Halo WEVC consists of two parts: a charging plate that attaches to the bottom of the vehicle, and a charging mat that can be placed on or below the ground. Inductive charging uses magnetism to transfer power, and a Qualcomm representative tells PCWorld that Halo WEVC can transfer up to 3.5 kilowatts of power at greater than 90 percent efficiency–that’s as good as, or even better, than wired charging.
In other words, the car should charge as fast wirelessly as it would if it were wired. The representative also tells PCWorld that the technology is very tolerant, so it’s not necessary to park the car precisely over the mat, just "close enough."
While Halo WEVC is still in prototype mode, Qualcomm has announced that it will launch a trial of the prototype in London. The trial will span two years and involve about 50 cars. If successful, we can expect to see the technology in the consumer market. Qualcomm initially plans to license the technology to automakers, who will integrate the charging plate on the bottom of electric vehicles and include a portable charging mat.
