Daihen Corporation and WiTricity have joined forces to commercialize wireless charging stations for electric vehicles, with reference designs in the works now to match the global push toward more accessible vehicle charging.
Announced on Nov. 1, the partnership brings together WiTricity’s DRIVE 11 patented wireless charging system and the wireless charging systems that Daihen has been shipping for industrial materials. The DRIVE 11 reference design will be used to speed up Daihen’s product development for wireless charging stations that meet global standards. The partnership gets both companies in on the ground floor as automotive markets in the UK, China, India, and other companies push for all-electric vehicles on the roads.
With the DRIVE 11 system, a car would simply need to drive onto a pad set on or slightly above the ground in order to receive a charge. It does this by using magnetic resonance technology made in conjunction with in-development global standards. Wireless charging could go a long way toward making electric charging more convenient, as long as it is paired with appropriate civil projects from countries that want the cars to be as convenient as current gasoline-powered vehicles. WiTricity says that their charging pads could accommodate any type of vehicle, from SUVs to low-clearance sports cars, as long as the international standards are used by auto makers as well as the charging stations.
In particular, Daihen is targeting private homes, commercial parking lots, and public parking facilities for its charging pads.
“Daihen saw wireless power transfer as a foundational technology for the factory of the future, and as we planned our entrance into the automotive market, we knew that WiTricity’s technology would be a natural and necessary fit,” said Ryohei Tanaka, Daihen general manager and chief engineer of research and development, in a press release. “WiTricity’s technology offers flexible and efficient wireless charging experiences, and its Drive 11 system enables us to deliver that experience to the rapidly expanding global EV market.”
“We are excited to expand our relationship with Daihen as it enters the automotive market with its historical leadership in high-power electronics,” said Alex Gruzen, WiTricity CEO. “The convenience of EV wireless charging is key to accelerating EV sales beyond today’s early adopters, and we are proud to work with Daihen to bring WiTricity technology to customers around the world.”
