Shindengen Licenses WiTricity Technology for EV Wireless Charging

WiTricity today announced an intellectual property licensing agreement with Shindengen, a Tier 1 supplier to global carmakers and motorcycle manufacturers. Under the terms of the agreement, Shindengen will license WiTricity's patented technology to develop and commercialize high-performance wireless charging systems.

These systems will enable next generation electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) to charge effortlessly by simply parking over a wireless charging pad. Shindengen will utilize WiTricity's DRIVE 11 reference design to accelerate its development of Shindengen products for both the vehicle and for the charging pad.

The DRIVE 11 system can fully charge a long-range EV overnight (identical charge time as conventional wired chargers) and can re-charge a hybrid vehicle in an hour or less.

Carmakers around the world have identified wireless charging as a key differentiator in the marketplace because of the convenience it offers to vehicle owners. Shindengen's wireless charging system, utilizing WiTricity's patented technology, will transfer power to a vehicle safely and at high efficiency, eliminating the need for plug-in charging cables required by first generation electrified vehicles.

WiTricity is working with a number of international standards organizations, such as SAE J2954, to develop standards for wireless charging systems with the goal of ensuring interoperability of wireless charging systems for EVs and HEVs on a global basis.

Highlights of the DRIVE 11 system include:

• High power transfer rates
  • WPT-1: 3.6 kW
  • WPT-2: 7.7 kW
  • WPT-3: 11 kW
• Highest efficiency
  • (up to 94% grid to battery)
• Works across all vehicle ground clearance classes
  • low: 10 cm-15 cm (Z1 class)
  • med: 14 cm-21 cm (Z2 class)
  • high: 17 cm-25 cm (Z3 class)
• Features WiTricity patented Tunable Matching Network (TMN)
  • 28 x 28cm up to 42 x 42cm
• Tolerant to parking misalignment
  • +/- 10cm side to side
  • +/- 7.5 cm front to back
• SAE TIR J2954™ Emissions compliant (FCC, CISPR, ICNIRP)
• Available "Foreign Object Detection" (FOD) Sensor
• Available "Living Object Protection" (LOP) Sensor
• Available "Position Detection" (PD) Sensor
• Standards Compliant

"WiTricity is the leader in the technology of wireless charging, and we look forward to a strong partnership," said Yoshinori Suzuki, President and CEO of Shindengen. "The market for electric vehicles is growing rapidly, and Shindengen intends to be a leading supplier of wireless charging systems, as well as for other power electronics systems and components."

"We are pleased to have Shindengen as a licensee and technology partner," said Alex Gruzen, CEO of WiTricity. "Shindengen is well positioned to be a leading Tier 1 supplier in the Japanese and global markets, as they have strong relationships already with many automotive and motorcycle OEMs."