NZ wireless electric vehicle charging technology takes major step forward

Wireless electric vehicle charging technology created by a team at the University of Auckland has taken a major step forward with the signing of a wireless electric vehicle charging (WEVC) license agreement between US-listed companies Qualcomm and Lear Corporation. Auckland University has been in partnership with Qualcomm since 2011.

Lear Corporation headquartered in San Diego, a global supplier of automotive seating and electrical systems, will be including Qualcomm Halo WEVC technology in its product portfolio to commercialise WEVC systems for plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers, as well as wireless charging infrastructure companies.

According to Auckland University’s Will Charles, general manager for technology and development for UniServices, the university’s commercial research, knowledge-transfer and custom education company, this agreement represents a major step towards clean, green electric vehicles being a common sight on New Zealand’s roads by the end of the decade.

Going back, two University of Auckland professors John Boys and Grant Covic pioneered wireless or inductive power transfer technology (IPT). In 1986 the team were the first in the world to make power jump efficiently and practically across air from one object to another by intersecting two magnetic fields.

Their technology is used throughout the world, from factories that depend on automated systems or clean-room environments to powering artificial hearts and charging EV. They were awarded the 2013 prime minister’s science prize.

In 2011, a company set up to develop the IPT technology further for electric vehicles was sold to Qualcomm. Qualcomm has researchers based in Auckland working with the university team. Its aim was to refine the technology to enable drivers to charge up while on the move.

Qualcomm and Lear are collaborating on multiple WEVC production programmes across multiple car companies.

“We are excited to be working closely with Lear as it commercialises Qualcomm Halo technology to bring WEVC charging into production,” concludes Steve Pazol, Qualcomm vice president and general manager for wireless charging.