OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers and technology providers have reached an agreement on key technical and procedural elements of the upcoming SAE J2954 Recommended Practice (RP) on wireless power transfer (WPT), automated parking alignment and charging of electrified vehicles.
The goal of this standardization is to ensure interoperability and performance between the wide range of electrified vehicles being developed by car makers worldwide, and the wireless charging stations that will be widely deployed to streamline the charging process of EVs and PHEVs.
Chairman of the SAE J2954 taskforce, Jesse Schneider, said, “Auto makers believe that wireless charging can greatly help to make both electrified and autonomous vehicles mainstream, and they have been active supporters of our standardization efforts. Reaching a decision for a common J2954 RP test station, equipped with circular topology, provides auto makers with the technical direction for their wireless charging system design, [and] development and production release plans to meet industry compatibility, interoperability and performance standards.”
Taskforce members have agreed on specifications for the SAE J2954 test stations, which OEMs will use as a basis to develop their wireless charging systems, and to verify their interoperability with charging systems and vehicles sold by other makers. It was agreed that the WPT1 (3.7kW) circular coil system and the WPT2 (7.7kW) circular coil system will be used in the test stations. These wireless charging systems charge at the same rate that existing Level 1 and Level 2 wired chargers operate.
January 31, 2017