On-Route Wireless EV Charging for Battery Life and Range
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicles face limitations in range and battery lifespan due to the need for frequent charging, which increases the total cost of distance and requires significant battery capacity, while existing charging methods are inefficient and costly, especially for transit and delivery vehicles that require frequent stops.
Innovation Solution
Strategic Opportunity Wireless Charging allows for continuous operation of electric vehicles by deploying wireless chargers along routes, maintaining battery state of charge within optimal thresholds to extend battery life and reduce charging time, using real-time data and predictive modeling to optimize charging based on energy costs and vehicle usage patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If frequent charging is implemented to maintain battery operation, then vehicle availability is improved, but battery lifespan deteriorates and total cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary charging actions during scheduled stops (passenger boarding/alighting, driver breaks, loading/unloading) before the battery reaches critical low levels. By proactively charging during these pre-determined opportunity windows, the system maintains vehicle availability without requiring excessive charging frequency that would harm battery lifespan.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging system dynamically adjusts charging rates and durations based on real-time battery state of charge, vehicle route requirements, and stop duration predictions. This dynamic optimization ensures charging occurs only when beneficial, extending battery lifespan while maintaining operational reliability through adaptive charge management.
2Length of moving object
If larger battery capacity is installed to extend range, then vehicle autonomy is improved, but vehicle weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The charging infrastructure is segmented into multiple distributed wireless charging stations positioned along vehicle routes. Instead of relying on a single large battery, the system divides the energy replenishment function across multiple smaller charging points, allowing vehicles to use smaller batteries while maintaining extended operational range through opportunely distributed charging.
Solution Approach 2:
Wireless power transfer technology acts as an intermediary between the utility grid and vehicle batteries, enabling energy transfer without physical connection. This intermediary system allows for efficient, rapid energy top-ups during brief stops, effectively extending range without requiring proportionally larger battery packs.
3Loss of energy
If wired charging connection is used, then power transfer efficiency is improved, but operational convenience and safety deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the mechanical connection system (physical plug-and-cable interface) with a wireless electromagnetic field-based power transfer system. This substitution eliminates the need for drivers to manually connect or disconnect charging cables, improving convenience and safety while maintaining high charging efficiency through optimized inductive coupling.
4Loss of time
If strategic opportunity charging is implemented, then total cost of distance is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback loops that monitor battery state of charge, vehicle location, scheduled stops, and charging rates. This feedback mechanism enables real-time optimization of charging decisions, automatically determining the most cost-effective charging opportunities without requiring complex manual intervention or oversimplified control logic.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution extends the battery lifespan, reduces the total cost of distance, and minimizes the need for larger batteries, enabling electric vehicles to operate indefinitely with optimal efficiency and reduced operational costs, while also improving safety and convenience by eliminating the need for drivers to leave the vehicle during charging.
Implementation Method 1
WPT acts as an open core transformer with a primary (ground-side) coil and a secondary (vehicle-side) coil to transfer power over an air-gap in accordance to Faraday's first law of electromagnetic induction
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage medium for improving the efficiency of charging an electric vehicle (EV) that follows a prescribed route. The efficiency of charging an electric vehicle is improved by receiving telemetry data from the EV, receiving charger data from a plurality of charges along the prescribed route, determining a charging plan for the EV based on a total cost per distance (TCD) of travel over each of the plurality of route segments that comprise the prescribed route and controlling a particular charger along the prescribed route to charge the EV according to the charging plan.