Volvo Cars announced the start of tests of a new wireless charging technology for electric vehicles in a real urban environment: the Swedish city of Gothenburg. The tests are intended to assess the potential of the technology for future large-scale implementation.
Volvo’s main partner in this experiment is the Swedish taxi company Cabonline, which for three years will operate a fleet of Volvo XC40 Recharge electric crossover trucks, which will recover their energy in inductive charging stations, without a physical connector, distributed throughout the city. town.
These tests are part of the “Gothenburg Green City Zone” initiative, which designates areas within the Swedish city to be used as live test beds for the development of clean and sustainable technologies, such as wireless charging stations.
Mats Moberg, Director of Research and Development at Volvo Cars, said in a statement that “Gothenburg Green City Zone allows us to test exciting new technologies in a real environment and evaluate them over time for possible wider future introduction.” The executive added that it is “a good way to evaluate alternative charging options for our future cars.”
The charging process begins automatically when a compatible vehicle is parked on a platform inserted into the pavement, allowing drivers to conveniently fuel their vehicles without getting out of the car. The inductive charging platforms were provided by Momentum Dynamics, one of the main providers of this type of system.
The charging power will be over 40kW, making the speed to power nearly four times faster than an 11kW AC Level 2 corded charger, and similar to a 12V fast charger. alternating current of 50 kW.
The charging station sends electrical energy through the platform, which is collected by a receiving unit located in the underside of the car. To align the car with said charging base, the Volvo XC40 Recharge will use its 360-degree camera system.
The tests will also serve to determine the durability of the electric Volvo XC40 Recharge in a commercial use scenario, since these foresee the use of the vehicles for more than 12 hours a day, traveling close to 100,000 kilometers per year.
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