ford Among Innovators
As previously mentioned, Ford isn’t the first company to explore wireless charging. Hyundai’s subsidiary, Genesis, has also revealed intentions to develop a similar solution. Their popular model GV60 has been spotted with a wireless charging prototype. Similarly, an Israeli company aims to extend this technology into the realm of logistics and freight transport.
If such a solution proves functional and adaptable across various vehicle types, manufacturers might reconsider the trend of increasing battery sizes. Smaller modules with shorter ranges could suffice. This would have significant production implications, as it would require fewer expensive materials and resources for assembly.
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