Porsche introduces inductive wireless charging technology

Wireless charging has already radically simplified the use of the mobile phone: simply place the smartphone in a charging cradle and the energy flows. Porsche will soon be offering this user-friendly technology for electric vehicles (EVs) as well: The company will be the first car manufacturer to bring an 11kW charging system with a one-box base plate for battery-electric vehicles to market maturity. One-box means that apart from the floor plate mounted at the parking lot, there is no longer any need to install a wallbox or control unit.

© Porsche| https://www.porsche.com

The new, all-electric generation of the Cayenne will be the first Porsche model series that can be ordered with the vehicle-side equipment. Also in 2026, sales of the floor plate will start at Porsche Centers and online in the Porsche Shop.

"Ease of use, suitability for everyday use and charging infrastructure are still the decisive factors when it comes to the acceptance of electric mobility," says Dr. Michael Steiner, deputy chairman and member of the Executive Board, Research and Development. "We are proud that inductive charging will soon be available in series production at Porsche. Charging an electric car at home has never been so easy and convenient."

With a maximum charging power of up to 11kW, the sports car manufacturer has even reached the level of wired AC charging with its contactless charging system. The efficiency of energy transfer from the power grid to the battery is up to 90%.

Great potential for inductive charging

Around 75% of all charging processes in an all-electric Porsche take place at home. This was the result of an analysis by the sports car manufacturer. The potential for inductive charging is correspondingly great. The user-friendly Porsche Wireless Charging floor plate (117cm x 78cm x 6cm) can be installed in a garage, carport, or open-air parking space and connected to the mains. As usual, customers can be supported by Porsche Installation Service: If ordered, an electrician will install the inductive floor plate and put it into operation.

To be able to charge contactlessly, hardware is also required on the car. The new Cayenne Electric will be the first model series to be ordered with optional Porsche Wireless Charging pre-installation and Porsche Wireless vehicle plate. Protected from stone chips and the effects of the weather, the receiver unit is located in the underbody of the vehicle between the front wheels. For the charging process, the Cayenne then only has to be parked above the floor plate. The contactless transfer of energy between the two charging units takes place over a distance of a few centimeters. To this end, the Cayenne lowers automatically. The base plate has a motion detector and foreign object detection. The charging process is automatically interrupted if a living creature gets between the vehicle and the floor plate or if a metallic object lies on the latter and heats up.

© Porsche | https://www.porsche.com

Porsche Wireless Charging is integrated into the My Porsche app, so that charging processes can be tracked and several vehicles can be authenticated. A special view in the Surround View parking function makes it easier to steer the Cayenne to the optimal charging position. As soon as the parking position above the floor plate is reached and the parking brake is activated, the charging process begins. Customers don't need to do anything else. Convenience functions familiar from AC charging, such as timer charging with preconditioning, are also available for wireless charging.

The floor plate, which weighs 50 kg, is equipped with an LTE and WLAN module as standard, so that remote software updates and infrastructure support are also guaranteed in the future. Porsche Wireless Charging will initially launch in Europe in 2026. Other markets worldwide will follow.

How inductive charging works in detail

Inductive charging is known from smartphones, but also from electric toothbrushes. The energy is transferred through the air via a magnetic field. For this purpose, a transmitter coil made of copper and ferrites is located in the base plate. Alternating current flows through this coil, which generates a magnetic field.

Porsche's innovative concept uses ultra-wideband technology to determine the vehicle's relative position above the floor plate. When the optimal parking position is reached, the driver is informed. In the vehicle's secondary coil, which acts as a receiver unit, the magnetic field then generates alternating current. A rectifier then converts this into direct current so that the Cayenne's high-voltage battery can store it.

Weatherproof and extensively tested

The Porsche Wireless Charging base plate is also suitable for outdoor use. All live components are protected from rain and snow. Even driving over the floor slab does not cause any significant damage. Electromagnetic radiation is limited to the underbody of the vehicle during charging. Extensive tests – including by TÜV Süd – have confirmed the robustness of the system. In addition, the floor plate is CE and UL certified, i.e. it meets EU and U.S.-wide requirements for safety and environmental protection.

A new dimension in fast charging

Those who want to travel as quickly as possible on long-haul journeys can also rely on a very high charging capacity with the new Cayenne. The DC charging power is said to be up to 400kW. This means that the Cayenne can be optimally recharged at any Porsche Charging Lounge, for example.