Carmakers are expected to release wireless charging pads for electric cars based on a universally agreed-upon standard as soon as this year, CNET reports.
The chargers work (more or less) the same way as wireless smartphone chargers: you roll the vehicle on top of the pad, and the car starts charging. Without the need of plugging it in.
The goal’s to make it as easy as possible for consumers to charge their electric vehicles and to standardize future wireless charging spots both in public and at home.
To get there, the Society of Automotive Engineers came up with a standard (SAE J2954) that is in its final stages of development, according to CNET.
German automaker BMW has already shown off a wireless charging tray that owners can place on the floor of their garage. When the car shuts off its ignition, the pad starts charging the car automatically.
There’s no guarantees wireless charging, let alone the proposed standard, will become ubiquitous and adopted on a large scale. Municipalities will have to be convinced the extra costs of installing public wireless charging spots are worth the investment — especially on top of the existing costs of installing conventional charging stations.
