STUART, Fla. — As industries search for practical pathways to fleet electrification, an unexpected candidate is emerging as a potential early leader: the golf course.
WiTricity Ai Tech, LLC, a pioneer in magnetic resonance wireless power transfer, is working with golf courses and fleet operators to demonstrate how these environments are uniquely suited to become the first real-world, fully wireless EV charging ecosystems.
Golf courses offer a distinct combination of conditions that naturally support wireless charging deployment. Fleet vehicles operate on highly predictable schedules, return to centralized parking zones, and are used daily across large properties—creating a strong business case for infrastructure that charges automatically without cables or manual intervention.
“At a golf course, vehicles are constantly cycling between use and rest,” said Joe Benz, CEO of WiTricity Ai Tech, LLC. “Wireless charging allows those vehicles to charge whenever they’re parked—without relying on staff to plug them in. Over time, that changes how fleets are managed.”
Key Advantages of Wireless Fleet Infrastructure
| Feature / Goal | Traditional Plug-in Charging | Wireless MR/1 Charging |
| Operational Effort | Manual connection by staff required. | Automatic hands-free charging upon parking. |
| Wear & Tear | Frequent physical plug-in degrades connectors. | No moving parts or exposed wear points. |
| Safety Factors | Cables present physical trip hazards. | Flush ground pads eliminate trip hazards. |
| Space Efficiency | Space required to access wall/pedestal plugs. | Tighter parking configurations in cart barns. |
From Carts to Charging Networks
WiTricity’s flagship system, the MR/1™, is designed specifically for light electric vehicle (LEV) applications, including golf carts. The system enables hands-free charging by transferring power wirelessly when a vehicle is parked over a ground-based charging pad.
This approach eliminates the need for manual cable connections, reducing wear-and-tear on connectors, minimizing user errors, and keeping vehicles consistently topped up. For courses managing dozens or hundreds of carts, the operational impact can be significant. Instead of relying solely on overnight charging cycles or manual plug-in routines, carts can opportunistically charge between rounds, helping maintain battery levels and extend active operational uptime.
A Foundation for Broader Electrification
While today’s practical deployments focus on golf carts and light-duty fleets, the underlying technology is scalable.
WiTricity Ai Tech, LLC has developed higher-power systems, including an 11 kW platform designed specifically for passenger vehicles and larger electric fleets. While these high-power systems are not yet deployed on golf courses, they point to a future where the same basic infrastructure principles could support a broader range of electric vehicles.
In such a scenario, golf courses could evolve beyond localized fleet hubs into fully integrated wireless EV charging environments—supporting maintenance vehicles, staff transportation, and even guest or visitor EVs.
Infrastructure Without the Friction
Traditional charging infrastructure requires behavioral adjustments: drivers must remember to plug in, manage heavy cables, and verify connections. Wireless charging removes these steps entirely. By embedding charging pads directly into parking surfaces, courses can deploy infrastructure that operates passively in the background.
This configuration also introduces meaningful safety and cost benefits:
- Reduced Hazards: Eliminating cables removes trip hazards for staff and players, removes exposed connectors that can fail over time, and minimizes risk of damage from weather.
- Smart Power Delivery: The MR/1 system is engineered to automatically manage power delivery based on battery levels, reducing the risk of overcharging or manual power management errors.
- Storage Optimization: In tight cart barns, removing plug-access clearances allows vehicles to park closer together, maximizing storage density.
From a total cost of ownership (TCO) perspective, fewer moving parts and reduced maintenance requirements help lower long-term operating costs while improving fleet uptime.
“Wireless charging works best where vehicles follow repeatable patterns,” Benz added. “Golf courses are one of the clearest examples of that in the real world.“
