New wireless technology could make charging electric vehicles easier than ever, CleanTechnica reported.
The publication has been following wireless charging for years and says the magic is in road-based charging, which would allow drivers to "fill up" while rolling down the highway. In fact, the technology has already been deployed by the Michigan Department of Transportation in Detroit. Meanwhile, states such as Indiana and Pennsylvania and countries including Sweden and Germany have unveiled similar projects.
The publication says that road-based wireless charging technology would not only make charging easier for drivers but it could also help save time, as EV users will not be bound to lines at charging stations.
"We're not holding our breath for the wireless electric highway of the future to sprawl everywhere across the US," CleanTechnica stated. "... Still, it's a start," it continued, saying wireless charging stations could make a big difference, though charging speed remains a concern.
Nonetheless, any advances in EV charging infrastructure are exciting news as the world grapples with how to reduce planet-heating pollution. In the United States, the transportation sector accounts for 33% of all climate-altering gases.
If we don't do something about all that pollution, we stand to face dangerous consequences, including more severe heat waves that endanger lives and threaten crops and more catastrophic storms that can destroy properties and threaten communities.
EVs are an excellent alternative to traditional gas-guzzling vehicles, as they produce no tailpipe pollution and have a much smaller carbon footprint from cradle to grave.
Luckily, EV technology is rapidly advancing. For instance, scientists and automakers are making major breakthroughs in battery technology to improve range. One Chinese model can reportedly get 1,000 kilometers on one charge. Meanwhile, a startup has created a battery that can charge to near-full capacity in just six minutes.
CleanTechnica's comment section was bustling, with a lot of debate on wireless charging.
"I'm still a big fan of parked wireless charging and a big skeptic of rolling wireless charging," one person said. "My bet is that all the money that would go into a dynamic charging system would be much more effectively used to make huge multiples of stationary chargers."
Another commenter added: "I look forward to seeing various types of wireless charging being readily available. This seems to be one of the next big steps in EV technology."
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