Wireless Charging for Electric Vehicles in the Smart Cities: Technology Review and Impact

Due to the limitations of batteries, the proliferation of the Electric Vehicle (
EV
) strongly depends on the charging technology offered to the users. By now, the most popular approach to charge/discharge a vehicle relies on the physical connection between the charger and the
EV
. As an alternative, wireless chargers are gaining more attention as they reduce the user's intervention during the charge process and they also allow to recharge the vehicle even when it is moving. This chapter focuses on the technology of wireless chargers for
EV
and their effects on the grid. When considering the effects on the grid, it must be considered the particularities of the wireless technology and how/when the vehicles are charged and discharged. This latter issue is especially relevant for wireless charge, which permits car to be recharged even when they are moving (dynamic charge). In particular, two effects are considered in this chapter. The first one deals with the electrical features of the charger, that is, how harmonics and the power factor are controlled and how bidirectionality is implemented. In addition, the second aspect covered in the chapter reviews the different methods by which the scheduling of electric vehicles should be adapted to the particularities of the wireless charging technology.