UPDATE: SAE J2954 Standard is now complete

by Ky Sealy, Sr. Principal Engineer, WiTricity

If there’s a standards update, you know you’ll hear from me sooner rather than later! The last time I posted something related to standards was about 18 months ago when SAE J2954 had an important update that included details on how to perform interoperability testing, along with other incremental updates and clarifications to the initial standard.

The standard has been updated again and can now be considered “complete.” But before we get into the update, it’s important to reiterate why standards are so important. With wireless EV charging now being developed by major auto manufacturers, standards help ensure that the receiving devices are interoperable with wireless charging transfer devices from other companies. Unlike the variety of plug-in chargers available – and the havoc that has created – standards for wireless charging make it easier for car manufacturers since they only have to deal with one standard when integrating wireless charging in their vehicles. It’s also easier for consumers. Standards protect the public’s interest with respect to how a system operates, its safety, and its reliability.

The primary update in this latest version of the SAE J2954 standard is the alignment methodology, which WiTricity is intimately familiar with. Prior to this update, the standard did not have a single common alignment methodology that could be used for all public wireless charging infrastructure. With this new standard in place, we can now be truly interoperable for both alignment and power transfer. As this methodology began to arrive into the standard, WiTricity began incorporating it into our system. All new releases of WiTricity’s wireless EV charging system will include this new alignment methodology – this allows the WiTricity infrastructure to be easily deployed both in private operation and public spaces.

In addition, the updated standard provides further clarification on electromagnetic field (EMF) measurement requirements and measurement techniques for region 1 – underneath the vehicle. The enhancement provides important additional details that set a precedence for how assessment is performed underneath the vehicle. You can rest assured that WiTricity’s solution meets all EMF requirements.

Beyond the major updates, the latest standard also provided editorials and clarifications to previous statements made, along with comments about future direction, including bidirectional charging. Yes, WiTricity is developing bidirectional charging so that all future releases will include this capability. Bidirectional charging – also called vehicle-to-grid or vehicle-to-home or vehicle-to-anything (V2X) – is essential to our future. It is capable of delivering limitless energy to feed the grid, power your home in an emergency, or shave off peak demands seen by the grid. By allowing the vehicle to store electricity during low energy demand periods, and then discharge it back to the grid or local loads in your home during peak demand periods, V2X reduces energy use during high-demand times. The result is less stress on our electric infrastructure and a huge reduction in “curtailed” or wasted energy production from renewables.

It’s important to keep in mind that the SAE J2954 standard is for light-duty vehicles. We look forward to continuing our work with standards committees worldwide as they create standards for heavy-duty vehicles and dynamic charging – all in the works. As I’ve said previously, we want to make wireless charging for electric vehicles something you don’t have to think about – you just park. Standards are part of what will get us there.