Tires may someday charge your electric car's battery.
Scientists Look Into Charging EVs through the Tires
Wireless charging could extend the range of electric cars.
Web2Carz Senior Writer
Published: July 19th, 2012
In order to make the technology work on a large scale, the engineers say that the power needs to be increased by 100 times.
W
e've heard talk of in-road wireless charging systems for electric vehicles before, but some Japanese engineers are getting closer to that goal.
Employing a demo in which wheels were placed over four inches of concrete with an axle connecting them, the scientists showed that enough power could be transmitted through the wheels to power a light bulb.
Demonstration of how the electric roadway might work. Photo courtesy of Technabob.For those curious how it works, one similar system uses steel belts inside the tires to pass the current from the electrified road to the motor or battery.
The project, called EVER (Electric Vehicle on Electrified Roadway) used about 50 to 60 watts to power the light bulb. Engineers who conducted a similar test in 2011 said only 20 percent of the juice is lost as it moves through the tires.
Even so, in order to make the technology work on a large scale, the engineers say that the power needs to be increased by 100 times.
Of course, roads would need to be rebuilt to make the technology work, but if it were to come to fruition, it could make electric cars more appealing.
