Electric Vehicle Wireless Charging Systems for Both a Stationary and Dynamic Future

Prof. Grant Covic

The University of Auckland, New Zealand

Grant is a full professor at the University of Auckland. In the mid 90’s he began working with Prof. John Boys to develop the technology of resonant Inductive (contact-less) Power Transfer (IPT) for materials handling and electric vehicles (EVs) and in the early 2000’s they began jointly leading a team focused on AGV applications for traditional markets, and redeveloping EV charging solutions for private as well as public applications.
Today Grant’s research and consulting interests are focused on both industrial solutions using IPT and wireless charging of EVs under static and dynamic conditions. Over the past 15 years he has published more than 140 international refereed papers in this field, worked with over 40 postgraduates and filed over 40 patents, all of which are licensed to various global companies in specialised application fields.
In 2010 he co-founded (with John) a new global start-up company “HaloIPT” focusing on electric vehicle (EV) wireless charging infrastructure and was joint head of research from formation until sale. During this time HaloIPT received the Clean Equity Monaco award for excellence in the field of environmental engineering and two NZ clean innovation awards in the emerging innovator and design and engineering categories. Grant and John have been awarded the New Zealand Prime Minister’s Science Prize, the Vice Chancellors commercialisation medal and the KiwiNet research commercialisation awards for scientific research which has seen outstanding commercial success.
Grant is a senior member of IEEE and a Distinguished Lecturer of IEEE Transportation Electrification Community. He is also a fellow of both the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand, and the Royal Society of New Zealand. Presently he heads inductive power research at the UoA and co-leads the interoperability sub-team within the SAE J2954 wireless charging standard for EVs.