Solution to the short range of electric cars: charge on the move!

Renault is working on a project aimed at charging electric vehicles while in motion. Two Renault Kangoo Z.E. vehicles were charged at 100 km/h during a test.

Renault has partnered with Qualcomm Technologies and Vedecom on a project whose goal is to recharge the batteries of an electric vehicle while it is driving. In recent days, the French brand carried out a test on a test track.

The dynamic charging demonstration took place on a 100-metre test track built by Vedecom at Satory, Versailles, near Paris. The test starred two Renault Kangoo Z.E. vehicles, which were able to recharge their batteries while driving at a speed of 100 km/h.

Vedecom will soon launch a new phase of tests. These tests will evaluate the operation and efficiency of energy transfer to vehicles across a wide range of scenarios, including the following: identification and access authorisation, agreement on the power level between the road and the vehicle, and speed and alignment of the vehicle with respect to the track.

The dynamic charging plan of Renault is part of the so-called FABRIC programme, a €9 million project partly funded by the European Union. The programme began in January 2014 and will continue until December 2017. It is organised by a consortium of 25 partners from nine European countries, including car manufacturers, equipment makers, service providers and research bodies specialising in automotive, road and energy infrastructure. The main objective of FABRIC is to measure the feasibility of dynamic wireless charging of electric vehicles in order to encourage the use of this type of car.

“Contributing to this exciting project has allowed us to test and keep pursuing dynamic charging in our Kangoo Z.E. vehicles,” says Eric Feunteun, director of the Electric Vehicles Programme at the Renault Group. “Our research engineers have worked closely with the Qualcomm Technologies and Vedecom teams to achieve a successful demonstration of the dynamic charging system for electric vehicles within the FABRIC framework. We see dynamic charging as a way to further improve the use of electric vehicles and their accessibility,” Feunteun concluded.