Inductive charging (plugless connection)

[Valdemar]

Given the stated 12% losses I wonder how all this power dissipates, it's almost 400W in the 3.3kW scenario and it can't be all lost to heat, which means most of it is lost to EMR, and that a lot of EMR to have in your garage even if it's low frequency. Am I missing something?

Not to mention, on a Tesla with an 85KWH pack at 12% loss that is an additional 10KWH of wasted electricity per cycle. That is about half a full LEAF pack wasted on a charge cycle. Great for the environment and electric bill over the course of a year. It's funny to see people put in LED bulbs and see all the savings wasted in one charge by being too lazy to plug in the car.

Considering you can realistically manage only about 10 full plugless cycles on 3kW on a 85 kWh Tesla per month, it is probably not too terrible

 

[arnis]

I always remind one fun fact to those plug-less believers
The closer two induction coils are to each other the higher the efficiency.
Worst case scenario is something like car clearance distance. No way for
even close to 90% efficiency.

Average case scenario is something on the ground raised closer to vehicle belly.

And best case scenario is something in the ground that raises itself automatically
as vehicle parks over it. This mechanism can bring the coils almost together
(less than 1"). This will have very good efficiency - 95-98% is possibly.

Now if we forget this coil BS and just install mechanized device (similar to train
pantograph but just with a plug not bare metal contacts) we get "plug-less"
99,9% efficient coupling that is safer than coils and safer than a plug (people
are not near it when it is doing its job).

All we need is reception socket with shutters (must be cone shaped or similar)
and mechanized (3 axes) cone shaped plug that finds the other side using
random low tech solution like magnet or reflector).

Some say that inductive coupling is more safe as there is no risk of electrocution.
I say that it is almost impossible to electrocute with any vehicle plug. I've never
heard anyway ever got zapped from ChaDeMo or J1772 or CCS or Mennekes.
Those plugs are not even live until ground and pilot connection is tested.
Old Level1 "extension cords" without contactor and controller are already phased out.

Tesla has high tech snake charger prototype but if vehicle is prepared (underbelly socket)
then it gets much easier. No need for 4th and 5th axis.

Also Mr Musk already hinted that they soon start to roll out an update for SuperChargers with
plug doing its job without anyone touching it. Induction dies instantly. Literally.

I predicted that as soon as they fixed their "charge port cover does not close by itself" mistake :ugeek:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMM0lRfX6YI

 

[TonyWilliams]

Now if we forget this coil BS and just install mechanized device (similar to train
pantograph but just with a plug not bare metal contacts) we get "plug-less"
99,9% efficient coupling that is safer than coils and safer than a plug (people
are not near it when it is doing its job).

All we need is reception socket with shutters (must be cone shaped or similar)
and mechanized (3 axes) cone shaped plug that finds the other side using
random low tech solution like magnet or reflector).

Great post!

It would be interesting how a fully conductive, underbody, automated system (that is likely cheaper and far lighter than inductive) might compete in the market.

Certainly, there's no issues with power delivery. It could handle DC or AC, up to virtually any power.

 

[wmcbrine]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMM0lRfX6YI

IT'S ALIVE!

No, seriously, I can't look at that video and not think of the "snake" as a living thing, though I know perfectly well that it's a machine. It's the same with the videos of "BigDog" and similar Boston Dynamics robots, where the people kick them, and the robots stagger and recover. "Lifelike" is a wholly inadequate term. It just blows my mind that this is where we're at now, for real. I love living in the future.

But, I digress.