Toyota to test wireless charging for its vehicles

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Imagine not having to bother with charging your plug-in hybrid or electric car once you’re home after a long day. What if you just park it and charging begins automatically? Apparently Toyota is working on having that become a reality. They’ve just announced that it will begin testing wireless battery charging later this month, with a future market launch in mind.

The wireless charging works by transmitting electricity using magnetic resonance created by changes in magnetic field intensity between a transmitting coil in the ground and a receiving coil in the car. The transmission works at a 85kHz frequency, with an input voltage of AC 200V. Charging power is 2kW, and charging is said to take approximately 90 minutes.

So all you have to do is park your car in alignment with a coil set into the ground surface. No cables or connectors required. To ensure easy alignment, Toyota’s Intelligent Parking Assist system will show the position of the transmitting coil in the parking space.

The testing will be done by actual users. The program involves three plug-in hybrids used by homes in Aichi prefecture in Japan. The test will assess user satisfaction, the system’s ease of use, misalignment rates and charging behaviour, such as how often charging takes place.

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • zamer on Feb 13, 2014 at 9:25 pm

    now this is useful invention.
    i wonder what if they put a solar on the roof and it will charge the battery daytime. save place, save time, save energy, save cost

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 25 Thumb down 2
    • Solar panel not that efficient yet…maybe another few years

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 3
    • Induction charging is gud for building with car park..it eliminate the need of plug

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 0
    • solar on Feb 14, 2014 at 8:21 am

      FYI certain Prius models not available locally already come with the solar panels. However they are only used to power air con . Who knows in the future with tech it can be used for propulsion

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
    • kadajawi on Feb 14, 2014 at 10:05 am

      You’d need a house sized solar panel to get a meaningful amount of energy. But it is good for running the aircon, so you can sit in a traffic jam for hours without draining the battery.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 2
    • Halim on Feb 16, 2014 at 6:00 pm

      After the hundreds and millions of safety recall. My confident was totaled with Toyota too

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • Mohd Shubhi on Feb 13, 2014 at 9:40 pm

    Wow! this is really interesting. Proton should follow asap.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 2
    • Bomoh on Feb 14, 2014 at 7:49 am

      Maybe in the next 100 years or when our education system truly can produce actual quality engineers. Until then never trust local engineers with only simple pass from SPM Add Math and Physics…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 21
      • bomoh2 on Feb 14, 2014 at 8:21 am

        Whats wrong with our education system? Do you failed in your SPM Add Math and physic?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 17 Thumb down 6
        • solar on Feb 14, 2014 at 10:54 am

          Bomoh2 u probably “failed” English right

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 6
        • Sunriver on Feb 14, 2014 at 11:32 am

          I think what Bomoh trying to say is our Car Driving education. Since we have been trained to park a car to take up 2 parking bays…. hehehe!!!!

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 0
      • Low Budget on Feb 14, 2014 at 10:30 am

        Do not forget technology can be bought, no need for high class education to implement such things for Proton.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
      • Then how u can drive through highway with flyover n go inside building around malaysia? U must be brave using the electricity..who knows maybe tnb engineer terover give power that will fry u like ikan hangus..n u must be making ur own water rite..who know syabas engineer terover give u chlorine rite? No?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
      • HAMEED KOYAKUTTY on Feb 15, 2014 at 9:08 pm

        I saw the same technology was displayed by a student in UTEM Melaka about 5 years ago….

        I guess our kids are not bad at all, it is whats next???

        Same goes to us, if a same thing been told to us from a fellow Malaysian, a Mat Salleh and a Jap…..for sure we believe the Mat Salleh says, doubted the Japs and laughed the Msian…..

        Just look at our industrial arena, any of our homegrown product is admired?? We have the MRT from China, Siemens, TGV, Maglev etc., we dont bother to develop our own…..bcoz we are just some lazy bloke who just want easy money, easy life and lazy head……

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • fast5 on Feb 14, 2014 at 9:02 am

      Protong will follow, if 1 day malaysia is out of petroleum that will take another 100-200 years…
      Thanks to the G of this country.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 6
  • tkhengong on Feb 13, 2014 at 10:01 pm

    Way to go Toyota! I hope it can be retrofitted to existing Prius or any Toyota Hybrid models.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • Nikola Tesla on Feb 13, 2014 at 10:16 pm

    this technology was created by Nikola Tesla

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 1
    • Gently Speaking on Feb 13, 2014 at 11:42 pm

      Engine started with Ford.

      but apparently Ford Ecoboost is the least reliable 1.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 18
    • Bomoh on Feb 14, 2014 at 7:46 am

      Still very prone to cancer risks. Nothing is perfect lah.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 4
  • tokmoh on Feb 13, 2014 at 10:24 pm

    Volvo already completed testing of such tech.

    Until a common standard is agreed, this tech is not feasible just yet.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 3
  • Visitor on Feb 13, 2014 at 11:25 pm

    Such technology already exist in mobile phones. Nokia Lumia 920 for example, can be wirelessly charged.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 2
    • Bomoh on Feb 14, 2014 at 7:50 am

      WHO should conduct more test on cancer risks and tell Nokia to put on hold first.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 6
      • U know how nokia wireless charging work rite…u put ur phone on charging pad n it will stop charging when u take ur phone from the charging pad…

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • U know wat tech they use for those wireless charging? They use NFC tech – Near Field Communication similar to bluetooth n wifi but much more limited range…do u get cancer when u use wifi or bluetooth?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • This tech already in use for smartphone for couple of years

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • donkeysaressmart on Feb 14, 2014 at 12:58 am

    toyota wants to get involved in more recalls for new ttech?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 7
    • Albert Lee on Feb 14, 2014 at 9:26 am

      Recalls can happen to GM,Peugeot,Citroen or Toyota or Nissan.No big deal.But at least these giants TRY to come out with something new and innovative.
      Ask your self what has PROTON succeeded,so far ?Super value,Super Premium,Super Racing…….and FACELIFTS.No wonder Proton has NOTHING TO RECALL.
      In fact,most mechanics will affirm the facts that the problematic CAMPRO engine will start leaking oil in the second or third year.
      One mechanic cursed the Persona Campro engine but found solace in profits from the poor Proton buyers.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 3
  • amatku17 on Feb 14, 2014 at 8:41 am

    2kw x 1 and half hour x RM0.50/kw = RM1.50 per charge.
    Quite cheap isn’t it?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • carnut on Feb 14, 2014 at 9:01 am

    This is definitely the future and under road charging where the chargers are installed on the roads and car is charged while its being driven have been extensively tested around the world. But don’t expect it to show up anytime soon until governments and oil companies find a way to continue to suck money from consumers.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  • oh yeah, then few years down the road, there will be a recall about the wireless charging. that is toyota, everybody.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
  • kadajawi on Feb 14, 2014 at 10:12 am

    If you have to park precisely why not just make a robotized charging cable that extends from the floor? Or the car? Should be more efficient, less risk of causing cancer, …

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Sam Loo on Feb 20, 2014 at 9:13 am

    Kimchis will try to copy this technology, no doubt

    They will forever be followers that don’t even come close to sushi perfection

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
 

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