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Industry Benchmarks Kia Team Develops Wireless Charging System For Soul EV
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orget about dragging around pendulous charging cables and ponderous coupling devices. Hyundai-Kia America Technical Center and Mojo Mobility have developed a fast-charging wireless power transfer system on a test fleet of Kia Soul EVs1, paving the way toward a future where electric vehicle plugs aren’t necessary. Mojo, a wireless technology company, and Hyundai-Kia have worked together for three years on the compact wireless charging system, capable of transferring more than 10 kW to the vehicle for fast charging while targeting an 85 percent grid-to-vehicle efficiency. The project was installed on five Soul EVs and tested on the road for durability, safety and performance. All the driver needs to recharge a vehicle is the skill to park. Thanks to the efficiency of the system, the parking job doesn’t even have to be completely precise. The system uses an electromagnetic field to transfer energy between two coils—a transmitter on the ground and a receiver on the bottom of the vehicle. Once parked, the car begins receiving energy through an inductive coupling to an electrical device, which then charges the vehicle’s batteries. “We’re thrilled with the success of the system and its efficiency,” says William Freels, HATCI President. “We set out to develop wireless charging that has real world applications and is easy to use for the consumer. Now, with this fleet of wireless Soul EVs, we can clearly see a future of unplugged electric vehicles.” The charging system isn’t yet ready for commercial production but points toward good possibilities for future Kia electric vehicles. n
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GET HIRED AT VOLVO Volvo Cars USA has lots to do before it begins cranking out Volvos at its new $1.2 billion manufacturing facility in rural Berkeley County, South Carolina. But as always, one of the biggest tests is hiring. The first car, a redesigned S60 sedan, will be unveiled in June with production starting later in the summer, but only about half of its 1,500 workers needed for the first phase were hired by the end of
Vehicles Are Now A Potential Amazon Delivery Point
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e knew cars were getting more connected, but the idea of letting a courier inside your vehicle to deliver a package is a new idea to many. Amazon is about to make it happen. Amazon recently introduced its home delivery service, called Key, and now it wants to expand the idea to personal vehicles. It’s being rolled out to Amazon Prime members in 37 cities, providing they have 2015 or newer Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac or Volvo with an active OnStar or Volvo On Call account. Here’s how it works: Shoppers download the Key app and use it to communicate where they’ve parked, within range of an Amazon delivery location. It has to be a publicly accessible area. The shopper uses the car’s connected service to unlock the vehicle once the courier arrives, the package is placed in the trunk or back seat, and the app relocks the car. The shopper gets notifications of all the steps. The app can’t be used to start the car. Unlike Amazon’s home delivery service, which has setup costs involving smart locks and video cameras, there’s no extra charge for Amazon vehicle delivery. It’s one more benefit for Amazon Prime customers. Amazon recently announced the program has topped 100 million members. n
April. The company hopes to eventually employ 4,000 by 2021.
The work will also increase the plant’s capacity.
TOYOTA SPENDS IN MISSISSIPPI Toyota Motor Corp. will spend $170 million and add 400 jobs to its Blue Springs, Mississippi assembly plant as it moves some production of the Corolla sedan from Canada. Work will commence later this year to fit the plant for building the next-generation Corolla sedan.
FUN IN BOWLING GREEN The automotive crowd needs its occasional break from stress. To that end, the Motor Trend Group says drag racing, burnouts, and classic cars will once again take over Beech Bend Raceway Park July 20-21 in Bowling Green, Kentucky, as America’s definitive showcase of customized cars returns. The 2018 Car Craft
12 | Southern Automotive Alliance / JUNE/JULY 2018
Summer Nationals showcases more than 1,500 performance cars and attracts upward of 20,000 enthusiasts from across the country. BATTERY FACILITY CHARGES UP ATLASBX Co. LTD will locate its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Clarksville, Tennessee, investing $75 million and creating approximately 200 jobs in Montgomery County.
