Nissan will unveil its concept for a high-performance wireless charging system for electric cars, called ‘Fuel Station of the Future’, at next year’s Geneva Motor Show in March.
While wireless charging systems already exist, the technology has only gradually evolved, meaning lengthy times for charging cars compared to using cables.
Last month, however, Nissan announced a 7kW wireless charging device which could easily accommodate overnight charging for a larger battery pack. That includes the 300-plus miles, 60kW pack found in the recent IDS concept car – which previews the next Nissan LEAF.
The new Fuel Station of the Future charging system to be shown in Geneva has been created by Nissan in association with Foster + Partners, a British international studio behind the Gherkin tower in London.
The way Nissan’s new charging system works is that an electric car can pull up to a kerb on a public road and automatically begin recharging via a device mounted in the road itself, underneath the car.
Nissan’s General Manager of Advanced Product Strategy, Richard Candler, said: “We’ve been at the forefront of zero emission mobility since 2010, and for us this project is about inspiring people to come on the journey with us.
“The world around us is changing, and we find that tremendously exciting. With the rise of connected cities, there is the capacity for fueling to be built into the very fabric of our day-to-day lives – independent infrastructure could be a thing of the past.”
