Submitted 13 hours ago by BrikoX@lemmy.zip to technology@lemmy.zip
Research in Indiana lays groundwork for highways that recharge EVs of all sizes across the nation
Seems like a lot of energy will be lost when transmitting the energy wirelessly. How about we put up some wires that can deliver the energy more efficiently. After that, we can switch out the rubber tyres on asphalt for steel wheels on steel rails, such that we improve the energy efficiency further. This way, we can transport so much more stuff at a fraction of the cost.
Elon Musk over here.
Anything but trains lmao
Conceptually neat, but the reality is that wireless charging for even small devices like phones is a pretty significant waste of energy, at scale. The amounts of energy involved with wirelessly charging a heavy truck - or even car - would be unconscionably large.
It’s a bit like uber with their not-a-bus bus service. Humans already invented a solution that works really well. It’s called a pantograph.
Yeah, this sounds stupid, and I’m worried about the amount of power wasted by induction charging. Anyone who’s wirelessly charged a phone knows it can get quite hot; that’s wasted energy. And Indiana’s generation is still mostly natural gas and coal, so at some point, with enough losses in transmission and charging, you’ll end up with a higher-carbon vehicle than a diesel truck…
I am not sure what that point is, but the efficiency of charging is an important consideration in my mind.
Also, supplying electricity to fast moving ground vehicles isn’t new, just look at… every high speed rail system ever…
I didn’t realize until I read your linked article that wireless charging is essentially induction. Contactless. I have never had one of these devices. Now I want modern earbuds even less. Thanks for sharing that article!
The pantograph system in Germany failed though… Too ahead of its time?
And I’m saying this while being very much pro-pantograph.
Is this Solar Freaking Roadways all over again?
Haha i just said the same thing. I can’t get over how shit their product is/was. Even after all these years i’m shocked how little you actually heard about that.
This is a completely stupid idea that will seem good to children and idiots.
What if we had all the vehicles drive on purpose-built, dedicated lanes—tracks, we’ll call them—that provide them power, and go to specific destinations? That would be neat. But what if they were self-driving? We could link them up together, and have them depart at regular intervals.
Great if it works, but I seriously doubt it’s going to work.
Solar freaking roadways.
So what happens when you drop your phone on it?
Warp charging™
ArcaneGadget@lemmy.world 1 hour ago
Or you could use the money to build really good charging infrastructure, and accept that a truckload arrives in 2 days and 6 hours instead of 2 days and 3 hours. Then you don’t need a nuclear power plants worth of electricity in lost efficiency from charging wirelessly.
Or you know; trains for long haul freight… Regional freight should be perfectly possible with wired charging…