Tesla is reportedly in the process of acquiring German-based EV wireless charging company Wiferion, which could lead the American EV company to roll out a wireless home charging solution in the future, according to the German edition of Business Insider.
As per the source, Wiferion will offload its business to Tesla International BV, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tesla Inc. that operates out of the Netherlands, a filing with the German Commercial Register shows.
Teslarati writes that Business Insider asked two Wiferion investors if the sale was taking place, and they confirmed but would not say what company the deal would be with.
In the United States, Wiferion is active through a global licensing agreement from last year with WiTricity, which granted it access to its portfolio of patented intellectual properties to further develop its wireless charging capabilities for electrical industrial devices including robots and transport carts.
Gallery: WiTricity Charging Solutions
After announcing the agreement, WiTricity unveiled a Tesla Model 3 prototype that could charge at up to 11 kilowatts of power through the Halo wireless charging system, resulting in a range increase of about 35-40 miles per hour.
This, the company said back then, is on par with Level 2 AC plug-in chargers, and a quick visit to Tesla’s online accessories shop confirms this, with its Wall Connector advertised as being able to add up to 44 miles of range per hour.
If the report proves to be true, it indicates that the maker of the Model Y could look further into offering its customers a wireless charging solution. Back in March, during the 2023 Investor Day event, Tesla showed an image of a red Model S that was apparently charging wirelessly from a floor-mounted pad connected to a wall-mounted charger.
The tease appeared on a slide used by Tesla’s Head of Global Charging Infrastructure Rebecca Tinucci to remind everyone that the company doesn’t “forget to do cool s***.” Besides the wireless charging pad, the Austin-based firm also showed a rendering of a potential Tesla diner where EV drivers could hang out and get something to eat while waiting for their vehicles’ batteries to top up.
As always, we’d like to know what you think about this: would this sort of solution be better for Tesla owners if the price was right? Let us know in the comments below.
