• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Earth Wise

A look at our changing environment.

  • Home
  • About Earth Wise
  • Where to Listen
  • All Articles
  • Show Search
Hide Search
You are here: Home / Archives for electric vehicle

electric vehicle

Wireless EV Charging | Earth Wise

November 10, 2021 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Michigan is developing wireless EV charging

Michigan, historically the focus of the American auto industry, has announced a new initiative to develop the nation’s first wireless charging infrastructure on a public road.  The Inductive Vehicle Charging Pilot is a partnership between the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification.

The idea is to deploy an electrified roadway system that allows electric buses, shuttles, and vehicles to charge while driving, allowing them to operate continuously without stopping to charge.  In principle, such electrified roadways have the potential to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and turn public streets into safe and sustainable shared energy platforms.  This is especially valuable for drivers who might not have easy access to conventional charging facilities.

The pilot program is seeking proposals to design, fund, evaluate, iterate, test, and implement an inductive charging system along a one-mile stretch of state-operated roadway in Michigan.

The basic concept is to embed coils in a road that will convey electricity to cars outfitted with coils of their own.  It is much like the wireless charging pads used to power up smartphones.  Indiana is pursuing a similar project in the next couple of years.

Clearly driving through a one mile stretch of roadway for minute or two is not going to provide a whole lot of energy by whatever coupling mechanism is used. Scaling up the technology represents a significant challenge at the very least.  How practical such a scheme is from both a technology and an economic perspective remains to be seen.  In any case, it is interesting to see that states are looking at various alternatives for providing access to charging infrastructure to the growing population of electrified vehicles.

**********

Web Links

Governor Whitmer Announces Initiative for Nation-Leading Wireless EV Charging Infrastructure in Michigan

Photo, posted September 6, 2020, courtesy of Chris Yarzab via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

A Faster Car Battery

September 11, 2017 By EarthWise

https://earthwiseradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/EW-09-11-17-A-Faster-Car-Battery.mp3

There is more and more interest in electric cars and, based on the half million advance orders for the Tesla Model 3, more and more of us plan to be driving them.  For many of us, the technology is already good enough to meet most if not all of our motoring needs.

[Read more…] about A Faster Car Battery

Are Electric Cars Worth The Price?

October 21, 2016 By WAMC WEB

https://earthwiseradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/EW-10-21-16-Electric-Car-Economics.mp3

Pretty much every discussion of electric cars, plug-in hybrids and ordinary hybrids starts and ends up with the question of whether they are worth the money.  If the reason for buying such a vehicle is strictly economic, then this is the right question to ask.  But the naysayers who say such a purchase is foolish may be barking up the wrong tree.

[Read more…] about Are Electric Cars Worth The Price?

Electric Car Boom

May 17, 2016 By WAMC WEB

https://earthwiseradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/EW-05-17-16-Electric-Car-Boom.mp3

The introduction of the Tesla 3 and the 400,000 advanced orders for the vehicle have put the spotlight on electric cars recently.  But despite all the buzz, electric cars are sill only a tiny piece of the US car market:  about 0.66 percent last year.

[Read more…] about Electric Car Boom

Primary Sidebar

Recent Episodes

  • Sea Level Rise And Global Security | Earth Wise
  • Keeping The Keeling Curve Going | Earth Wise
  • Great Salt Lake In Danger | Earth Wise
  • Distributed Wind Energy | Earth Wise
  • Solar Power At Night | Earth Wise

WAMC Northeast Public Radio

WAMC/Northeast Public Radio is a regional public radio network serving parts of seven northeastern states (more...)

Copyright © 2023 ·