Electric car owners...
Electric car owners will soon be able to power up their vehicles without ever plugging them in.
Nissan has revealed itò€™s working on a hi-tech solution called ò€˜inductive chargingò€™, which allows the battery to be replenished simply by being close enough to an energy station. Electricity is induced into the battery through the air without a cable.
The system works particularly well for city taxis. Sitting on a rank for several minutes at a time, they can charge via technology thatò€™s been installed under the surface of the road. But the set-up is likely to be showcased first on Nissanò€™s two-seater runaround, the Land Glider. The initiative was revealed by Andy Palmer, head of Nissanò€™s Zero Emissions Business Unit, at the Tokyo Motor Show.
He said: ò€œWe are a long way down the road with inductive charging. We are out of the lab on static charging, but not on dynamic applications.ò€ The latter innovation would mean EVs could boost their power levels on the go, without even needing to be parked.
Nissan also announced a strategy to recycle batteries from EVs such as the Leaf, set to go on sale next year. The firmò€™s goal is to have EVs making up 10 per cent of its sales by 2020.