Tire manufacturer Continental will premiere its wireless-charging system at next month’s Frankfurt Motor Show.
Continental’s solution to range anxiety will use inductive charging and consists of a plate on the ground and a second plate on the underside of the vehicle. Both charging pads incorporate electric coils and power passes between them courtesy of an electromagnetic field.
Another important feature of Continental’s system is that it offers the driver cues as to when the car is located directly above the charging plate.
In its preliminary form, the system charges at 11 kilowatts and in about 30 minutes, can therefore add about 18 miles of range to a typical EV. A rival to Tesla’s supercharger stations this is not.
Nevertheless, the company expects wireless charging pads to be installed in parking lots and shopping centers around the world as a way to conveniently keep electric vehicles moving.
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