Soul EV can be wirelessly charged

• Published On: 17 April 2018
• 925 Views

It uses an electromagnetic field to transfer energy to the car.

Working with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Hyundai-Kia America Technical Center (HATCI) and Mojo Mobility (Mojo) has developed a fast-charging wireless power transfer system that has been tested on a fleet of Kia Soul EVs.

This will help in the future since they eliminate the need for plugs and could eventually alter the overall design of the electric cars as well. The system can transfer 10kW to the vehicle for fast charging while targeting an 85 percent grid-to-vehicle efficiency. Currently, five Soul EVs are being tested them in real-world applications for durability, safety and performance. William Freels, HATCI president, said, “With this fleet of wireless Soul EVs, we can clearly see a future of unplugged electric vehicles.”

For now, there are no plans on how this tech will fit onto a production vehicle. The success of this project depends on how well these systems adapt to future Kia electric vehicles.

HATCI is Hyundai Motor Group’s (HMG’s) North American design, technology and engineering division, and Mojo is a privately-held company that makes wireless power charging systems for mobile applications.