Recharging your electric car could be as simple as parking
A partnership between GM and WiTricity wants to make contactless charging a thing for EVs.
WiTricity, one of the leaders in contactless, wireless charging is working with General Motors. The new partnership will, you guessed it, involve wirelessly charging electric vehicles. WiTricity's prototype Drive 11 park and charge system works at both 7.7 kW and 11 kW systems and could even be installed under a substrate to offer cord-free power for public parking spaces.
More than that, this could potentially recharge any vehicle regardless of manufacturer, according to a press release. "The system design works across all plug-in electric vehicle platforms and can be deployed as a 'floor pad' in a consumer's garage," the statement says. Specifically, Toyota and Delphi (a major GM supplier) are already onboard with licensing agreements.
This could be a key step into making electric vehicles easier to own for consumers. Rather than having to plug in when you pull into your garage, all you'd have to do is drive over a mat or parking space to start refilling your ride's batteries -- no extra steps, or snakes, needed.
