No more cables: Porsche unveils an inductive charging system
Ahead of the 2025 Munich Motor Show, which will take place from September 9 to 14, Porsche today announced a new induction charging system for electric vehicles with the intention of becoming the first car manufacturer to market this alternative to charging stations and power outlets.
The system will debut with the upcoming electric Porsche Cayenne, which will make its world premiere in late 2025. It will be available for order online or through Porsche retailers in Europe sometime in 2026. Other markets will follow, but no further details are available for Canada.
How does it work?
Porsche's goal is obviously to make charging easier for electric vehicle owners, who, according to a study by the manufacturer, charge their vehicles at home 80% to 90% of the time.
Measuring 117 x 78 x 6 cm and weighing 50 kg (110 lb), the induction charging pad can be easily installed in a garage, carport, or even an open-air parking space (since it is weather-resistant). As you might expect, it requires a charging module underneath the vehicle, specifically between the front wheels, so current Porsche electric vehicles are not compatible.
To start charging, the Cayenne (in this case) must be positioned directly above the induction plate using the 360-degree camera system, then lowered using the air suspension to get within a few centimeters of the plate to allow energy to be transferred via a magnetic field. The user does not need to do anything else.
Incidentally, the plate has a motion and object detector that interrupts the process if necessary, for example if a pet wants to rest on it. Charging control and monitoring, including cabin preconditioning, can be done in real time and easily via the My Porsche app.
Is it effective?
Porsche's induction plate provides up to 11 kW, which is equivalent to a conventional AC charging station. According to the company, the efficiency of energy transfer between the plate and the battery can reach 90%.
Engineers have also provided LTE/WLAN connectivity, so that remote updates can be made to the plate over time.
As for fast charging at DC stations, Porsche says the future electric Cayenne will be able to draw up to 400 kW, which exceeds the most powerful public stations currently available in North America (350 kW), with the exception of the 500 kW stations at the Gravity Charging Center in Los Angeles.
