Magnetic concrete could enable electric cars to drive indefinitely. A few posts back, we looked into electric cars, how they work and what the future holds. However, a new concept, magnetic concrete, if successful, would enable electric cars to drive open-endedly.
From the early 19th century electric cars were set to take over the automotive world, especially when it came to speed. It was actually an electric car that held the land speed record until the early 20th century. However, their popularity soon started to decline as more modern, high-speed, sophisticated cars came along. As a result, electric vehicle technology was halted. Lately, over the past two decades, electric cars have made a rapid comeback. With a report by the SMMT stating that by the end of 2017, more than 47,000 plug-in cars had been registered over the course of the year – a new record.
However, as mentioned in previous blogs, electric cars still come with the same obvious drawback as their gas-powered, internal combustion engine-driven competition have: Drivers need to stop and refuel.
Wouldn’t it be ideal if electric cars were like the latest smartphones? You could park them on any surface, and they would charge wirelessly — no cables, no outlets, no hassle. Just plain, simple, wireless charging.
This concept has been turned into a reality by the German company Magment. The German company focuses on the development, design and contract manufacture of magnetisable concretes used for innovative, competitive and customer-oriented electromagnetic solutions. Magment’s product allows for dynamic charging so that cars can recharge while still in motion. In theory, under the right conditions, electric vehicle owners could drive without ever stopping.
How is magment made?
Magment’s remarkable product is also call magment, a combination of “magnet” and “cement”. The product has all of the same qualities as cement. Starts of as a liquid, dries hard, and can be driven over. However, the difference is, magment generates a magnetic field.
How? This revolutionary product is made by combining concrete with ferrite particles recycled from electronic waste and the ferrite industry. Together, this creates a ferromagnetic surface that continuously generates a low-power magnetic field in the presence of an electric current.
While the magnetic field generated is strong enough to charge moving electric vehicles, the good news is that it doesn’t have the strength to affect pacemakers and other sensitive electronics.
How does this dynamic charging work?
Dynamic charging enables the right car to charge wirelessly. It’s the same basic principle as the recent introduction of wireless charging stations for smartphones. However, dynamic charging allows for greater distances between the charger and the device. According to Magment, when a magnetic field is emitted via the magment along the road, it induces an electric current in a receiving coil under the vehicle. This receiving coil is connected to a battery, which it recharges as needed.
When used on a motorway or carriageway, electric cars can recharge with ease. Moreover, this technology also works with buses and lorries. However, there is a small setback. Since buses and lorries have a higher clearance, the magnetic field will be weaker when it reaches them. Therefore, the vehicles will need more time to fully recharge. Nevertheless, they should still be capable of driving and charging without any issues as long as enough time is spent over the magment.
This technology is set to change the way we drive for the better. Given enough time for the infrastructure to adapt, the country’s vehicle-related pollution could be significantly slashed by powering all vehicles on the road with the road itself.
Magnetism with Goudsmit UK
While magment is great for applications outdoors, Goudsmit UK’s permanent rare earth magnets and magnetic assemblies are an ideal choice for virtually any industry. At Goudsmit UK we sub-contract manufacture a vast variety of magnets and magnetic assemblies to suit your requirements. Contact us today for more information at info@goudsmit.co.uk or on +44 (0) 2890 271 001.
For more information download our products and services brochure.
