Evaluating Dynamic Wireless Charging of electric vehicles moving along a stretch of highway

Abstract

Electric vehicles are the most promising sustainable transport technology for solving the environmental, economic and social problems associated to the internal combustion engine vehicles. The research and development of new charging methods is necessary for a further integration of electric vehicles in transport sector. Inductive power transfer is the most promising technology for dynamic wireless charging of electric vehicles, which can be used to supply the motors and/or charge the battery of the electric vehicle while it is moving. This charging system can help to reduce the size and cost of the battery, increase the driving range and expand the use of electric vehicles. This paper presents an analysis methodology of a Dynamic Wireless Charging system applied to evaluate the power and energy requirements for charging electric vehicles moving along a stretch of the A-381 Highway in Cádiz (Spain). The study shows the great dependency of the energy transferred to the electric vehicles with the speed and the great variability of power and energy requirements related to the daily traffic.