UBC

Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada have developed a safe technology for wireless electric vehicle (EV) charging with the use of remote magnetic gear.

The technology operates at 100 times lower frequency with minimal exposed electric fields.

Remote magnetic gears feature one rotating base magnet powered by electricity from the grid and another located inside the car in order to eliminate the use of radio waves.

The base gear remotely turns the in-car gear, which in turn generates power required to charge the battery.

Developed by a team led by UBC physics professor Lorne Whitehead, the new technology has been tested on a fleet of electric vehicles run by UBC Building Operations.

Four wireless charging stations have been installed at the Building Operations parking lot, with trials demonstrating that the system is more than 90% efficient compared to a traditional cable charge.

UBC Building Operations managing director David Woodson said that the need to connect cords and sockets in cramped conditions and bad weather is one of the major problems with electric vehicles.

"The all-weather technology can take four hours to fully charge a vehicle."

"Since we began testing the system, the feedback from drivers has been overwhelmingly positive. All they have to do is park the car and the charging begins automatically," Woodson added.

The all-weather technology can take four hours to fully charge a vehicle.

The research team was originally working on a magnetically driven charging system for medical devices.

A patent for the technology, for the larger system supported by the NSERC Innovation Grant, has been filed through the UBC’s University-Industry Liaison Office (UILO).

Image: The new wireless vehicle charging technology operates at 100 times lower frequency with minimal exposed electric fields. Photo: courtesy of The University of British Columbia.