WiTricity, a trailblazer in wireless charging for electric vehicles, has developed a solution to the frustrations EV drivers have with plug-in chargers. American EV drivers must navigate a patchwork of public charging infrastructure with four different connectors while routinely dealing with broken equipment. Bulky cords present a trip hazard at public charging stations and at home. Cars shared by family members, employees, or customers aren’t plugged in when they should be. And since automakers haven’t standardized the location of the charging port on EVs, a driver may have to tailor how they park to accommodate the charging equipment. Dealing with these headaches is one of the major friction points of owning an EV.

WiTricity’s magnetic resonance technology allows a driver to simply park their EV over a charging pad and walk away knowing that their car will recharge with the same speed and efficiency as plugging in to Level 2 equipment. The first vehicles with this capability are now entering production in Asian markets. As automakers and Tier 1 suppliers look to differentiate their EVs with this leading-edge technology, it’s clear that EV shoppers understand and value the benefits that this technology provides. In fact, when asked to think about an electric vehicle with wireless charging capability, 96% of respondents indicate it is appealing, with 71% of participants saying the feature is extremely appealing.

According to the Department of Energy, most vehicle charging—more than 80%—happens at home, so it’s not surprising that 76% of EV shoppers want to use a wireless charging pad in their own garage or driveway. While they also expect to use wireless charging opportunities at public locations (68%), at work (60%), and in the parking lots of condo or apartment complexes (57%), they understand that the convenience of charging at home becomes even more convenient when it doesn’t involve a cord.

In addition, last-mile fleets can save up to 50% in Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) by adopting wireless charging. The use of wireless charging also puts less stress on the electrical grid. For instance, with the latest changes in our global weather, Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology is becoming more important. However, For V2G to be dependable, the vehicles need to be connected to the charger. Just as wireless charging will simplify connection of vehicles to the grid for charging purposes, it also simplifies connection to the grid for V2G purposes – nobody has to remember to plug in. While a driver with a fully charged battery would have little motivation to connect his or her car to the grid with a cumbersome charging cable while running errands, wireless charging and “power snacking” will make that well-charged battery available to the grid for V2G purposes.