PR96429

WATERTOWN, Mass., June 9, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

  -- The companies will work together to drive adoption of open,

     interoperable standards in wireless charging for global electric

     vehicle (EV) infrastructure                      

  -- Siemens makes strategic investment in WiTricity and licenses

     their technology for future wireless EV charging products

Siemens invests $25 million and acquires a minority stake in U.S.-based

WiTricity, a wireless charging technology company. Siemens and WiTricity will

work together to drive innovation in the emerging market for wireless EV

charging. This market is expected to reach $2 billion by 2028 in Europe and

North America alone, according to Siemens' calculations. The two companies seek

to bridge the gaps in the global standardization of wireless charging for

electric passenger and light duty commercial vehicles, to enable

interoperability between vehicles and infrastructure, as well as support market

penetration. In addition, both parties will collaborate to advance the

technical development of wireless charging

systems.                              

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1835998/WiTricity_1.jpg

"Combining Siemens' global footprint and EV charging portfolio with WiTricity's

innovative technology is the first step towards elevating our offering in the

wireless charging space. This will speed up deployment of wireless charging

technology, support standardization, and advance public charging infrastructure

with interoperable solutions for drivers' convenience," said Markus Mildner,

CEO of Siemens eMobility.

Siemens will also become a technology license partner, benefitting from

WiTricity's deep know-how and decade-long collaboration with global automotive

OEMs to develop proven, field-tested, interoperable wireless charging solutions.

Innovative and proven technology

A charging pad mounted on or in the ground exchanges power with a receiving

coil attached on the underside of the EV. There are no moving parts or physical

connectors. Instead, a magnetic field transfers energy between the charging pad

and the vehicle coil when the vehicle is over the charging pad. The system uses

resonant induction between the charger and receiver in order to provide high

efficiency at a variety of ground clearances, from low-slung sports cars to

SUVs.

Cost-effective, global availability, addressing customer demands      

The ultimate goal of the collaboration is to accelerate the maturing of

wireless charging technologies together with OEMs and infrastructure partners

to simultaneously ensure their cost-effective availability worldwide. A recent

survey of more than 1,000 current and future EV owners interested in purchasing

an EV in the next two years indicated that wireless charging was one of the

highest-rated add- ons and a more preferred option to other amenities,

including park-assist, performance, or premium audio packages.  

"Wireless charging enables a driver to just park and walk away, returning to a

charged vehicle. Wireless charging makes EVs more appealing for individual

owners and more cost-effective for commercial operators. We are excited to

partner with a leader like Siemens to help drive this new world of compelling

solutions," said Alex Gruzen, CEO of WiTricity. "Siemens and WiTricity share

the goal of improving EV ownership and fleet management with the matchless

simplicity and reliability of wireless charging".

Eliminating autonomous vehicle friction points  

For autonomous vehicles to fulfill their promise key friction points will need

to be removed, such as charging, which today still requires human intervention.

Wireless power transfer will be the key technology to enable contactless

automatic charging with least maintenance requirements and pave the way to an

all-electric, fully autonomous mobility future.

This press release and a press picture is available at https://sie.ag/3xzfdOz

For further information on Siemens emobility, please see

https://new.siemens.com/global/en/products/energy/medium-voltage/solutions/emobility.html

About WiTricity

WiTricity ( http://www.witricity.com/ ) is the trailblazer in wireless charging

for electric vehicles, leading the development and implementation of magnetic

resonance technology across passenger and commercial vehicles alike. The

company's technology is backed by an extensive patent portfolio and is the

foundation for ratified global EV wireless charging standards including SAE,

ISO, and GB. Automakers and Tier 1 suppliers turn to WiTricity to help

accelerate the adoption of EVs by eliminating the hassle of plug-in charging,

setting the stage for future autonomy.

Source - WiTricity

CONTACT: Siemens AG Christian S. Wilson, Phone: +49 172 138 5608, E-mail:

christian_stuart.wilson@siemens.com; WiTricity Kaitlin Jarvis, Phone: +1

256-361-9396, E-mail: witricity@telemetryagency.com