It is generally accepted the cost of solar power is following a Moore’s Law pattern, not the downward trend of cost-per-transistor, but a downward cost-per-watt. Some regions are already reaching parity. And solar costs continue to decline. Electric transportation will eventually cost much less than petroleum-based transportation.
Even with the promise of solar power, how do we power moving vehicles? Pure EVs get their power from batteries or a direct connection to the electric grid. While a vehicle is in motion, direct connection can be tricky.
Business and academia around the world are analyzing not only the electrification of vehicles, but also the electrification of roads. Bryan Richards is product developer and understood hard-drive, read-and-writes improved with an air bearing, so he asked, what if EVs did the same thing with the electric grid connection?
Air hockey is an AirBearing. The puck floats on a cushion of air. Air is supplied from the table. With the patented AirBearing grid connection (US Patent 8,556,050 B2), air is supplied from the vehicle. Air cushions the secondary coil, or power pickup coil, as it slides over the road.
The combination of electric storage and grid connection greatly boosts EV performance. The AirBearing enables close proximity of the primary and secondary coils. Here are the benefits:
- Super fast charging
- Lightweight secondary coil
- Narrow, primary induction-coils (Reduces road installation costs)
- Reduced battery size
Reducing the power storage requirement is critical for broad EV acceptance. The battery-pack is the principle cost difference between electric vehicles and conventional cars. The high cost of EVs is the biggest roadblock to consumer acceptance.
125 year ago, Nikola Tesla applied for multiple power induction patents, such as the Electrical Transmission of Power and The Electro Magnetic Motor. AirBearing Grid Connection uses the same Tesla genius pioneered over 100 years ago, but adds a slippery layer to Tesla’s innovation.
General Motors CEO Dan Akerson assigned a team to study Tesla Motors to determine whether the EV maker poses a threat to GM’s century of dominance. EV disruption to the internal combustion engine is an obvious trend when considering:
- Rising oil prices
- Growing economic impact of global warming
In addition, solar power is improving exponentially. It is approaching and surpassing parity with energy sources in the Western U.S. Solar power is following a Moore’s Law trend, not the downward trend of cost-per-transistor, but the downward trend of cost-per-watt.
Assuming the Moore’s law pattern, many regions around the globe will surpass parity. Combined with rising oil prices, electricity may eventually outperform oil by a factor of 10 (See Solstin’s Law at http://www.solstin.com).
AirBearing grid connection is poised to be the critical layer powering broad EV-acceptance. Combined with Tesla’s induction innovation, the AirBearing grid connection could displace the Internal Combustion Engine and permanently disrupt our petroleum-based economy.
