Starting in 2023, the Tokyo Motor Show will be revamped from the previous “Tokyo Motor Show” to the “JAPAN MOBILITY SHOW” with the aim of realizing a co-creation platform originating from the mobility industry. This event alternates between business events and showcase events every year. The second event since the revamp, “JAPAN MOBILITY SHOW BIZWEEK 2024,” was held as a business event.
This year’s “JAPAN MOBILITY SHOW BIZWEEK 2024” was held in conjunction with the main event, the comprehensive technology and industry exhibition “CEATEC 2024 (Note 1)” (admission to both events is free). Compared to “CEATEC 2024,” which took up exhibition halls 2 to 8, “JAPAN MOBILITY SHOW BIZWEEK 2024” was a small-scale event taking up only exhibition hall 1, but the booths showcased noteworthy models and products that each company had developed using their own ideas and ingenuity.
※注1：「CEATEC（シーテック）」は2024年で25周年を迎える技術・産業の総合展示会。「Toward Society 5.0」をコンセプトに、経済発展と社会課題の解決を両立する「Society 5.0」の実現を目指したソリューションなどが集結。2024年はAIを中心とした出展が多く、25周年特別企画「AI for All」も話題を呼んだ。
JAPAN MOBILITY SHOW BIZWEEK 2024
What is Wireless Power Transmission (WPT) developed by Power Wave in Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture?
Power Wave, located in Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture, is proposing a new standard for supplying power to a world that continues to move with waves, addressing global issues such as global warming and the depletion of fossil fuels. They are currently researching and developing the core infrastructure of the future, focusing on wireless power transmission technology.
The company has developed a unique system called Wireless Power Transfer (WPT), a groundbreaking cutting-edge technology that transmits power wirelessly.
To date, the company has succeeded in battery-less driving of EVs, powering drones while parked, and charging electric kick scooters while stationary. At this year’s show, the company unveiled an automatic charging system for shared micromobility that can charge electric kick scooters even if parking the vehicle is somewhat complicated (even if the parking angle is slightly different).
ビジネス向けイベントとして開催された今回の「JAPAN MOBILITY SHOW BIZWEEK 2024」。「Power Wave」のブースは一コマの小規模出展だったが、訪れる業界関係者が後を絶たず（実際、取材までの待ち時間も長かった）。現況、一般における同社の知名度は低いが、業界各社の注目度と期待度は極めて高いという印象を受けた。We hope to see it introduced in multi-story parking lots and on public roads in the future!
The key point of this system is that it has a wide tolerance for misalignment, allowing automatic charging even when the vehicle used for sharing is returned roughly.The demonstration experiment using the shared kick scooter “Luup” shown in the photo is as follows.
・In October 2023, the vehicle will travel a total of 1,000 km using wireless power in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo.
– In January 2024, Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture, will allow the general public to use the public roads.
In the future, it is expected that robots will be used in shared vehicle services such as electric kick scooters and electrically assisted bicycles, as well as in factories and warehouses. They are also expected to be used in flat and multi-story parking lots in apartment complexes and condominiums, and even on public roads (through the development of infrastructure that supplies power while driving).
At first glance, it looks like an ordinary shared kick scooter (the vehicle body is a Luup), but it is wirelessly charged by the black part on the floor (the power transmission board) and the power receiving board attached to the underside of the vehicle. The power transmission board placed on the floor is thin and easy to set up. If there is a power source nearby, you can simply place it and it will be ready to go.
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The power transmission plate uses an “electric field coupling method” that allows charging simply by parking. The key point of this system is that it has a wide tolerance for misalignment, allowing automatic charging even when the vehicle is returned roughly.
The receiving plate attached to the bottom of the vehicle has a compact shape designed for micromobility.
How Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) works
1: Convert commercial power into high-frequency power
2: High frequency power is transmitted from the power transmission board to the power receiving board
3: Converts high-frequency power into DC power to drive the motor
Here are the key points of “Wireless Power Transfer (WPT)”!
1: Resistant to misalignment
It has a wide power supply range in the direction of travel, and is resistant to misalignment not only when moving but also when parked. It boasts a wide power supply tolerance range, even for autonomous driving and mobility vehicles roughly parked by people, and is capable of automatic charging. Another feature is the high degree of freedom in the shape of the power receiving plate.
2: Can power multiple devices
By recognizing the target device and controlling the power supply, it is possible to simultaneously power multiple different robots and mobility devices. This technology is aimed at real social infrastructure.
3: The infrastructure cost burden is extremely low
The structure is lightweight and practical. Other than the inverter, the only thing that needs to be installed on the floor or road is to lay steel plates, so compared to other methods, it is a technology that requires less cost for both installation and maintenance.
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What are the advantages of Wireless Power Transfer (WPT)?
1: Reduced workload
No human intervention is required for power supply. Wireless power supply is an essential technology for the labor-saving required for future electric mobility, such as autonomous driving and power supply to things that continue to work efficiently.
2: Places where wired power supply is not possible can be turned into power supply spots!
Places that were previously thought to be impossible, such as on-the-go charging on roads and in factories, and in mobile multi-story parking garages, will become charging spots.
3: Lighter and cheaper batteries
Since it is possible to supply power while the vehicle is running and to supply power frequently, the battery installed in the vehicle can be made smaller, lighter, and cheaper.
What is the “capacitive coupling” power transmission method used by Power Wave?
The above-mentioned wireless power transfer (WPT) uses a method called “capacitive coupling.” “Capacitive coupling” is a wireless power supply method that transmits high-frequency power through changes in the electric field. It is characterized by applying a high-frequency voltage to the electrode on the transmitting side to generate an electric field.
This electric field is transmitted to the receiving electrode, changing the electric field and transmitting energy as a displacement current. This displacement current differs from conduction current, which flows at low frequencies, in that it can transmit energy through insulators such as air and asphalt. The key to understanding circuit operation is to make the structure an equivalent circuit in an electrical circuit and liken the electric field coupling between the electrodes to a capacitor.
Advantages of the capacitive coupling method
The electric field coupling method transmits power using the overlapping area between the power transmitting electrode and the power receiving electrode, making it possible to realize a simple and flexible structure. This structure is convenient for supplying power over a wide, long range, and by installing a long power transmitting electrode and a short power receiving electrode on the vehicle, it is possible to realize charging while parked, which is resistant to misalignment, and low-cost power supply while driving.
Furthermore, this method has the characteristic of reducing current and increasing voltage, which reduces Joule heat generation and achieves low loss. Furthermore, the magnetic field generated by the current is small, which suppresses induction heating caused by eddy currents. Because conductors can be used as shielding materials for the electric field, shielding is relatively easy, and thin, lightweight, and inexpensive structures can be expected.
Issues with capacitive coupling
Since the capacitive coupling method uses high power supply frequencies in the MHz range, high-frequency circuit technology is essential. Also, power electronics circuit technology is important because it supplies power to vehicles equipped with batteries and motors.
By utilizing these technologies, Power Wave will put into practical use the electric field coupling transmission method by designing power conversion circuits that operate high-speed, high-power semiconductors with high efficiency, and control circuits that respond to changes in load. It will also build the core infrastructure of the future with high-power in-motion power supply.
Constant wireless power supply from the road surface! 5x faster charging speed. High-speed charging & high-capacity wireless charging device for EVs | Japan Mobility Show 2023 [Mitsubishi Fuso]We bring you the Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus booth from the Japan Mobility Show (formerly the Tokyo Motor Show), which was held (open to the public) from Saturday, October 28th to Sunday, November 5th, 2023. PHOTO/REPORT●KITA Hideaki Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus https://www.mitsubishi-fuso.com/ *The article content was revised on November 15th, 2023.
Air-conditioned two-seater electric mobility vehicle! Two front wheels and one rear wheel, leaning the body to corner | Japan Mobility Show 2024“JAPAN MOBILITY SHOW BIZWEEK 2024” was held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture from Tuesday, October 15th to Friday, October 18th, 2024. It featured electric vehicles (EVs) and hydrogen-fueled mobility aimed at achieving “carbon-free” mobility. The event also featured exhibits of items and tools utilizing cutting-edge technologies such as AI, showcasing unique models and products packed with ingenuity. Here, we introduce a three-wheeled mobility vehicle with a “box cart” (a vehicle with a full-circle cabin) that can bank like a motorcycle when cornering, can carry two people, can avoid traffic jams, is protected from the wind and rain, and is comfortable and air-conditioned. PHOTO/REPORT: KITA Hideaki, Lean Mobility https://leanmobility.net/jp/
