Honda claims to have developed tech for limitless range EVs
Honda has said it has developed a charging technology that it claims could give electronic vehicles (EV) unlimited range. The Japanese company said its "dynamic charging" technology, in which an EV can both generate power and receive charge during driving is ready to demonstrate at automotive-focused WCX 17 SAE World Congress Experience in Detroit next month. Honda's system operates with a charging power of 180 kW while driving at 96 mph. Currently, a major challenge is implementation because dynamic charging would require a major infrastructure redesign, as charging hardware would have to be built into roads. 

Charging Up

A new dynamic charging technology could give unlimited range to electric vehicles (EVs).

The term "dynamic charging" refers to a technology that can both supply power and perform charging while driving. The system was created by Honda, who claims that they have already developed a system ready for testing which they plan to demonstrate at WCX 17 SAE World Congress Experience next month.

Their dynamic charging system apparently has a charging power of 180 kW (DC 600 V, 330 A) while driving at a speed of 155 km/h (96 mph).

The concept is great in theory, but the biggest barrier here is cost. It won't be cheap to build the infrastructure required for such a system. Dynamic charging requires charging hardware to be built into or over the road —essentially creating a track that will wirelessly charge EVs that drive over it. Nevertheless, this kind of technology could be applied to highways to increase on-road time of EVs and allow them to cover longer distances.

While dynamic charging isn’t an essential part of the EV revolution now, it could be a critical element for adoption down the line. So expect to see more trials and studies aiming to refine the technology for future use.