Are middle-class consumers who buy all-electric Porsches going to pay for wireless charging piles this time?

To be honest, many car manufacturers have tried wireless charging piles, but I somehow feel that only Porsche matches it the best.

At the just - concluded Munich Auto Show, Porsche showcased its own wireless charging system, "Porsche Wireless Charging". And it used a Cayenne Electric that supports wireless charging for the demonstration.

Due to the integrated design, this charging system looks much simpler than a charging pile. It only consists of a charging base and a cable. Devices such as the control unit and the charging induction coil are all integrated into the base.

The official said that this system can be used in a 240V environment and can operate in an environment of -40°C to 50°C. It also has a certain waterproof function.

In the demonstration scenario, the driver manually maneuvers the vehicle and aligns it with the indicator line in the front - camera view of the vehicle. Then, slowly drives the front of the car onto the charging pad and aligns the induction coil between the front wheels with the charging base. The size of the induction coil is about 1/3 of the vehicle's width.

After the vehicle detects that it can be wirelessly charged, the suspension will automatically lower its height. After reaching 10 - 15 centimeters above the ground, charging starts. Within a few seconds after charging begins, the power reaches a peak of 11 kw.

The system is also equipped with a foreign object and living - being detection function. When a foreign object is detected in the energy field, charging will immediately stop to ensure safety.

Schematic diagram of the automotive wireless charging system

However, this wireless charging function is not a standard feature but an optional extra that you have to pay for. The charging base on the ground costs 5000 euros, and the in - vehicle induction part costs 2000 euros. The whole set costs about 58,000 RMB, not including the installation fee.

The above picture shows the base

The following picture shows the in - vehicle induction module

Well, luckily, the Cayenne comes with standard air suspension. Otherwise, adding wireless charging would mean another big - ticket option...

Looking at this price, ordinary consumers like us are a bit stunned.

You know, a colleague in our editorial department spent more than 200,000 yuan on a Zeekr. Then, he thought the official charging pile that cost 3000 yuan was too expensive and instead bought a Bull charging pile for more than 1000 yuan...

But this is Porsche, and they have a very accurate understanding of their users.

First of all, according to Porsche's own statistics, 75% of Porsche's new energy vehicles are charged at home. Wireless charging is a perfect fit for Porsche owners with independent garages.

Secondly, according to McKinsey's research, owners of luxury brands like Porsche most desire to "feel special" and "experience advanced technology". Spending some money on an advanced and comfortable experience might just hit the spot for them.

However, it's really hard to say how many wealthy customers will choose this option.

After all, automotive wireless charging is not something new. In principle, it's even the same as that used in mobile phones...

After an alternating current is supplied to the base, an alternating magnetic field is formed. When this magnetic field passes through the in - vehicle induction coil, an induced current consistent with the change in the magnetic field is also generated. After a series of processes, the vehicle can be charged.

Schematic diagram of wireless charging by @Engineering Explained

The advantages are obvious. You can start charging as soon as you park, no need to plug and unplug, the parking space is tidy, and it can reduce wear and tear on the charging port.

Of course, the disadvantages are also obvious. Firstly, you must park the vehicle precisely; otherwise, the charging efficiency will be low. Secondly, the energy loss is relatively high. Although Porsche claims that they have controlled the energy loss to 10%, this figure is just average among wired home - charging devices. For example, Tesla has controlled the loss to 7%... There are also issues such as poor brand compatibility and foreign objects affecting charging.

Attenuation of wired home - charging piles measured by ADAC

Porsche is not the first to try wireless charging. Other car manufacturers have also attempted it earlier, but to put it mildly, they haven't achieved much...

Let's not talk about Hyundai and Nissan from a long time ago as there's no further news. Just look at recent years. For example, in 2022, Volvo conducted an outdoor pilot project for urban and taxi use. After three years of operation, the growth was slow, with the number of charging stations increasing from 2 to 3...

BMW also tried a 3.6 - kw wireless home - charging pile on the 530e iPerformance plug - in hybrid vehicle, but consumers weren't interested, and it was never promoted as a mainstream option.

Even Tesla once said that they hold several wireless - charging patents, but so far, we haven't seen their wireless chargers anywhere...

Even the domestic brand IM L7 offered wireless charging as an optional extra when it was first launched. The whole set cost nearly 18,000 yuan. Maybe not many people chose it, as we haven't heard the people from IM mention it in the past few years.

Sharing from an IM L7 owner

So, it's not that no one has tried this technology. It's just that the "adaptability" varies greatly in different scenarios.

In the application of wireless charging, Porsche is performing a smooth combination of "brand image" and "application scenarios". It emphasizes the advantages of the application scenario and downplays the disadvantages of energy loss and high price.

As for whether it will be a big hit, Brother Neck thinks that there will indeed be people who choose it to "avoid wrestling with the charging cable".

But Porsche owners don't get their money easily. So, we can only wait for Porsche to announce the sales of this option to judge whether Porsche's approach will work...

Of course, automotive wireless charging technology isn't just for the wealthy with independent garages. There's another option that concerns ordinary people - the "dynamic charging solution".

Those who have played "Death Stranding" should know that in the game, the middle of the road is a charging area, and cars can be charged while driving.

For example, in Sweden, the Electreon company has paved two sections of charging roads on a road from the city to the airport. These are specifically for public transport vehicles with fixed routes, such as buses and trucks.

It's like everyone is sitting in a "million - yuan luxury car" that can be wirelessly charged on their commute.

However, some readers might have noticed the problem when looking at the picture. Yes, building this requires repaving the road. The cost of 10 million euros per kilometer almost doubles the operating cost of public transportation.

Even the Swedish government, which is aggressive in the electrification transformation, cut the dynamic charging road project last year due to budget issues and turned to static charging station projects.

So, Brother Neck wants to say that whether it's for home - use static charging or road - based dynamic charging, the key to commercial implementation is no longer whether the technology works but "where it can operate most stably and economically". At present, the application of wireless home - charging piles like Porsche's does seem to have an edge.

Perhaps in the future, we might