Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Wireless Power Transmission Technology Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Wireless Power Transmission Technology As the automotive industry and related manufacturing sectors were all focused on He Xingzhou’s next live broadcast, He Xingzhou was in the research institute with his research team studying wireless charging technology.
Their wireless charging was not like the short-distance wireless charging for portable electronic products such as phones, but a higher power technology for charging metal-air batteries.
He Xingzhou envisioned that his Electromagnetic Floating Car could adopt multiple charging methods.
One being the most traditional, using a charging pile. This would undoubtedly reduce the efficiency of logistics and transportation, so an improved solution was battery cell replacement. Replacing the metal-air battery cells could revive the battery “fully charged” in just ten seconds!
They could currently achieve both these methods, yet He Xingzhou was still not satisfied.
He hoped that the maglev vehicles could achieve completely seamless charging, which is where high-power wireless charging technology comes in.
“Consuming 100 energy units, short-distance wireless power transmission technology unlocked.” He Xingzhou unlocked this technology on the tech tree.
For this technology, there were also mid-range, long-range, and even light-year distance super long-range energy transmission methods available.
For example, using light as a “wave” to transmit energy and so forth. This technology would also be required for constructing the Dyson Sphere in the future.
What He Xingzhou had unlocked was the ability to perform short-distance energy transmission using electromagnetic fields.
After absorbing and mastering this knowledge, He Xingzhou convened a research meeting.
“Gentlemen.” The meeting room was filled with electrical engineers and scientists, most of whom came from the National Grid and institutions researching electricity and electromagnetism.
“I believe, since maglev vehicles require magnetic materials to be laid on the roads, we can further modify these magnetic materials on the roads,” He Xingzhou shared his design plan for everyone to review.
“Back in 1890, Nikola Tesla conducted experiments on wireless power transfer. He envisioned using Earth as an inner conductor and the Earth’s ionosphere as an outer conductor, establishing low-frequency resonance of about 8Hz between Earth and the ionosphere through a magnified transmitter operating in radial electromagnetic oscillation mode, utilizing surface electromagnetic waves surrounding Earth to transmit energy.”
“This idea was too avant-garde and, although it was not completed, later scientists theorized that using free-space waveguide beam waves could achieve nearly 100% transmission efficiency.”
“What I envision now is placing a device on the magnetic roads, which would allow magnetic resonance between the Electromagnetic Floating Car and the road. This section of the road connects to the grid, transmitting electrical energy to the wireless energy receiver of the Electromagnetic Floating Car through magnetic field resonance, converting it into electric energy and storing it in the battery.”
“This way, our maglev vehicles need not stop to charge or replace batteries! They can charge while moving, maximizing logistics efficiency!”
At that moment, no one responded to his speech, as all the experts were reading the material he distributed, titled “Design Scheme for Short-Distance Electromagnetic Coupling Induction Wireless Power Transmission System.”
After a full half-hour, people began to speak up gradually.
“From a theoretical point of view, there is absolutely no problem!” murmured one power expert.
“We have always been researching wireless power transmission technology, but it is based on transmitting microwave energy as electromagnetic waves, converting it into a small amount of electrical energy. This amount of electrical energy can barely charge a phone battery to full. The power of the wireless power transmission in Mr. He’s plan is at least a thousand times ours!” An engineer from the National Grid, holding the document plan, trembled with excitement.
“According to this plan, not only can we create wireless power transmissions between roads and Electromagnetic Floating Cars, but we can also create short-range wireless power transmission devices!”
“In some special regions of our country, laying power lines and grids is very troublesome. If we designed wireless power transmission towers using this technology, wouldn’t it reduce our costs by more than eighty percent?”
These experts had already begun to think divergently, envisioning various application scenarios for this technology.
“Yes, once this technology is widely deployed, traditional electric cars could also use it. Plus, other electronic products—if safety can be ensured—could be completely utilized in household living.”
“In a residential area, there’s even no need for electrical wiring. By building a wireless power transmission tower in the residential area, and just installing a wireless power receiving device at home, everyone can have electricity!”
“All electrical appliances and smart devices will change because of this! They’ll become more convenient and easier to use!”
They became more and more excited, even beginning to discuss the construction of a nationwide wireless power transmission network.
He Xingzhou had a smile on his face; this was exactly the effect he wanted to achieve.
Manufacturing electromagnetic floating cars was merely a stage goal. During the process to achieve this goal, the various technologies developed were his true purpose.
These technologies, applied in various aspects, could propel the overall scientific and technological level of the entire country!
“Cough cough,” He Xingzhou interrupted their discussion, saying: “Everyone, don’t get too excited just yet.”
“This short-distance wireless power transmission is still not up to the standard of constructing a power grid, and its safety among other aspects needs further research and improvement.”
“You can continue to delve deeper into this research, but before that, we need to first come up with a laboratory version of the wireless charging magnetic roadway.”
“Yes, yes, yes! Rome wasn’t built in a day, let’s first get this wireless charging for the electromagnetic floating car sorted out; it’s also a technological reserve for constructing a national wireless network!”
They actually reminded He Xingzhou that his plan should include constructing a nationwide wireless power transmission grid! Even a planetary wireless network that encompasses the whole Earth!
He himself also needed to unlock the medium-distance wireless power transmission technology, then discuss it with the Xuanwu Executive Officers.
Everyone calmed down and started to meticulously analyze and discuss how to charge electromagnetic floating cars while they were in motion.
“Laying charging pathways throughout all roads is unrealistic, the cost is too high. We can set specific sections as charging paths; when electromagnetic floating cars enter these sections, they will automatically start charging, and a charging protection mode will be set up, along with various safety facilities.”
“If it’s a stormy day with lightning, will the charging be affected by the stormy weather, and should we stop charging?”
“How can we prevent a single vehicle accident from affecting the charging of other electromagnetic floating cars on the road or the roadway itself?”
Even with the technology, they must develop a complete plan to implement it.
Meanwhile, in the autonomous driving technology group, researchers were also making improvements to the autonomous driving systems.
Currently, the international classification of autonomous driving technology is divided into six levels: L0 (no automation); L1 (driver-assist features); L2 (partial automation); L3 (conditional automation); L4 (high automation); and L5 (full automation).
Experts in He Xingzhou’s team, based on their existing research results, were already capable of achieving L4 high automation.
There is still a gap to L5 full automation, but implementing L5-level full automation on electromagnetic floating cars is somewhat easier than on traditional cars.
Because electromagnetic floating cars must travel on magnetic roads, this isolates many complex driving scenarios; their speed and control adjustments make it necessary for them to be integrated into the intelligent traffic network for unified control. Thus, achieving L5-level autonomous driving for electromagnetic floating cars has become the easiest research aspect in this project, unexpectedly not requiring He Xingzhou’s personal involvement.
Everything was progressing in an intense and orderly manner—He Xingzhou’s electromagnetic floating car is about to be unveiled!