What if your electric vehicle could recharge itself as it drives? That’s the future researchers in Italy are working towards. A pilot project aimed at creating inductive recharging technology for electric vehicles, known as “Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer” (DWPT), was recently presented at the Arena del Futuro test circuit in Chiari.
About The Project
Work began in May 2021 under the coordination of infrastructure firms A35 Brebemi and Aleatica with the goal of demonstrating the effectiveness of charging electric vehicles via contactless dynamic inductive currents. In practice it means electric vehicles would recharge their batteries during transit in dedicated lanes from a system of coils placed under the asphalt which transfer energy directly to the vehicle’s batteries. IVECO and IVECO BUS are among the groups at work on the project.
Testing With IVECO
IVECO BUS provided a 12-metre (39-foot) electric E-WAY bus fitted with connectivity and recharging technology to test the system. Testing was held on a 1-kilometre asphalt circuit powered by inductive currents under conditions that very closely mimic real-world situations. The bus hit speeds in excess of 70 km/h (43.5 mph) and received 75 kilowatts of electrical power. The technology has the potential to extend the range of all types of vehicles, passenger cars, buses, and trucks and works with both electric and fuel cell vehicles. Inductive dynamic charging could improve energy efficiency of vehicles as well as reduce the number of batteries needed, increase cargo and passenger capacities, extend battery life, and reduce stoppage time for recharging.
“Our company is more committed than ever to supporting the energy transition, so it was natural for us to collaborate on this project, bringing our experience of millions of kilometres travelled by hundreds of electric buses in real-life situations with us,” says Domenico Nucera, president of the Bus Business Unit at Iveco Group. “Induction charging technology also has exciting potential for commercial vehicles and could become an effective infrastructure platform for all e-mobility systems, not just purely electric vehicles. We will continue testing, in the belief that this technology can contribute effectively to the transition to zero-emission mobility, thanks to the benefits it offers all users."
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Source: IVECO