A US Wireless EV Charging Startup Is Poised For Global Impact

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The world of wireless EV charging just got a lot more interesting, now that two leaders in the field — InductEV of the US and Electreon of Israel — have joined forces. The news is particularly interesting from the US perspective. Regardless of this year’s abrupt U-turn in federal energy policy, innovators in the EV charging space and other cleantech fields continue to help accelerate the global decarbonization movement.

Wireless EV Charging: But Why?

In this day and age of new EV fast charging technology, it’s fair to ask why wireless EV charging is even necessary. After all, if charging up an EV is just as quick as filling up a gas tank, what does wireless charging accomplish that a standard EV charger cannot?

The answer is plenty, in terms of helping to accelerate the pace of the EV transition. Plugging in a conventional EV charger by hand is all well and good, but it simply mimics the act of pumping your own gas. Wireless charging takes the experience out of the gas station and fully into the realm of modern electrified mobility.

The comfort, safety, simplicity, and convenience factors are all in play when EV drivers can park their car over a wireless charging device and fill up their battery without having to exit their vehicles. Wireless EV charging can also help make automotive mobility more do-able for people who have difficulty entering and exiting a vehicle, or manipulating a charging plug.

Full compatibility with autonomous vehicles is another advantage. In addition, the ground-hugging profile of wireless charging stations can open up new charging station sites that would otherwise be limited by space or aesthetic considerations. Advocates for wireless EV charging also point out that wireless charging stations are less susceptible to tampering, mischief, and theft than their conventional counterparts.

Wireless EV Charging On The Go

The emerging field of in-road wireless EV charging opens up additional opportunities, and that brings us to the new agreement between InductEV and Electreon. The relationship between the two companies has yet to reach the stage of asset acquisition, but on November 19, Electreon announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to that effect, setting the wheels in motion.

“Should the parties sign a definitive agreement, the combined company will unite Electreon’s stationary and dynamic wireless charging technology with InductEV’s ultra-fast static systems, creating a unified platform with a complete range of wireless charging solutions,” Electreon explained in a press statement.

For those of you new to the topic, Electreon’s statement refers to two general types of wireless EV charging systems. Dynamic systems are embedded in roadways, enabling drivers to recharge their batteries while in motion. Static systems require a vehicle to stop and remain parked while the charge is underway.

The Case For Static Wireless EV Charging

As a stakeholder in the static charging field, InductEV anticipates that the low-hanging fruit of wireless charging will be plucked from the tree of logistics operations. The company makes a convincing case for use by electric drayage vehicles at seaports and other transportation hubs, helping to avoid bottlenecks that could occur at conventional charging stations in those types of environments.

The drayage category generally refers to trucks used in hyper-short distance hauling. Though longer routes can also be involved, a typical drayage vehicle transfers freight from one spot to another within a confined area.

“With wireless EV charging, trucks such as these can recharge in short bursts known as ‘topping off’ while stopped during driver rest breaks and other periods when they are naturally traveling through their normal routes,” InductEV explains. “These stop times are for short periods, while not in motion (for example at a warehouse dock, or at a security checkpoint queue).”

“Parking the trucks on a wireless EV charging pad avoids the long wait times while charging at the wired charging stations in a depot and saves valuable working time,” the company elaborates. “Trucks are being charged while drivers are stopped anyway, rather than having to dedicate non transport time to charging.”

InductEV also notes that wireless charging provides for reducing the cost of electric drayage trucks, because they can be manufactured with smaller, less expensive batteries (see lots more background on InductEV’s static charging technology here).

The Case For Dynamic Charging

The case for dynamic wireless EV charging is similar. The same general advantages apply in terms of boosting the appeal of EVs, along with the additional convenience of being able to avoid stopping for a recharge.

On the hardware side, the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory also takes note of the advantages for fleet operators. “High-power, in-road, dynamic wireless charging could increase the cost effectiveness and utility of EVs by increasing their range while enabling the use of smaller, cheaper batteries and reducing the charging demand at the fleet’s central facility,” NREL observes, while adding that smaller batteries would help to reduce broader supply chain issues related to critical minerals.

“This could reduce the cost of charging hardware and distribution system upgrades as well as the cost of operations and increase vehicle utilization and return on investment,” the lab adds.

US Startups Keep Pushing The Decarbonization Movement

Regardless of this year’s abrupt U-turn in federal energy policy, the global decarbonization movement is still alive and kicking, and innovative US startups are still contributing.

Electreon makes the point that its new relationship with InductEV will enable US-born technology to find its footing in the global market. “Together with InductEV, we are working to create a truly global powerhouse for wireless EV charging – a company unlike anything else in the market, offering wireless solutions for every charging scenario and for every type of customer and vehicle,” Electreon CEO Oren Ezer explains, referring to the potential for introducing wireless EV charging to individual passenger car drivers as well as electric trucks and other commercial vehicles.

“InductEV is the U.S. market leader in ultra-fast stationary wireless charging, and Electreon is the world leader in dynamic wireless charging with a proven, reliable product,” Electreon emphasizes (see more Electreon background here).

InductEV is just one example of the global reach of US-based cleantech innovators, regardless of which way the partisan policy winds are blowing. Other instances of note have recently cropped up in the green hydrogen field. If you know of any other examples, drop a note in the comment thread.

Photo: The Israeli wireless EV charging firm Electreon is aiming for global impact with an assist from the US startup InductEV (cropped, courtesy of Electreon).