500kW wireless charging keeps electric trucks working in bitter cold
The wireless charging experts at Ideanomics’ WAVE division want you to remember that high-speed inductive EV charging is ready for prime time – even in extremely cold weather conditions.
WAVE uses a charging “plate” that’s embedded beneath the surface of the road, and works with a second charging plate on the bottom of the vehicle to transmit current to the vehicles’s battery through induction (read: magnets). Several such plates are now in place at the Port of Long Beach and Port of Los Angeles, aimed at mitigating emissions. This initiative acknowledges the transportation industry’s historical status as the largest contributor (27%) to greenhouse gases in both the US and Europe.
In the case of the Port of Los Angeles, 125 kW, 250 kW, 380 kW, and even 500 kW stalls are already in place – which is all well and good for Los Angeles, but how will the system work in regions with more extreme winter weather?
WAVE wireless charging pad
With the backing of an $8.4 million US Department of Energy (DoE) grant, a 500kW WAVE wireless charger is undergoing deployment at a Venture Logistics facility in the Midwest, operating in challenging low-negative temperatures.
Upon completion later this quarter, the WAVE 500kW charging system will provide power to two of Venture’s Class 8 electric semi trucks. Executives from both companies envision this project as a pioneering example of high-power wireless charging enhancing zero-emission capabilities in cold climates. The system aims to address challenges posed by ice and snow, eliminating the need for handling heavy high-power charging cables in low temperatures and on dangerous, icy surfaces.
“Our demonstration project with Venture Logistics will show that for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles that demand perpetual operations and require charging infrastructure, wireless charging is the most effective solution at scale,” said Robin Mackie, COO of Ideanomics, WAVE’s parent company. “We’re (going to be) demonstrating that electric heavy-duty vehicles can operate continuously, recharging during their regular operations … fleet operators enhance efficiency by eliminating vehicle downtime spent refueling or connecting to a central depot.”
Electrek’s Take
WAVE’s VP of Business Development Ben Auslander was our very first guest on The Heavy Equipment Podcast last summer, and we spent our time together going over all manner of pros and cons related to wireless charging for commercial EV fleets. The biggest surprise for me: how wireless charging can solve union disputes.
Depending on the language specified in a particular union’s employee contracts, the act of physically plugging in an electric truck or yard jockey might be prohibited for stevedores at ports. This restriction can create yet another staffing and labor challenge for port operators and fleet managers. The implementation of a wireless charging pad, either embedded in a parking spot or facilitating charging while a truck waits in line for container handling or port exit, elegantly addresses this issue at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.
Here’s hoping it can solve that problem at -10°, too.
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Environment
Baidu- and Geely-backed JiYue brand unveils ROBO X EV that goes 0-100 km/h in under 1.9 sec
JiYue, a Chinese EV brand focused on delivering all-electric “robocars” to the masses, has unveiled its latest model, and it’s quite a deviation from its previous EVs—but in the best way. Earlier today, JiYue launched the ROBO X supercar, designed for high-speed racing. By high speed, we mean 0-100 km/h acceleration in under 1.9 seconds. My mouth is watering.
JiYue has only existed since 2021, when parent tech company Baidu announced it was expanding from software development into physical EV production, joining forces with multinational automotive manufacturer Geely.
The new “robotic EV” marque initially launched as JIDU with $300 million in startup capital before garnering an additional $400 million in Series A funding, led by Baidu, in January 2022.
In August 2023, Geely took on a larger role in JIDU alongside a greater financial stake as the brand reimagined itself as JiYue, inheriting the JIDU logo and its flagship model, the 01 ROBOCAR.
In December 2023, Baidu and Geely unveiled a second model called the JiYue 07. It was born from JIDU’s ROBO-02 concept, which debuted in 2023 and was designed to compete against the Tesla Model 3 in China.
The 07 finally launched in China earlier this year with 545 miles of range. With an all-electric SUV and sedan on the market, JiYue has unveiled an exciting new entry in the form of a performance supercar called the ROBO X. Check it out:
JiYue’s new ROBO X EV is available for pre-order now
JiYue showcased its new ROBO X hypercar in front of the crowd at the 2024 Guangzhou Auto Show earlier today. Similar to previous models but with a unique spin, JiYue described the ROBO X as an AI smart-driving supercar that, for the first time, blends artificial intelligence and autonomous driving into a high-performance, race-ready EV.
When we say “high performance,” we mean a quad motor liquid-cooled drive system that can propel the ROBO X from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in under 1.9 seconds. JiYue called the new ROBO X a “performance beast” with “the perfect balance of excellent aerodynamic performance and high downforce.” JiYue CEO Joe Xia was even bolder in his statements about the ROBO X:
For the next 20 years, the design of supercars will bear the shadow of Robo X. This is the best design in the history of Chinese automobiles today, and it is a landmark presence.
Fighter-style airflow ducts bolster the EV’s aerodynamics, efficiency, and overall posture. Per JiYue, the two-seater ROBO X is expected to deliver a maximum range of over 650 km (404 miles).
The new supercar features falcon-wing doors, a carbon fiber integrated frame, and a professional racing HALO safety system offering 360° of support. The interior features an AI smart cockpit with SIMO real-time feedback to give drivers an immersive racing experience.
Furthermore, JiYue said the vehicle will utilize parent company Baidu’s Apollo self-driving technology, which could make it the first electric supercar to apply pure-vision ADAS technology that enables track-level autonomous driving.
Following today’s unveiling of the ROBO X, JiYue has officially opened up pre-orders in China for RMB 49,999 ($6,915). That said, reservation holders will need to be patient as JiYue shared that it doesn’t expect to begin mass production of the ROBO X until 2027.
What do you think? Will people be talking about the ROBO X for the next 20 years?
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This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes the launch of the Lectric XPedition 2.0, Yamaha e-bikes pulling out of North America, LiveWire unveils an electric scooter concept, PNY readying its cargo e-scooters for pilot testing, Royal Enfield’s first electric motorcycle, and more.
The Wheel-E podcast returns every two weeks on Electrek’s YouTube channel, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We also have a Patreon if you want to help us to avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the Wheel-E podcast today:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 9:30 a.m. ET (or the video after 10:30 a.m. ET):
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Crude oil futures were on pace Friday for loss for the week, as a supply gut and a strong dollar depresses the market.
U.S. crude oil is down more than 2% this week, while Brent has shed nearly 2%.
Here are Friday’s energy prices:
- West Texas Intermediate December contract: $68.56 per barrel, down 14 cents, or 0.2%. Year to date, U.S. crude oil has shed about 4%.
- Brent January contract: $72.36 per barrel, down 20 cents, or 0.28%. Year to date, the global benchmark has lost nearly 6%.
- RBOB Gasoline December contract: $1.99 per gallon, up 0.46%. Year to date, gasoline has fallen more than 1%.
- Natural Gas December contract: $2.70 per thousand cubic feet, down 2.98%. Year to date, gas has gained more than 4%.
The International Energy Agency has forecast a surplus of more than 1 million barrels per day in 2025 on robust production in the U.S. OPEC revised down its demand forecast for the fourth consecutive month as demand in China remains soft.
A strong dollar also hangs over the market, as the greenback has surged in the wake of President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory.
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