Recharge your batteries while driving

Recharge your batteries while driving

As part of a pilot project, Stellantis tested DWPT (Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer) technology - a system of conductor loops that are laid under the asphalt and transmit electrical energy directly to cars, trucks and buses. The receivers mounted in the vehicles transfer the energy coming from the road infrastructure directly to the electric motor, thereby extending the range of the vehicle and at the same time protecting the vehicle battery. The pilot project by Stellantis and the other partners involved is coordinated by A35 Brebemi, a company part of the global transport infrastructure operator Aleatica, which focuses on sustainable, innovative mobility solutions.

“Such joint projects are exciting steps towards longer battery life, longer range, higher energy efficiency, smaller battery size, outstanding performance, less weight and lower costs,” says Anne-Lise Richard, Head of Global e-Mobility Business Unit, Stellantis. The tests at the Arena del Futuro show that, for example, the Fiat 500 Electric, equipped with an induction current receiver, can drive at typical highway speeds without using up the energy stored in its battery. The tests also show that the efficiency of energy flow from the asphalt to the car is comparable to the typical efficiency of fast charging stations, meaning the driver does not even have to stop to charge. In addition, magnetic field strength measurements show that there are no negative effects on the driver, other vehicle occupants or pedestrians.

The “Arena del Futuro” is powered by direct current (DC), which offers several advantages:

• Verringerung der Leistungsverluste bei der Energieverteilung.
• Gewährleistung einer direkten Integration mit erneuerbaren Energiequellen ohne die Notwendigkeit, Gleichstrom in Wechselstrom umzuwandeln.
• Im Unterschied zur AC-Stromverteilung können dünnere Kabel verwendet werden, mit offensichtlichen Vorteilen in Bezug auf Verpackung, Gewicht und Schwingungsbelastung.
• Möglich ist die Verwendung von Aluminiumkabeln, die im Vergleich zu Kupfer nur die Hälfte kosten und im Rahmen der Kreislaufwirtschaft einfach recycelt werden können.

According to Stellantis, the DWPT technology is intended to make it easier for customers to access electromobility and provide a concrete answer to the requirements of decarbonization and environmental sustainability in the mobility sector. Last year, “Time Magazine” recognized the inductive charging system for the road in the “Arena del Futuro” as one of the 100 most important inventions of the year.