BMW 5-Series plug-in hybrid gets wireless home charging deal

BMW 5-Series plug-in hybrid wireless charging systemAmericans soon will have a fully automaker-supported car that supports inductive wireless charging. BMW announced Friday that it will soon offer inductive charging in the 2019 BMW 530e iPerformance. In BMW’s current nomenclature, that’s the plug-in hybrid version of its 5-Series sedan. The catch: You’ll need to live in one of 13...

Oslo plans to recharge electric taxis on the fly

Oslo taxi stand [Credit: Fortum]If ever there were an argument for wireless charging, taxis may be it. And as with most things in electric cars, if there's a way to demonstrate the technology in action, Norway may find it. That's the impetus behind the country's latest effort to equip all of Oslo's taxi stands with wireless chargers. The city announced the plan in March...

Do you look forward to home wireless charging? Twitter poll results

2018 BMW 530e iPerformance wireless chargingIn a study released on Tuesday, Volvo and its Harris polling partners found that 29 percent of electric-car drivers wished for more wireless charging. That may or may not be what our readers think. After one of the biggest suppliers of wireless charging, Qualcomm, announced last week that it would sell its Halo wireless charging business to rival...

Do you look forward to wireless charging at home? Take our Twitter poll

2018 BMW 530e iPerformance wireless chargingLast week, news came that could make finally help bring wireless charging to more electric-car drivers. Qualcomm, one of the biggest players sold its Halo wireless charging business to one of its biggest rivals, WiTricity. Not unlike DC fast charging, one of the biggest problems bringing the new technology into widespread use was competing...

Qualcomm sells wireless charging patents to WiTricity

2018 BMW 530e iPerformance wireless chargingIt's one of the worst nightmares for electric-car drivers: They go out to jump in their car, and somebody forgot to plug it in. Automakers and technology companies have talked for years about developing wireless charging, but it hasn't developed in part because of disagreements over standards, and, some would say, patents. CHECK OUT: How much does...

How much does wireless charging matter for electric cars? Poll results

2018 BMW 530e iPerformance wireless chargingThe announcements by BMW and Mercedes-Benz that they would offer wireless charging as an option next year raise a question for electric-car advocates. How important is the ability to recharge a vehicle without plugging in a cord? On the pro side, wireless charging may be easier for owners and drivers, who don't have to remember to plug in the...

How much does wireless charging matter for electric cars? Poll results

2018 BMW 530e iPerformance wireless chargingThe announcements by BMW and Mercedes-Benz that they would offer wireless charging as an option next year raise a question for electric-car advocates. How important is the ability to recharge a vehicle without plugging in a cord? On the pro side, wireless charging may be easier for owners and drivers, who don't have to remember to plug in the...