EV Charging Infrastructure – Unique Approach
A reader suggested that I review the innovative product offered by a German company called IAV in electric vehicle charging, which I did. See this fascinating idea on inductive charging.
To be honest, I had never heard of this. So I asked a few colleagues: May I have some comments on this, please?
Here is the dialog:
From Bill Moore, EV World: The issue here is COST. This will work if it’s incorporated into a dedicated toll-road like the bypass around Denver or from DC out to Dulles. Feds, states and cities just won’t have the money to tear up streets and roads and embed this technology. I see a tough road ahead in the US. It’s more likely to make sense in China and India where they are building new roads. America is just too broke.
My response: Yes, I’m sure it’s pricey to install; I wonder how much per mile, and what the efficiency of the charging is. I would think another issue would be billing the energy to the consumer. And aren’t there safety and other feasibility issues with electromagnetic fields that powerful? Having said all this, one such lane in each of a city’s major freeways would be a huge step in the direction of charging ubiquity.
From Bill Moore: Exactly…. you pretty much hit them all. I am going to comment on this idea in Currents (on the EV World home page)
From: Douglas S. Wilson of ECO-Holland: Stationary induction systems will be feasible before roadways are built or retrofitted with such systems. I could see consumers’ garages and specific parking spaces at businesses or city parking lots could have induction systems embedded. A matching induction pickup coil could be built in or installed aftermarket to any electric vehicle. I think it’s a great idea. (Asks another colleague) Gary, How much power can be transferred with standard household voltages. How does the distance between the active and passive elements affect rate of energy transfer?
Hi guys,
I am the reader who have started this discussion. As I’ve mentioned before, I am working on a project of concepts that if materialized will pave a sustainable land transportation system for many generations to come. The embedded highway lane idea is over 13 years old in my drawer. In my concept, the novel lane, will not only recharges the battery but also feeds the motor simultaneously. It means, would increase the performance of the EV. dramatically. There is also a system to provide auto-pilot mode, which enables the vehicle to reach high speeds free of human errors, solving another traditional problem: highway gridlock. Should we build swapping stations inside gas stations, we solve another problem yet: Wrecking our brain to make batteries compete with gas tanks range. Don’t worry about the big-oil. The oil companies will be delighted with the idea…they will continue selling fuel plus swapping batteries on the side. 34000 x $10 = $340,000 a day. I don’t believe any gas station saw that kind of gross profit, ever. The hydro companies will be also profiting from off-peak otherwise waisted energy, and U.S.A. will be saving a lot from the $700bn. they have to dish out to our “allies” every year. The project covers also novel vehicles ranging from a highway-legal motorcycle to large trucks and buses all with many advantages over anything else on the streets or drawing boards, beside the swappable power packs. BTW. each exchanging session will take a couple of seconds, not 1’13” like Better Place’s.
I just wonder when somebody will start listening to me.
Letter to the editor of EVworld:
Hi Bill,
I understand you are publishing something about that unique approach in re.
and below mentioned:
http://www.2greenenergy.com/ev-charging-infrastructure-unique-approach/1720/
Here goes something referring to the possible dangers of EMF affecting occupants of hybrids, which I believe would be a helpful info. for your article.
http://www.hybridcars.com/safety/electromagnetic-fields-in-hybrids.html
The passengers of the concept vehicles of my project would by fully “insulated” by a foot thick layer of interconnected batteries separating them from the pickup coils as well as from the embedded pavement. Thus, I don’t think they would be affected by any dangerous level of EMF.
Regarding ways to charge the riders for the use of such a novel lane, IAV is already taking care of that issue.
About cost? I am pretty sure it will cost just a small fraction of the tab
of proposed high-speed trains projects talked about to link major cities. It
could serve more passengers with no need to purchase land build the trains, stations, tracks, and face other expenses pertinent to infrastructure, labor and maintenance costs. In addition, the users will enjoy the extra mobility advantages described in my comments. Not to mention that the future network is already laid out by the existing highway system, plus will create a huge number of foolproof real green-collar American jobs.
Regards,