Qualcomm partners with Nichicon for commercial wireless EV charging

American semiconductor and telecom equipment manufacturer Qualcomm enters into agreement with one of the largest Japanese manufacturer of capacitors Nichicon Corporation for Wireless Electric Vehicle Charging (WEVC).

The Japanese manufacturer will include Qualcomm Halo WEVC technology in its product portfolio and will focus on commercialising WEVC systems for Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) and Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturers across Asia.

As per the agreement, Qualcomm has granted Nichicon a royalty bearing license to develop, make and supply WEVC systems based on Qualcomm Halo technology. Qualcomm will also provide a comprehensive technology transfer package to help Nichicon to develop commercially and technically viable WEVC systems and support the future design of improved WEVC systems.

Commenting on the agreement Naoto Noguchi, executive operating officer, production officer, NECST Business Headquarters, Nichicon Corporation, said “The technology delivers interoperability, which is important for the driver experience and also for sustainable transportation.”

“Qualcomm Halo technology has been developed with a full systems design approach, covering all aspects of WEVC systems, irrespective of the magnetics used, multi-coil, double D or circular. As a key Tier 1 supplier in Asia, Nichicon represents a great fit for Qualcomm, and we are excited to work with them to expand our automotive supplier network across this region,” said Steve Pazol, vice president and general manager, Wireless Charging, Qualcomm Incorporated.

This announcement comes after a few days when automotive major Renault and Qualcomm announced on July 20, 2017, that they were testing ‘electric roads of the future’ that allowed cars to be wirelessly charged on the move.