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The Phone Stays in Place and Charges
Škoda cars have offered wireless mobile phone charging since 2016. The latest addition is a version with a magnetic holder.
1 The raised section of the wireless charger also takes phones with a large camera module.
2 Inside the raised section, magnets are arranged around its edge as defined by the standard.
3 The magnets align a phone placed on the charger in the ideal position for charging.
4 The magnets also hold the phone in place, so it does not slide around in the compartment.
Customers Have Taken to Wireless Charging
Škoda Auto introduced the Phonebox solution for wireless mobile phone charging in the Octavia and Superb models back in 2016. The latest, third generation of on-board chargers uses the Qi2 standard with magnetic phone retention. The solution is compatible with MagSafe technology on Apple phones. The Škoda brand is the first in Europe to put the feature into series production.
How It Works
1 Charging works on the principle of electromagnetic induction. A coil in the pad creates a fluctuating electromagnetic field that spreads through its immediate surroundings. It also passes into a second coil placed in the phone and sets its electrons in motion, which charges the battery. For maximum efficiency, precise alignment of the coils one above the other is essential.
2 Alignment in the ideal position is handled by magnets, which are part of the Qi2 wireless charging standard. The magnets were originally introduced by Apple, which uses the technique in its MagSafe solution. Both technologies are compatible.
3 The new charger can also charge smartphones without magnets, provided they support one of the older wireless charging standards. To make sure the device sits firmly on the magnetic charger, it is worth getting a case with built-in magnets.
4 In the Peaq model, two phones can be charged at the same time. The charger has backlighting that complements the car's ambient lighting and at the same time indicates the start of charging or a charging error.
5 Cable charging via USB-C also remains available. Sockets are provided on the centre console and by the second row of seats.
25 W
The highest Qi2 wireless charging output.
The new charging box in the Škoda cars also has active cooling, which keeps the phone at an ideal operating temperature while charging in the compartment. This makes charging more powerful.
Development Took Just a Year and a Half
The new generation of wireless mobile phone charging was developed mainly in Mladá Boleslav, but it will also be used in other cars of the Group. From the first design to the start of production, the developers needed about a year and a half. That is roughly half the time such features have usually taken to develop.
Read more about how the solution was developed in the online magazine Škoda Storyboard.