“and claims a charging rate of up to 11 kW and with an efficiency of about 90% for easy overnight charging.”
That’s a some 9kW lost on a 80kW battery. I get the convenience, but I think the best use for those would be when standardized and installed in public parking spots, for a brief charge bump, not to charge fully at home, e.g overnight, which is what Porsche aims for.
I keep wondering why a robot-vacuum-charging-dock style solution hasn't materialized. We've seen to robotic arm demos but those aren't around because they are overkill for the task. But something that the car autonomously and accurately docks into and attaches from either the front fascia or underneath. Same charging standard but with a more forgiving connector design that guides and locks in.
The 90% efficiency of the wireless transmission would be on top of the efficiency of typical charging (which is mostly losses after the power reaches the vehicle).
Charging rate of 11 kW, with efficiency of about 90%, means that the charger sucks around 12.2 kW of power from the grid, of which 1.2 kW is continually lost*, and only 11 kW is effectively being stored in the battery at any point in time.
I don't understand the mention about battery capacity (80 kWh, which would translate to around 7½ hours of charging at 11 kW, if a battery could charge at a uniform rate) or where the "9 kW lost" figure comes from.
*Which is probably useful to melt snow above the device, when installed outdoors on cold climates.
Charging at home is already more convenient and quicker (in human time) than driving to a gas station, and now they're optimizing the 30 seconds it takes to plug the car in.
Home charging us a reasonably thick cable. It’s not bad by any stretch but it’s more than an appliance cord.
Plus you just got home. You probably want to go inside and may be carrying packages or such, which you might have to juggle or put down to get the cable and plug in.
When it’s time to leave you have to unplug and then store the cable, leave it on the floor (trip hazard for others), or have installed an overhead cable system.
With wireless it’s all gone. Pull into you’re garage? You’re done. You were doing that anyway, so it’s no different. Ready to leave? Just back out. Again, same thing. Nothing extra.
Yeah it’s convenience. But it’s not a small win, it’s big. And it’s every time you use your car. Twice.
Your car can always charge. It can always precondition. You used to have to go to gas stations, now you don’t even have to plug in. It’s fully automatic and taken care of for you.
“You don’t need a remote. You can just get up to change the volume”. How well did that argument go over? Every TV has remotes. Buttons are hidden and effectively dead.
We’re talking about a particularly inconvenient 30 seconds coming out of an expensive machine built entirely for convenience. Some people will want it and pay for it. If I was in the market, I probably would.
I agree in so far that plug-in charging shouldn't be an issue for most people.
Yet I can see the advantages for someone with a disability.
And what a lot don't seem to understand: at 11kW we aren't talking about high charging efficiency anyway.
Meaning, you cannot assume close to 100% for cable based charging and talk about how much 90% loose on a full battery (like others here do).
It's not just that; there's a new capability unlocked. You can now have self driving cars charge at remote places and come back without human interaction. Imagine you live in a place with no grid power
I have a robot vacuum that manages to do automated direct contact charging just fine. I don’t understand why wireless would be any easier. It seems more complex and less safe than a direct wired connection.
I also have a lot of trouble believing in the scenario of a neighborhood that has an automated charging station for EVs but no grid. That seems like very misplaced priorities.
And the funny thing is China's already picked up the dropped torches elsewhere; Xiaomi's going to be launching a robotic arm for your garage by the end of this year to plug in for you. Tesla gave up on their charging tentacle, but, wellp.
1. No, losses similar to cable charging, ie cents per charge impact. People lose more by leaving their roof rack/bike rack on year round, I suspect.
2. Nobody is going to buy these cars except for millionaires (and delusional credit-hounds), so that's not a problem either.
It might not work for you, and that's cool, but for someone spending that much on a car it's just a small percentage increase in lease payments. And on the Porsche they might have spent as much on a custom colour as on this item.
the imaculate lifestyle aproaches, but then in the way of reality, will then prove to be just out of reach, with some new more minor and tedious 'inconvienience' taking on the roll of 'proof' in bieng a victim.
“and claims a charging rate of up to 11 kW and with an efficiency of about 90% for easy overnight charging.”
That’s a some 9kW lost on a 80kW battery. I get the convenience, but I think the best use for those would be when standardized and installed in public parking spots, for a brief charge bump, not to charge fully at home, e.g overnight, which is what Porsche aims for.
I keep wondering why a robot-vacuum-charging-dock style solution hasn't materialized. We've seen to robotic arm demos but those aren't around because they are overkill for the task. But something that the car autonomously and accurately docks into and attaches from either the front fascia or underneath. Same charging standard but with a more forgiving connector design that guides and locks in.
> That’s a some 9kW lost on a 80kW battery
It's about the same as wired AC charging. There are always charging losses:
https://insideevs.com/features/711659/ev-charger-efficiency-...
The 90% efficiency of the wireless transmission would be on top of the efficiency of typical charging (which is mostly losses after the power reaches the vehicle).
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> That’s a some 9kW lost on a 80kW battery.
*kWh
Using the right units is important.
"This may sound like one of those overly pedantic fixations... but it's not. Power and energy are very different concepts." -Technology Connections
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOK5xkFijPc
Charging rate of 11 kW, with efficiency of about 90%, means that the charger sucks around 12.2 kW of power from the grid, of which 1.2 kW is continually lost*, and only 11 kW is effectively being stored in the battery at any point in time.
I don't understand the mention about battery capacity (80 kWh, which would translate to around 7½ hours of charging at 11 kW, if a battery could charge at a uniform rate) or where the "9 kW lost" figure comes from.
*Which is probably useful to melt snow above the device, when installed outdoors on cold climates.
The average person is spending about $1.50 to $2.00 in electricity per day to drive a car.
This would cost $0.15 to $0.20 per average trip to NOT plug in.
Average person spending $100k on a car would likely pay that without a second thought.
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unit confusion
It will still be 90% efficient regardless of who uses it. In fact if it is used more, the total losses will be higher.
(Some of this becomes clearer when you have a feeling for the units: kW is a measurement of power, not energy)
> not to charge fully at home, e.g overnight, which is what Porsche aims for.
Wouldn't an overnight (usually cheaper) 10+ hour charge be a great use for (slow) 11 kW charging?
you think Porsche owners give a shit about efficiency? Laughable at best.
[dead]
Charging at home is already more convenient and quicker (in human time) than driving to a gas station, and now they're optimizing the 30 seconds it takes to plug the car in.
Home charging us a reasonably thick cable. It’s not bad by any stretch but it’s more than an appliance cord.
Plus you just got home. You probably want to go inside and may be carrying packages or such, which you might have to juggle or put down to get the cable and plug in.
When it’s time to leave you have to unplug and then store the cable, leave it on the floor (trip hazard for others), or have installed an overhead cable system.
With wireless it’s all gone. Pull into you’re garage? You’re done. You were doing that anyway, so it’s no different. Ready to leave? Just back out. Again, same thing. Nothing extra.
Yeah it’s convenience. But it’s not a small win, it’s big. And it’s every time you use your car. Twice.
Your car can always charge. It can always precondition. You used to have to go to gas stations, now you don’t even have to plug in. It’s fully automatic and taken care of for you.
“You don’t need a remote. You can just get up to change the volume”. How well did that argument go over? Every TV has remotes. Buttons are hidden and effectively dead.
Let’s waste precious energy to save 30 seconds twice a day. A remote control is apples to oranges here.
We’re talking about a particularly inconvenient 30 seconds coming out of an expensive machine built entirely for convenience. Some people will want it and pay for it. If I was in the market, I probably would.
I agree in so far that plug-in charging shouldn't be an issue for most people.
Yet I can see the advantages for someone with a disability.
And what a lot don't seem to understand: at 11kW we aren't talking about high charging efficiency anyway. Meaning, you cannot assume close to 100% for cable based charging and talk about how much 90% loose on a full battery (like others here do).
It's not just that; there's a new capability unlocked. You can now have self driving cars charge at remote places and come back without human interaction. Imagine you live in a place with no grid power
I have a robot vacuum that manages to do automated direct contact charging just fine. I don’t understand why wireless would be any easier. It seems more complex and less safe than a direct wired connection.
I also have a lot of trouble believing in the scenario of a neighborhood that has an automated charging station for EVs but no grid. That seems like very misplaced priorities.
6 replies →
How does wireless charging unlock this usecase? Robot arms exist?
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It’s the time that matters the most to users imho. You arrive home, you want to just be done and not think about your car one bit
They're optimizing the cable you can trip over/have to walk around/remember both at home and at, eventually, parking lots.
guys, guys. They're optimizing: people with a lot of money being nagged.
Welcome to capitalism.
And the funny thing is China's already picked up the dropped torches elsewhere; Xiaomi's going to be launching a robotic arm for your garage by the end of this year to plug in for you. Tesla gave up on their charging tentacle, but, wellp.
https://carnewschina.com/2026/06/13/xiaomi-unveils-home-char...
Porsche’s induction charging strategy seems a lot smarter and much more reliable than a robot arm.
2 replies →
Wall-E future here we come. Soon the people loader that lifts you from your sofa and plops you into the seat!
2 replies →
I want to know what mechanisms the car provides to ensure you're lined up to the mat correctly. Seems like a small target to hit.
Plenty of modern cars have all-round cameras that track what you've driven over. Probably pretty easy if it has that.
We already have several, see the Xiaomi SU7 lineup
I’m waiting for the "needs a $100-200/mo subscription" to unlock wireless charging headline.
This is something that isn't going to work for two practical reasons:
1. Losses remain very high for daily use.
2. Nobody is going to spend to install these propriety chargers except for millionaires that don't care about the costs.
This isn't a luxury charger; it is an exotic charger.
> Losses remain very high for daily use.
It's about the same as wired AC charging:
https://insideevs.com/features/711659/ev-charger-efficiency-...
Tesla still has their patents open for anyone to use, I'll bet it'd work out like the NACS chargers.
A Porsche owner is not likely to be concerned about these items.
1. No, losses similar to cable charging, ie cents per charge impact. People lose more by leaving their roof rack/bike rack on year round, I suspect.
2. Nobody is going to buy these cars except for millionaires (and delusional credit-hounds), so that's not a problem either.
It might not work for you, and that's cool, but for someone spending that much on a car it's just a small percentage increase in lease payments. And on the Porsche they might have spent as much on a custom colour as on this item.
the imaculate lifestyle aproaches, but then in the way of reality, will then prove to be just out of reach, with some new more minor and tedious 'inconvienience' taking on the roll of 'proof' in bieng a victim.