Looking at cars 100 years in the future

One hundred years from now, vehicles will be powered by a combination of motor, capacitor, and wireless technologies. Electric-motor-driven vehicles (EVs) will be widely used and will be linked to the electric power system infrastructure. The vehicles will operate through frequent electric charging, as is the case with electric trains. Long-life super-capacitors will play an important role in the future for charging of EVs. Wireless power transfer based on magnetic resonance is an extremely important technique. In a laboratory experiment, this technique enabled a power transfer with more than 95% efficiency at a distance of 1 m. One hundred years from now, this technique will be greatly improved; e.g., it could be possible to have a 10 kW power transfer over a distance as long as 10 m. This level of improvement will drastically change how cars are powered. In addition, to improve the energy efficiency and safety of future EVs, the implementation of novel motion control techniques is crucial. These techniques would be based on the excellent controllability of electric motor. The combination of electric motors, super-capacitors, and wireless power transfer eliminates the requirement for engines, high-performance Li-ion batteries, and large, quick charging stations. This approach is also achievable and suitable for large-scale development of future vehicles.