Forget about inductive charging, wanna see that Snake!

[botsapper]

Creepy yet fun charging prototype for Tesla. PoRn does not lead technology, this time.

https://amp.twimg.com/v/f9b5e350-f51...e-e720b07a64aa

[thingstodo]

If the price of copper stays high, then use of inductive charging for public charging infrastructure may be justified. If the cable was cut off and sold for scrap, the rest of the charging station is not much use ...

This snake looks expensive. and COOL .. but it would not be installed where the general public could break/steal/vandalize it.

[nimblemotors]

This is like the magnetic charging cord from Apple.
It only works on an Apple product. It costs 10x more than the standard way.
The people selling it want you to think it is worth it.

[oil pan 4]

Air cored inductive coupling is very inefficient.
It will charge a phone or tablet, I don't see it quickly and efficiently charging something big like a vehicle at all.
Industry is always looking for faster and easier ways to do things. I have never seen or heard of any one trying to market a wireless forklift charger.
If wireless traction battery chargers really were viable they would already be in use.

Copper prices have been going down for the last 5 years.
Kitco - Spot Copper Historical Charts and Graphs - Copper charts - Industrial metals

[oil pan 4]

3 disadvantages to wireless charging.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induct...#Disadvantages

Less efficient. The electric vehicles claim to fame is efficiency why anyone would want to combine efficient electric vehicles and inefficient wireless chargers seems illogical.
Slower charging. This is the number 1 thing people don't like about electric vehicles and this would make it even worse.
More expensive. Once people learn how much electric vehicles cost this replaces slow charging as the number 1 thing people don't like about electric vehicles. Making them even more expensive is not any kind of solution to anything.

So making electric vehicles less efficient, slower to charge and more expensive, must be an idea put forth by the oil companies.

Bring on the creepy tesla electric snake.

Tesla Electric Snake, could be the name of a metal band.

[P-hack]

yah, it is obvious that it is inefficient. Imagine if refueling your car sprayed 40% of the fuel everywhere except the filler hole.

The snake is kinda silly too, couple bumper contacts maybe, but we've had decades to automate gas refills and it hasn't happened, because it is admitting a level of laziness we aren't prepared to admit or pay for.

"OMG, AND I DIDN'T HAVE TO WASTE 8 SECONDS PLUGGING IT IN BY HAND!!!"

[botsapper]

...and nanny state will take care of me. UK roads will charge electric cars while they drive | TechRadar

[Xist]

Originally Posted by P-hack

Imagine if refueling your car sprayed 40% of the fuel everywhere except the filler hole.

That is a surprisingly accurate description of my job in the Army--fueling and weapons qualification.

[elhigh]

I think the Snake is a much more resistant defense against copper thieves than an inductive charging cable.

The cable is, by its nature, flexible enough to be maneuvered by hand. You cannot make that so heavy or rigid that a person can't manipulate it easily. The Snake, on the other hand, can wear a big, sturdy exoskeleton of cast iron if the designer is so inclined. So long as the joints are designed to provide a little leeway for movement, it would be very tough against casual or even somewhat determined attacks. All the actuator hardware and power conductors are tucked inside an armor sheath that is, just to start with, too big to be even marred by something as mundane as mere bolt cutters.