29. Sep 2022

Safety in wireless charging of electric vehicles

Inductive charging could herald the next phase of electromobility. Metallic mesh from GKD helps ensure the safety of both users and vehicle engineering.

Electromobility is booming. Sales of purely electric vehicles were 80 percent higher in 2021 than in the previous year in the EU, including England, Switzerland, Norway, Lichtenstein and Iceland. According to a market study performed by electric vehicle data specialist Schmidt Automotive Research, the growth rate in Germany is even higher at 120 percent.

Wireless charging processes could help secure even greater acceptance and prevalence of electric vehicles. Wall boxes or traditional charging stations would then largely be a thing of the past. Instead, users could charge their vehicles “automatically” in special parking areas or, as a Munich-based start-up is currently planning, while actually driving on highways with magnetic concrete. Several vehicle manufacturers and research institutes are already working on new charging techniques of this kind.

An 80 percent charge in just ten minutes

Working in collaboration with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory at the University of Tennessee (USA), the Volkswagen Group of America achieved an initial breakthrough at the end of 2021. The research team succeeded in charging a Porsche Taycan inductively with up to 98 percent of the energy used. The ambitious goal of the research project is to achieve the kind of inductive charging performance that would allow the rechargeable battery of the test vehicle to be charged to 80 percent capacity in just ten minutes.

Perfectly shielded

A real challenge: Inductive energy transmission requires strong electromagnetic fields, which should only be picked up by special coils fitted to the underside of electric vehicles. However, sensitive vehicle components and obviously the occupants of the vehicle must be shielded from these fields. This requires high-performance shielding systems which can adapt to the shape of the individual components in the vehicle, particularly when working with bodywork produced from lightweight, non-conductive materials.

As an innovative and leading global manufacturer of technical weave, the GKD Group engages in close communication with the vehicle manufacturers. GKD works with customers to develop new mesh solutions that can be used for shielding in vehicle manufacturing operations and guarantee ultimate safety for wireless charging.

With solutions such as this, the GKD Group supports secure and sustainable mobility – in keeping with our guiding principle of making the world in which we live healthier, cleaner, and safer.