Qualcomm’s new tech lets electric cars charge while driving

As Tesla and various provincial governments push to build more electric vehicle charging stations, chipset giant Qualcomm has demonstrated a new technology that allows EVs to charge while driving.

The company’s new dynamic electric vehicle charging (DEVC) system builds off of its wireless electric vehicle charging tech (WEVC) and is capable of charging an electric car at up to 20 kilowatts at highway speeds, using a road-embedded power source along with a receiving part integrated into the vehicle — in this case, the tech was tested on two Renault Kangoo vehicles.

The company demonstrated the technology with FABRIC, a European organization mostly funded by the European Commission that focuses on the development of on-road charging for electric cars on a 100-meter test track built in France. The vehicles can pick up charge in both directions along the track, and in reverse. It can also charge simultaneously, letting the two vehicles charge at the same time.

Just as fascinating as the battery charging technology, however, is the fact that it enables more communication between a roadway and vehicle. Qualcomm notes that further tests will continue at the track to evaluate the safety and efficiency of use cases like vehicle identification and authorization and power level agreement between track and vehicle.

“We are inventors. We are WEVC. This dynamic charging demonstration is the embodiment of this,” said Steve Pazol, vice president and general manager of wireless charging at Qualcomm.

“I am immensely proud of what we have achieved. The combination of a global team of expert engineers and Qualcomm Halo technology, which covers all aspects of WEVC systems, irrespective of the magnetics used, has enabled us to really push the boundaries of the possible and outline our vision for future urban mobility.”

Source: Qualcomm