So during a fleet's switch to electric vehicles, what happens to TCO? Because wireless charging is better than plugging in.

Wireless Charging Has Many Benefits

Last-mile electric vehicle (EV) fleets could cut their TCO by almost half if they used WiTricity's magnetic resonance-based wireless charging technology, a report said this year.

That is not a fact right now because most fleets are not all electric. But, as it turns out, it is not likely that fleets will fully benefit from wireless power charging until they are all electric.

However, the benefits of wireless charging are worth thinking about because they could save money and time. Electric utility charges are a big part of the cost of electric cars right now. There are a lot of places where DC fast charging requires that you pay demand charges to the power companies. These charges show how much extra money the utility charges businesses to keep their electricity flowing.

In this case, wireless charging is being talked about because it saves resources, money, and time. One of the major benefits of wireless charging is that it is integrated into the way the car works. This makes sure that the work does not stop when the vehicle needs to be charged, like with plug-in charging. For example, wireless charging can be set up at the dock to charge the cars while they are being loaded.

Wireless charging, then, seems to have two significant advantages. First, charging takes longer, but this is compensated for because it is part of a seamless process. This also means that the battery is not as stressed, which means that the battery lasts longer. Second, demand charges could be cut because not everything is being powered simultaneously; it is being done at the same time as other things are going on.

Passenger and commercial vehicle needs are being met.

A wireless charging system might not work well with passenger cars or trucks. Regarding passenger electric cars, rising consumer acceptance and established technology standards show that it will take a while before all electric cars can charge wirelessly. At the same time, wireless charging is a good idea for commercial vehicles, especially for last-mile delivery.

So why? Because it takes a long time to charge, it is likely better for the batteries. It is better for the environment because car panels can be smaller, and the batteries can be smaller, so it is greener. Wireless charging can be used in places where there is a lot of snow, making it difficult to use wired charging. There are no moving parts or pins that can break, so it is safer. It is convenient because people do not have to get out of their cars in order to charge. It will also be necessary for vehicles to be able to park themselves so that they can be recharged.

Safety, reliability, and cost-effectiveness are some of the things to think about when deciding whether to charge your phone wirelessly or plug it in.

When new technologies come out, there are always questions about safety, reliability, and cost. From a safety point of view, wireless charging solutions will have to meet very high standards. For example, wireless systems could, like WiTricity's solution, tell when there are objects that are not supposed to be there. There is a system that notifies when something gets in the way of charging your phone. If necessary, the system shuts itself off and does not charge your phone anymore.

People think wireless charging will have the same efficiency level as Level 2 charging. This clarifies that wireless charging is less efficient than traditional plug-in charging because it does not use electricity. Plug-in chargers with Level 2 charging are also likely to be faster than wireless chargers because of built-in safety protections.

A lot of people have not used wireless charging yet. In other words, even though the hardware is likely to be a little more expensive than for plug-in alternatives, the total cost of ownership for fleets is expected to keep going down over time and be more affordable than plug-in charging in the long run.

Finally, it is said that installing is supposed to be easy. Wireless charging also means that risks like heavy cables and cords can be eliminated, which can save money on replacing them.

Increasing the range of applications

The technology has already been used in many places, like factories with autonomous robots and droids that are autonomous. WiTricity's licensee, Delta Electronics, makes factory robots that use wireless charging solutions to charge themselves. This shows the case for autonomy. Australia's Lumen Freedom has built a way to recharge taxis in Nottingham, England. This indicates that charging taxis can work. In this case, the cabs charge while they wait in line. This makes the taxis more efficient and allows them to work longer shifts.

People who work in commercial vehicles will be the first to use wireless charging in their cars.

This will be the next step in the progress of wireless charging. We think that middle-mile commercial vehicles will be the next step. DC fast charging and wireless charging will both be around for a while. However, wireless charging is better for applications where cars do not drive more than 300 miles at a time.