Qualcomm demonstrates wireless electric vehicle charging

Qualcomm on Thursday demonstrated dynamic electric vehicle charging (DEVC), which allows vehicles to charge while driving.

Based on the Qualcomm Halo wireless electric vehicle charging technology (WEVC), Qualcomm designed and built a wireless DEVC system capable of charging an electric vehicle (EV) dynamically at up to 20 kilowatts at highway speeds.

Qualcomm also demonstrated simultaneous charging, in which two vehicles on the same track can charge dynamically at the same time.

The vehicles can pick up charge in both directions along the track, and in reverse, further showcasing how the Qualcomm Halo DEVC system has been designed to support real-world implementation of dynamic charging.

The dynamic charging demonstrations took place at the 100-meter FABRIC test track, which has been built by VEDECOM at Satory Versailles.

Qualcomm Technologies and VEDECOM integrated the source part of the Qualcomm Halo DEVC system in the test track, while VEDECOM and Renault integrated the receiving part onto two Renault Kangoo vehicles.

Following today’s demonstration, the Qualcomm Halo DEVC system will be handed over to VEDECOM to perform tests for FABRIC. These tests will evaluate the operation, safety and efficiency of energy transfer to the vehicles for a wide range of practical scenarios including vehicle identification and authorization on entering track, power level agreement between track and vehicle, speed and alignment of vehicle along track.

FABRIC is a €9 million project, mostly funded by the European Commission, addressing the technological feasibility, economic viability, and socio-environmental sustainability of wireless DEVC.

The project began in January 2014 and will continue through December 2017, and is being undertaken by a consortium of 25 organizations from nine European countries, including automotive manufacturers, suppliers, service providers and research organizations from automotive, road and energy infrastructure domains.

VEDECOM is one of the FABRIC collaborators and responsible for providing the demonstration of the charging solution at Satory using the Qualcomm Halo DEVC system. FABRIC’s main goal is to conduct feasibility analysis of wireless DEVC as a means of EV range extension.

“Our engineers and management have fully supported this project since the very beginning as it aligns perfectly with our focus on EVs, charging systems and mobility services,” says Luc Marbach, chief executive officer, VEDECOM.

“We are a public-private partnership focused on pre-competitive research. The installation of one of the world’s first DEVC test platforms has provided us with a unique test facility and we look forward to expanding our expertise with the future testing.”

“Being part of this exciting project has enabled us to test and further research dynamic charging on our Kangoo Z.E. vehicles,” said Eric Feunteun, electric vehicle program director, Groupe Renault.

“Our engineers have worked very closely with the Qualcomm Technologies and VEDECOM teams to complete the DEVC system integration demonstration as part of FABRIC. We see dynamic charging as a great vision to further enhance the ease of use of EVs, thus the accessibility of EVs for all.”

“We are inventors. We are WEVC. This dynamic charging demonstration is the embodiment of this,” said Steve Pazol, vice president and general manager, wireless charging, Qualcomm Incorporated.

“I am immensely proud of what we have achieved. The combination of a global team of expert engineers and Qualcomm Halo technology, which covers all aspects of WEVC systems, irrespective of the magnetics used, has enabled us to really push the boundaries of the possible and outline our vision for future urban mobility.”

How it works

Here are the components that make up the full Qualcomm Halo DEVC system at FABRIC:

• The 100-meter track, comprised of 4 x 25 meter stubs, each running from its own power supply.
• Each stub powers 14 Base Array Network (BAN) blocks coupled magnetically into the backbone cable.

The power is transmitted across the air gap to two 10 kW vehicle pads (VPs) located under the EV. The vehicle system converts the 85-kHz AC and delivers DC power as requested to the EV’s battery management system.

Qualcomm Halo technology was designed with interoperability in mind. This means EV drivers will be able to wirelessly charge at any WEVC bay independent of which supplier provides the hardware, or EV they drive. BP magnetics support a range of power transfer levels and varying vehicle ground clearances from SUVs to roadsters, and they’re also suitable for surface, flush and buried installations.