Volvo is integrating and testing new wireless charging technology and evaluating its integration into future electric cars.
Over a three-year period, a fleet of electric XC40 Recharge models will be used as a taxi by Cabonline, a taxi operator in the Nordic region, and will be charged wirelessly at stations in Gothenburg, Sweden.
The charging stations used in the test are provided by Momentum Dynamics, a supplier of wireless electric charging systems. Charging starts automatically when a compatible vehicle parks on a charging platform built into the street. The station sends energy through the charging pad, which is collected by a receiving unit in the car. To easily align the car with the charging pad, Volvo Cars will use its 360-degree camera system.
For XC40 Recharge electric cars, the wireless charging power will be more than 40 kilowatts (kW), making the charging speed about four times faster than an 11 kW AC wired charger and almost as fast as a 50 kW DC fast charger. kW wired. In total, the Volvo cars will be used for more than 12 hours per day and will drive 100,000 kilometers per year, which also makes this the first durability test of all-electric Volvo cars in a commercial use scenario.