We’ve been following the developments in charging technology closely. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at self-charging technologies and the challenges we still face.
The concept of self-charging electric cars
A self-charging car is a vehicle that can recharge its battery without the need for an external power source. The idea of self-charging is undeniably appealing, as it would eliminate the need for charging stations and essentially provide an infinite driving range.
However, despite the allure of this idea, there are several reasons why electric cars currently cannot fully charge themselves while driving. In the following sections, we will explore the science behind electric cars and the challenges that must be overcome to achieve a truly self-charging vehicle.
Why electric cars can’t charge themselves while driving
One of the main reasons why electric cars can’t charge themselves while driving is the conservation of energy principle. This principle states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another. For electric cars, the energy stored in the battery is converted into mechanical energy to drive the vehicle forward. If the car were to try to generate additional energy to charge the battery in motion, it would need an external energy source to do so.
Some ideas for self-charging have been developed but face significant challenges.
On EV self-charging – What’s out there?
When answering the question of why can’t electric cars recharge themselves, we must consider the question of technology the most. If you are the owner of an all-electric or hybrid car, you may be wondering why we’re talking on this subject, because your car can already self-charge, right?
The science behind regenerative braking and how it works
It’s true that many electric and hybrid cars have clever and innovative systems that can recoup energy as you’re driving along. It’s an ingenious system that converts kinetic energy into electrical energy which is transferred and stored in the car’s battery. It works by the driver pressing on the brake pedal, which prompts the electric motor to instantly switch to “generator mode.” Once in this mode, the wheels transfer energy via the drivetrain to the generator through their rotation. Some of this kinetic energy is captured and stored.
The operative word with regenerative braking is “some” of the energy is captured, not all. It’s a great way to keep your car going, particularly when navigating through city traffic that requires frequent use of the brakes. It’s not yet, however, a viable technology to allow the car to fully recharge.
Solar panels’ self-charging limitations
Another misconception is that electric cars equipped with solar panels are entirely self-charging. Solar panels can produce additional energy, but their contribution is minimal compared to the energy needed to power the vehicle. Recent studies estimate an added range of about 7 miles using photovoltaic panels.
Several businesses have faced challenges in introducing solar-driven electric vehicles to the market. For instance, Germany’s Sono Motors has discontinued its program to manufacture its solar automobile, the Sion. The company has shifted its attention to incorporating solar technology into vehicles from other manufacturers. Additionally, Lightyear, a group of Dutch developers, is making a comeback in the industry following a restructuring due to bankruptcy.
Solar panels usually come in handy for powering auxiliary systems such as air conditioning or infotainment systems. But not to fully charge EVs. However, extending partially the range is possible.
For example, Fisker Ocean’s Solarsky technology incorporates solar panels on the vehicle’s roof to provide supplementary energy. This feature helps extend the electric car’s driving range while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Please find a photo below of what Fisker solar panel technology looks like:
So, when it comes to self-charging, we have great ideas and we’re already on the road to that goal, but we still have some way to go yet.
On EV passive charging – What’s out there?
Besides self-charging, the concept of passive charging is also one for which many electric car fans continue to eagerly await. A number of interesting solutions are in the pipeline, some of the most interesting of which are explained below:
Volkswagen Autonomous Charging Robots
No, this isn’t the name of a Volkswagen-sponsored video game, but rather an inspiring and creative solution to the need for EV charging. Volkswagen’s concept is that of a small army of autonomous robots that can be prompted via an app or V2X communication. Once activated, they would drive themselves to the car’s location to charge it up. They could be installed in parking garages and other locations where they can easily reach cars within minutes and offer to charge while you are at work or even just out for a day of shopping.
Robot charging arms from Tesla and Volkswagen
Using robot arms for electric vehicle (EV) charging is an exciting new approach. Both Tesla and Volkswagen are working on prototypes. These robot arms are designed to automatically plug in the charger, working together with the EV.
It makes the charging process smooth and hassle-free. What’s great is that these robot arms can handle heavy charging cables easily, so you don’t have to worry about it. This is more convenient than doing it manually.
These robot arms are flexible and can adapt to different EV models and charging needs. As EVs become more popular, having robot arms at charging stations ensures that everyone can charge their vehicles efficiently and reliably.
Overall, robot arms in EV charging stations are a big step forward in making the charging experience easier and more convenient for EV owners.
Inductive Charging
If the robots or arms don’t grab you, then perhaps this possibility will. The concept of wireless charging has already taken hold in the world of smartphones and digital products, and there are now even products that can offer the same thing to your EV. The idea is to charge your car via electromagnetic induction, which works by having a pair of coils, one in the charging unit (transmitter) and one on your car (receiver). Between them is passed an electric current which is captured and stored in the battery. It already works for your smartphone, so why can’t we just do the same with your car?
Electric cars self-charging – A problem of infrastructure
With these two options, the problem of infrastructure comes more important. The technology does indeed exist, but the question is how can we apply it to our aging national infrastructure? It will have to happen in stages, and will undoubtedly take many years to come to fruition. To use the induction technology as an example, here’s how it might look:
Stage 1 – apply the technology on the individual home level, where some products are already available, so you could say we are already at this stage.
Stage 2 – roll the devices out to be installed in parking garages across the country, which won’t require any road closures or major disruptions to the road network.
Stage 3 – extend the rollout to the highway network, where roads could have an entire lane or multiple lanes fitted with the devices, allowing cars to be continuously charging while traveling down the highway.
Why can’t EVs charge themselves – Our personal thoughts
We enjoy following technical pioneers and thought leaders experimenting with always new approaches to increase the comfort of EVs.
Self-charging cars surely sound like a great solution for range anxiety.
Many people have had the idea of creating a perpetuum mobile and it will always sound appealing. However, in our opinion, with increasing range capacities and faster charging solutions, the urgency for revolutionizing the charging experience seems to be diminishing. Nevertheless, we are excited to see what brilliant minds are developing in the near future.
In Conclusion: the current state of self-charging electric cars and what we can expect in the future
To sum up, the answer to the question in our title comes in several parts:
- The technology isn’t there yet – the best minds in automotive circles are working on it, but there’s still some time to go.
- Not enough political support – until governments are firmly behind the idea, it is unlikely we will see any policy changes that will get us to the stage of self-charging
- Lack of infrastructure – the above point on politics is directly linked to infrastructure since little political support means no money for infrastructure changes
Maybe the situation could turn out differently. As technology improves, perhaps EVs will win greater support from the public and governments. Until then, however, self-charging continues to be a pipe dream.