INDUCTIVE CHARGING—MAKING RECHARGING EASIER
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rate providing the battery pack with 90% of the charge in about five minutes. The power to the charging station will have to be made available at multitiered prices. During the off-peak hours, the cost will be lucrative to encourage users of EVs to charge the vehicles. During the shoulder or in-between peak and off-peak hours, the price will be higher. And during the peak hours, the price for charging the EV will carry an additional premium to provide charging opportunities to users in a must have situation.
INDUCTIVE CHARGING—MAKING RECHARGING EASIER As the demand for the EVs continues to rise, it is important to make it easy to charge the EV. The recharging of consumer and commercial EVs require: • • • •
Simple, easy to use, and intuitive methods Flexible infrastructure for all vehicle and utility power levels Safe for all-weather operations Reliable and long-lasting or durable equipment operation
Most EVs will be charged at least once during the day. This will average out to 3,000 to 7,000 charge cycles during the 10-year life of the vehicle. The conventional electrical outlet cannot meet the heavy-duty cycle requirement of the EV battery pack. During the inadvertent connecting and disconnecting from and to the charge port, large electrical arcs may be drawn, which can be fatal at times. It is essential to use a safe coupling method to charge the EV and prevent all forms of direct electric connection between the electric utility power outlet and the battery pack inlet port. In addition, it is essential to ensure that there are no moving parts associated with the charging mechanism. The charge coupler should offer minimum contact resistance and be rugged enough to withstand the weight of an EV, resistant to the weather elements. Inductive charging is a coupling process that transfers electrical energy from the electric utility charge port to the EV battery pack through an electromagnetic connection rather than physical or direct connection. Operating on the principle of a transformer, the electrical energy transfer takes place by linking the electromagnetic fields between two separate inductors. The primary and the secondary inductor are
