Energy efficient hands-free electric vehicle charger for autonomous vehicles in uncontrolled environments

A method for inductively charging an electric vehicle, the method comprising:

• providing an inductive charger station that includes a primary side of a transformer therein, as well as a magnetizing inductor circuit element and a leakage inductor circuit element integrated into the transformer;
• providing an electric vehicle comprising an inductive power receiver that includes a secondary side of the transformer, with the inductive power receiver configured to mate with the inductive charger station to provide inductive charging to the electric vehicle;
• operating the electric vehicle in an autonomous fashion so as to function as a positioning system that aligns and mates the power receiver of the electric vehicle with the inductive charger station;
• and
• initiating an inductive charging of the electric vehicle upon mating of the inductive charger station and the inductive power receiver;
• wherein the alignment and mating of the power receiver and the inductive charger station provided by the autonomous operation of the electric vehicle inductively couples the primary and secondary sides of the transformer, with the alignment and mating of the power receiver and the inductive charger station and the operation of the magnetizing inductor circuit element and the leakage inductor circuit element providing a 94% or greater DC-DC charging efficiency of the electric vehicle.