Tsz ho “Zion” Tse, an assistant professor in the College of Engineering, received $40,000 from Georgia Power to study the implementation of wireless charging electric vehicles.
Tse will develop a charger for the Nissan Leaf electrical vehicle and pilot test the technology on the UGA campus. Based on magnetic inductive coupling, this emerging technology improves on the traditional plug type of charging station, as it may one day allow electric vehicles to be charged through roadway surfaces. Charging through the roadway means that buses and cars would be able to charge more easily and frequently, as the stations could be installed in multiple locations along high-traffic areas where buses and cars stop normally during the workday. More frequent charging means battery size in vehicles can be reduced, making them lighter and more efficient.