Plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles (EVs) are not gaining ground as quickly as first anticipated. Their cost is one reason, but also the lack of convenience (for example, having to manually plug the powertrain into a power supply to charge the battery on a regular basis). Delphi, in co-operation with WiTricity, is developing a wireless charging system that will render charging cables obsolete. This would be achieved by fitting a capturing resonator (plate) to the bottom of a vehicle that needs to be aligned with a source resonator in the ground before automatic charging can commence. The idea of wireless charging through induction is not new, but the low efficiency during charging usually means extended charging times as well as energy wastage. According to Delphi, the patented energy-transfer technology using closely matched resonance frequencies in both the source and capturing plates form an efficient, continuous magnetic field. This allows for the effective transfer of energy over larger distances as well as parking misalignment. Charging times should be comparable to those of most residential plug-in chargers.
