Port of Los Angeles will get a 500kW wireless charging system in 2023. It will be able to recharge Class 8 electric trucks in less than 15 minutes. these wireless charging systems are often used for the local fleets of yard trucks or fleets operating in fixed routes.
Vehicles like buses also use wireless charging systems, however, these vehicles need a particular system. In the case of the Port of Los Angeles, there is a project underway, to build multiple Ideanomics’ WAVE stalls – 125 kilowatt (kW), 250 kW, 380 kW, and even 500 kW. Ideanomics announced that the 500 kW version of the WAVE wireless charger has been successfully tested in September and is on its way to enter service in 2023. The project received an $8.4 million grant from the US Department of Energy.
According to the press release, such a power level is expected to fully recharge a Class 8 electric truck in less than 15 minutes. Of course, it assumes that the battery pack is relatively small (for local operation) around 125 kilowatt-hours (kWh), and ready to accept ultra-fast charging. The main advantage of the wireless charging system is that it allows conducting quick charging sessions, without the necessity to connect and disconnect a plug.
Heavy-duty vehicles
The wireless charging stalls would be deployed strategically, at loading/unloading bays, and the vehicles would be getting a portion of energy each time. Ideanomics Mobility president, Robin Mackie said, “We’re showing that today, right now, electric heavy-duty vehicles can operate 24/7, “topping off” their charge while the work is happening. The benefits of this technology are crystal clear – fleet operators become more efficient by cutting out vehicle downtime otherwise spent filling up or plugging a central depot.”
At this point, it’s not yet clear whether in the long-term wireless charging will become a mainstream solution or rather a niche, for some specific applications. For sure, it would be a crucial solution for autonomous electric vehicles as well. The project was supported by an $8.4-million DOE grant. The newly-passed Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides more than $75 billion in programs and tax credits to electrify commercial vehicles, and some of these programs are specifically aimed at heavy-duty vehicles operating at ports and warehouses.
Ideanomics calls wireless charging the ideal solution for any fleet operator with vehicles serving a fixed route. “In logistics, where minutes and seconds count, fully automated and unobtrusive high-power wireless charging keeps vehicles powered up during regularly scheduled stops,” says the company. It also “allows for smaller batteries and fewer chargers, resulting in reduced vehicle weight and costs.”
