WiTricity estimates wireless charging increases factory uptime 32% through efficiencies gained by allowing a continual autonomous operations as well as eliminates safety concerns related to the elimination of exposed electrical connectors.
“The three important parts are one, investment, second, the collaboration agreement where we'll be driving product into the market. Siemens will be selling wireless charging infrastructure. They'll have a license to our technology patent portfolio and can develop, build and extend upon the products under license using our patents,” explained Gruzen.
Siemens estimates the global market for wireless recharging will reach $2 billion by 2028 in Europe and North America alone. Indeed, WiTricity worked closely with the SAE to develop a standard for wireless charging and one goal of the company's new relationship with Siemens is to bridge the gaps in the global standardization of wireless charging for electric passenger and light duty commercial vehicles.
The “sweet spot” for passenger cars is 11 kilowatts or 35 miles of range per hour Gruzen noted. For larger, commercial vehicles that spot is heftier. “The grid will not be able to support it. The cost of the infrastructure, the cost of fast chargers, the cost per kilowatt hour is awful,” Gruzen said. “In practice if you use DC fast charging to deliver the bulk of your kilowatt hours you give up all the cost savings of shifting to electric versus gasoline and probably impacted battery life.”