Chapter 42: Wireless Power Transmission Technology

While the automotive and related manufacturing industries were fixated on He Xingzhou’s upcoming livestream, he was in the research institute, working with his team on wireless charging technology.

Their goal was not the short-range wireless charging seen in consumer electronics like smartphones, but a high-power technology capable of charging metal-air batteries. He Xingzhou envisioned his electromagnetic levitation vehicles utilizing multiple charging methods. The most traditional approach was using charging stations, but that would inevitably hinder logistics and transport efficiency. A secondary, improved solution was swapping battery cores—a process taking less than ten seconds to return a battery to full capacity. While they could already achieve both, He Xingzhou remained unsatisfied. He aimed for seamless, continuous charging, which necessitated high-power wireless charging technology.

"100 energy units consumed; short-range wireless power transmission technology unlocked." He Xingzhou unlocked the capability within his tech tree. Beyond this, the tree held potential for medium-range, long-range, and even light-year-scale deep-space energy transmission—such as using light waves to transmit power—technologies that would eventually be required for constructing a Dyson sphere. What He Xingzhou had unlocked was energy transmission via electromagnetic fields over short distances.

After absorbing the knowledge, He Xingzhou called a research meeting. The room was filled with electrical engineers and scientists, most of whom hailed from the State Grid and various institutes of electrical and electromagnetic research.

"Everyone," He Xingzhou began, presenting his design proposal for review, "I believe that since our maglev vehicles already require magnetic materials laid on the road surface, we can further modify these materials."

"As early as 1890, Nikola Tesla conducted wireless power transmission experiments. He envisioned using the Earth as an inner conductor and the ionosphere as an outer conductor, establishing an approximately 8Hz low-frequency resonance between the Earth and the ionosphere via an amplifying transmitter, using surface electromagnetic waves to transmit energy. While that vision was too avant-garde to succeed at the time, later scientists calculated that using free-space waveguide beams could achieve nearly 100% transmission efficiency."

"My proposal is to install a device within the magnetic road surface to induce resonance between the road and the electromagnetic levitation vehicle. This road section would be connected to the power grid, transmitting electrical energy to the vehicle’s receiver via electromagnetic field resonance, where it would be converted back into electricity and stored in the battery."

"In this way, our maglev vehicles would never need to stop to charge or swap batteries. They would charge while in motion, maximizing logistics efficiency!"

Silence filled the room as the experts pored over the documents titled *Design Proposal for Short-Range Electromagnetic Coupling Wireless Power Transmission System*.

Half an hour later, the discussion began. "Theoretically, there are no issues at all!" one power expert murmured.

"We have always researched wireless power transmission, but it has been limited to microwave energy for small amounts of electricity. That could barely charge a phone, but the power levels in Chief Engineer He’s proposal are at least a thousand times greater!" an engineer from the State Grid said, his hands trembling with excitement.

"With this design, we can not only power maglev vehicles but also create short-range wireless power transmission units. In some of our country's remote areas where laying cables and grids is extremely difficult, couldn't we use this technology to build wireless transmission towers and reduce costs by over 80%?"

The experts’ imaginations began to run wild. "Exactly. Once popularized, this could be used for traditional electric vehicles and other electronics. If safety can be guaranteed, it could be integrated into everyday household life."

"A residential complex wouldn't even need power lines! Just build a wireless transmission tower within the community, and any home equipped with a receiver could draw power. Every appliance and smart device would change, becoming more convenient and efficient."

They grew increasingly excited, even discussing the possibility of a nationwide wireless power grid. He Xingzhou smiled; this was exactly the effect he had hoped for. Building the maglev vehicle was merely a milestone; the various technologies developed along the way were his true objective. Only by applying these innovations across all sectors could the nation’s overall technological level advance.

"Ahem," He Xingzhou interrupted. "Everyone, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. This short-range transmission isn't yet ready for a nationwide grid, and safety still requires further research. You may continue your in-depth studies, but first, we must build a laboratory-scale magnetic road for wireless charging."

"Agreed! We can't swallow the whole elephant at once. Let's perfect the maglev charging first; it will serve as the technical foundation for our future national wireless grid."

The team’s enthusiasm reminded He Xingzhou that his long-term plan should include a national—and perhaps even planetary—wireless power network. He would need to unlock medium-range transmission technology next and consult with the Xuanwu executives.

The team refocused on the logistics of charging vehicles in motion. "Paving every road is unrealistic due to cost. We can designate specific sections as 'charging zones' where vehicles automatically initiate charging mode, complete with safety protocols. We must also consider interference from thunderstorms, and how to isolate a vehicle failure so it doesn't affect other vehicles on the road."

Even with the technology in hand, a complete plan was essential for implementation. Meanwhile, the autonomous driving team was also refining their systems. International standards categorize autonomous driving from L0 to L5. He Xingzhou’s team had already achieved L4, or high automation. While L5, full automation, remained a challenge, it was actually easier to implement on maglev vehicles than on traditional cars. Since these vehicles were restricted to magnetic tracks, complex driving scenarios were eliminated. Their speed and movement were governed by an intelligent traffic network, making L5 automation the simplest part of the project—one that didn't even require He Xingzhou’s direct intervention.

Everything was proceeding in an orderly and intense fashion. He Xingzhou’s electromagnetic levitation vehicle was on the verge of becoming reality.