Development of Wireless In-wheel Motors for Dynamic Charging: From 2nd to 3rd generation

In this study, a second-generation wireless in-wheel motor (W-IWM2) having the capability of dynamic wireless power transfer (D-WPT) on its wheel side has been developed. The D-WPT technology can drastically extend the driving range of electric vehicles. In addition, a lithium-ion capacitor (LiC) is installed at the wheel side of the W-IWM2. The LiC can effectively charge the regenerative breaking energy. The W-IWM3, which is an evolution of the W-IWM2, is also developed to reduce the size and to increase the power. This paper describes the development of the W-IWM2 and W-IWM3 with the experimental results.