Toyota has just signed a deal to begin offering wireless charging with its future vehicles, it has been revealed. The deal was carved out with WiTricity, a creator of wireless charging systems, and will be available with Toyota’s line of rechargeable plug-in hybrid electric and fully electric cars.
“WiTricity’s mission is to make wireless charging available as widely as possible, and this announcement is a significant step toward accomplishing that mission,” said WiTricity CEO Eric Giler in a statement. “We envision a world in which wireless charging accelerates the adoption of green, clean electrified vehicles. To have Toyota, the world’s leading carmaker, licensing our intellectual property, underscores the importance of the technology.”
Toyota had previously spoken of its plans to add wireless charging to the Prius line of hybrid cars, but this is the first time WiTricity has been mentioned in association with it – although the Japanese automaker has been an investor in the company since 2011. WiTricity is one of many companies producing wireless vehicle charging technology, but theirs will the first to be widely adopted due to the Toyota deal.
