WiTricity, a company based in Massachusetts, has announced its role as one of the founding members of the Japanese EV Wireless Power Transfer Council. This newly established council also includes notable organizations such as Daihen Corporation, Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc., Mitsubishi Research Institute, Ltd., and Sinanen Corporation. The aim of this initiative is to facilitate the adoption of wireless electric vehicle (EV) charging technologies in Japan.
Alex Gruzen, CEO of WiTricity, emphasized the importance of the council’s formation for the advancement of the wireless charging industry in Japan. He expressed that collaboration with Japanese industry leaders would promote wireless charging and vehicle-to-grid technology, support new business models, and encourage broader deployment.
Additionally, WiTricity disclosed plans to establish a Japanese subsidiary, WiTricity Japan KK, to enhance its operations and better serve its Japanese customers. The new subsidiary aims to help Japan advance beyond current technologies and provide a cutting-edge EV ownership experience. With a physical presence in Japan, WiTricity believes it can better anticipate and meet the specific needs of the local market, particularly in fostering rapid adoption of wireless charging solutions.
The urgency for EV adoption in Japan is also driven by government-led decarbonization policies and the introduction of advanced EVs by Japanese automotive manufacturers for both private and commercial use. Japan faces unique challenges such as space constraints in large cities, making traditional plug-in charging stations less feasible. Wireless charging offers a space-efficient alternative and can be integrated into automated parking systems, reducing the need for manual interaction.
For commercial applications, wireless charging presents operational cost benefits, especially for electric fleet operations such as package delivery. Furthermore, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology supported by WiTricity could transform vehicle batteries into on-demand energy storage resources for virtual power plants, enhancing grid resilience and promoting environmental sustainability.
WiTricity has also engaged with various standards bodies to ensure that wireless charging technology remains interoperable and continues to meet consumer and automotive industry expectations globally. The company has initiated a FastTrack Integration Program, which enables automotive OEMs to integrate wireless charging into their vehicles in just three months, accelerating the experimentation and adoption of this technology in new and existing EV platforms.
