Wiferion Enters into Global License Agreement with WiTricity for Industrial Wireless Charging Applications

Wireless charging has the potential to ease the burden of the supply chain through uninterrupted operations and industrial automation   

• The agreement will allow Wiferion to use WiTricity's wireless charging IP in the space of industrial applications
• Wireless charging increases factory uptime 32% through efficiencies gained from in-process charging that allows continual autonomous operations
• Wireless charging solutions for industrial applications eliminate safety concerns, including the elimination of exposed electrical connectors

FREIBURG, Germany and WATERTOWN, Mass., July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WiTricity, the global leader in wireless charging for electric vehicles, today announced it has licensed its wireless charging technology to Wiferion, the leading solution provider for mobile, wireless power supplies for industrial e-vehicles. Wiferion develops wireless charging systems for a broad range of industrial applications, including automatic guided vehicles (AGV), industrial trucks, and mobile collaborative robots (AMR/Cobots), that showcase the increasing importance of autonomy.

"We are happy to see Wiferion join our other licensees to further the possibilities for wireless charging," said Alex Gruzen, CEO, WiTricity. "We are proud to see our pioneering technology help fuel the future of industrial automation and look forward to partnering with Wiferion to accelerate growth in the industry."

Wiferion's contactless inductive charging systems portfolio supplies entire fleets of industrial vehicles with energy, no matter the voltage, current, or battery type. Wiferion's solutions are on the forefront of the shift to uninterrupted industrial automation – meaning AGVs, AMRs, and other industrial vehicles have 32% more uptime through "in-process" charging, or charging during the workflow, rather than at the end of shift.

Not only do these technologies untether robots to enable hands-free, unattended factories, but with every industry experiencing supply chain disruptions, wireless charging can offer improved efficiencies. With the potential to continue 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using a factory's entire fleet without pause, industrial automation can help industries move past current supply chain disruptions to increase productivity.

"Already today, Wiferion's etaLINK wireless charging solutions are powering thousands of mobile robots around the globe. Having access to WiTricity's patent portfolio will allow us to further sharpen our value proposition and accelerate the adoption of wireless charging in industrial automation," said Florian Reiners, CEO of Wiferion. "We are looking forward to partnering with WiTricity in our mission to enable the electrified economy and set a standard for wireless charging applications."

In addition to offering more efficient energy supplies, Wiferion's contactless inductive charging systems eliminate safety concerns due to open contacts, trip hazards, and fire potential. Wiferion's system has been designed into more than 100 different vehicles worldwide with more than 5,000 units sold globally, including installation in nearly all top European car manufacturing facilities.

For more information about WiTricity, visit www.WiTricity.com. For more information on Wiferion, visit www.Wiferion.com.

WiTricity is the trailblazer in wireless charging for electric vehicles, leading the development and implementation of magnetic resonance technology across passenger and commercial vehicles alike. The company's technology is backed by an extensive patent portfolio and is the foundation for ratified global EV wireless charging standards including SAE, ISO and GB. Automakers and Tier 1 suppliers turn to WiTricity to help accelerate the adoption of EVs by eliminating the hassle of plug-in charging, setting the stage for future autonomy.

From inductive charging technology to software-based energy management solutions, Wiferion offers a range of products that enable efficient energy supply for industrial trucks (FFZ), driverless transport systems (AGV), and autonomous mobile robots (AMR). The technology is also suitable for retrofit projects for existing fleets.

The flexible and scalable integration of Wiferion products eliminates unnecessary machine downtime and maintenance-intensive and costly charging with plugs. Users sustainably increase their utilization and fleet efficiency by up to 32%.

The inductive battery charging systems of the etaLINK series are award-winning and have received prestigious awards such as the IFOY Award and "BEST PRODUCT" at LogiMAT 2020.

Numerous companies from the logistics, industry, and automotive sectors rely on Wiferion technology. These include leading providers of automation solutions such as the robotics companies SAFELOG, KUKA, and FlexQube. Wiferion has sold more than 5,000 etaLINK systems in over 20 countries. The battery charging systems are now used by more than 100 OEMs and by practically all German automobile manufacturers as well as the large logistics and e-commerce companies.

Wiferion is the leading solution provider for mobile, wireless power supply for electric industrial vehicles and was founded in 2016 by four researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems. As a technology driver in the field of wireless charging, Wiferion creates the basis for a resource-saving and sustainable energy supply. [email protected].

SOURCE WiTricity