Modelling inductive charging of electric cars in an experimental setup: teaching physics concepts in the context of electromobility

Abstract

Within the last 10 years, electromobilty has been and still is an emerging field of research. Besides the possibility of charging the batteries of the vehicles by cables, a lot of research has been conducted on charging them without cables. One of those possibilities is based on a wireless energy transfer using the physical phenomenon of induction, which is a relevant topic for all physics students. In this article, we present a modular experimental setup of an inductive chargeable car and of its charging station. Although a few articles discussing the concept of inductive charging for didactical reasons already exist, all of them focus on theoretical explanations or on practical realisations, but not with electromobility in mind. We present a new ansatz. We designed a sizeable, touchable model for showing the concept as well as the functionality of a technology that is an ongoing object of research. Likewise, we developed the modular experimental setup to have the opportunity to teach the physics phenomenon induction within the interesting and motivating context of electromobilty. Experiments, that students learning about induction could perform if given the modular experimental setup, are discussed. The paper is addressed to undergraduate students and educators teaching physics at university.