A critical review on wireless charging for electric vehicles

Electric vehicles (EVs) have recently been significantly developed in terms of both performance and drive range. There already are various models commercially available, and the number of EVs on road increases rapidly. Although most existing EVs are charged by electric cables, companies like Tesla, BMW and Nissan have started to develop wireless charged EVs that don't require bulky cables. Rather than physical cable connection, the wireless (inductive) link effectively avoids sparking over plugging/unplugging. Furthermore, wireless charging opens new possibilities for dynamic charging charging while driving. Once realised, EVs will no longer be limited by their electric drive range and the requirement for battery capacity will be greatly reduced. This has been prioritised and promoted worldwide, particularly in UK, Germany and Korea. This paper presents a thorough literature review on the wireless charging technology for EVs. The key technical components of wireless charging are summarised and compared, such as compensation topologies, coil design and communication. To enhance the charging power, an innovative approach towards the use of superconducting material in coil designs is investigated and their potential impact on wireless charging is discussed. In addition, health and safety concerns about wireless charging are addressed, as well as their relevant standards. Economically, the costs of a wide range of wireless charging systems has also been summarised and compared.