This disclosure provides systems and methods for charging a vehicle. A vehicle and charging station can be designed such that an electric or hybrid vehicle can operate in a fashion similar to a conventional vehicle by being opportunity charged throughout a known route.

A vehicle charging system comprises a plurality of retractable conductor bars in a housing of a vehicle. The plurality of conductor bars includes a positive conductor bar and a negative conductor bar. Individual conductor bars of the plurality are electrically isolated from one another. The vehicle charging system further comprises a charging system having a receiver mounted on a support structure. The receiver comprises a plurality of electrical contact members in electrical communication with a power source. The receiver is configured to bring individual conductor bars of the plurality in contact with the electrical contact members for charging an energy storage device of the vehicle.

A vehicle charging system comprises a plurality of retractable conductor bars in a housing of a vehicle. The plurality of conductor bars includes a positive conductor bar and a negative conductor bar. Individual conductor bars of the plurality are electrically isolated from one another. The vehicle charging system further comprises a charging system having a receiver mounted on a support structure. The receiver comprises a plurality of electrical contact members in electrical communication with a power source. The receiver is configured to bring individual conductor bars of the plurality in contact with the electrical contact members for charging an energy storage device of the vehicle.

Systems and methods for charging an electric bus having a charging interface on its roof may include determining that an approaching bus is supposed to be charged at the charging station, lowering the charging head of the charging station to land on the roof of the bus, and moving the bus with the charge head on its roof to engage the charging head with the charging interface.

Systems and methods for charging an electric bus having a charging interface on its roof may include determining that an approaching bus is supposed to be charged at the charging station, lowering the charging head of the charging station to land on the roof of the bus, and moving the bus with the charge head on its roof to engage the charging head with the charging interface.

Systems and methods for charging an electric bus having a charging interface on its roof may include determining that an approaching bus is supposed to be charged at the charging station, lowering the charging head of the charging station to land on the roof of the bus, and moving the bus with the charge head on its roof to engage the charging head with the charging interface.

Systems and methods for charging an electric bus having a charging interface on its roof may include determining that an approaching bus is supposed to be charged at the charging station, lowering the charging head of the charging station to land on the roof of the bus, and moving the bus with the charge head on its roof to engage the charging head with the charging interface.

This installation includes, on-board the vehicle (12) equipped with a battery (30), an on-board device (20), electrically connected to the battery (30) and provided with a plurality of electric contacts, and on the ground, a ground device (40), combined with the on-board device (20), connected to an electric power source (50) and including a plurality of electric contacts, each electric contact of the ground device (40) being able to be put into contact with a corresponding contact of the on-board device (20) and the installation being able to apply, safely, an electric recharging power issued by the electric power source (50) to the battery (30). This installation is characterized in that the plurality of electric contacts of the on-board device (20) and of the ground device (40) exclusively includes two electric contacts, i.e. a phase contact (21; 41) and neutral contact (22; 42).

A dynamic wireless power transfer system performs, through a plurality of primary coils installed along a traveling direction of a road and a secondary coil mounted in a vehicle, power transfer to the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling. The secondary coil is an M-phase coil including M coils, M denoting an integer which is two or higher. The M coils each include a coil end extending along a front-rear direction of the vehicle and a main coil portion extending along a width direction of the vehicle, the M coils each being configured such that a magnetic resistance of a magnetic path where a magnetic flux of the coil end passes is higher than a magnetic resistance of a magnetic path where a magnetic flux of the main coil portion passes.

A dynamic wireless power transfer system performs, through a plurality of primary coils installed along a traveling direction of a road and a secondary coil mounted in a vehicle, power transfer to the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling. The secondary coil is an M-phase coil including M coils, M denoting an integer which is two or higher. The M coils each include a coil end extending along a front-rear direction of the vehicle and a main coil portion extending along a width direction of the vehicle, the M coils each being configured such that a magnetic resistance of a magnetic path where a magnetic flux of the coil end passes is higher than a magnetic resistance of a magnetic path where a magnetic flux of the main coil portion passes.