Research Insights on Recent Power Converter Topologies and Control Strategies for Wireless EV Chargers: A Comprehensive Study

Electric vehicles (EVs) penetrating the transportation sector are accelerated through environmental concerns, low prices, and increased power density. At the same time, the technologies for wireless charging of EVs are advancing due to their convenience, cost-effectiveness, and reliability as charging solutions. The crucial part of Wireless EV (W-EV) chargers, apart from charging pads and compensation, is the power electronics converters. These converters are essential for converting electrical energy into an appropriate form for efficient transmission and reception. This article provides a comprehensive review of the recent advancements in power converter topologies and their control methods used in W-EV chargers. Depending on the specific requirements of the W-EV charger, these converters can be classified into DC-DC, DC-AC, AC-AC, and AC-DC converters. In addition, the article explores specialized converters such as multiple-stage, multiple-phase, multiple transmitter and multiple receiver-based converters, discussing their technical details, merits and limitations. The control techniques for the power electronics converters utilised in W-EV chargers such as transmitter-side control, receiver-side control and dual controls are presented along with various technical comparative analyses. Challenges and future research directions in advanced power converter topologies for W-EV chargers are outlined at last. This article assists researchers in gaining insights into the recent technological advancements and developments aimed at enhancing the performance of the W-EV charger.