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Tesla, renowned for its groundbreaking electric vehicles (EVs), has reportedly procured a company specialising in cutting-edge wireless charging technology for electric cars.
According to reports from Teslamag and insights from InsideEVs, the German enterprise Wiferion, originally founded as Blue Inductivein 2016, has been acquired by Tesla in a deal amounting to $76 million USD (approximately $115.6 million AUD).
Following this acquisition, the company now operates under the name Tesla Engineering Germany GmbH. Wiferion has been actively engaged in the development of wireless inductive charging systems tailored for EVs, drawing parallels with the technology employed in wireless smartphone chargers.These systems are engineered with scalability in mind, potentially enabling their integration into ground surfaces or within garage floors.
What adds intrigue is that this wireless charging technology is already in practical use to energise autonomous robots within specific contemporary automotive manufacturing facilities, including the production line at a Lotus plant.
The prospective application of this innovation would empower EV owners to conveniently park their vehicles directly above a charging pad located on their driveway or within their garage. This innovation could lead to automated charging initiation without necessitating a physical link to a wall-mounted charger.
Tesla offered a tantalising glimpse of what seems to be a wireless home charging solution designed for its EV line up during its Investor Day presentation in March 2023.
Wiferion's existing wireless charging product has the capability to rejuvenate "industrial electric vehicles and mobile robots" with a power output of up to 3 kilowatts (kW). To provide a comparison, a typical household power outlet delivering 240 volts usually offers an approximate charging capacity of 2 kW.
For instance, to recharge a base-level Tesla Model 3 equipped with a 60-kilowatt-hour battery pack from zero to full utilising a 3kW wireless charger, an estimated 20 hours would be required.
However, given the average daily travel distance of Australians – around 43 kilometres, which is less than 9% of the Model 3's overall driving range – utilising the theoretical 3 kW wireless charger for a quick top-up would demand less than 5.5 hours.
