Toyota is keen to change the image of its top-of-the-line Avalon sedan. Formerly a bigger and more conservative Camry, the car now is taking on a persona of its own—a more youthful persona that we found to be a step forward in our first drive of the Avalon. Part of building that persona is centered around the addition of more technologies and gadgets. For 2013, the Avalon now actually offers an industry first—according to Toyota—with its wireless-charging feature for mobile devices.
Placed in the center console is what Toyota is calling ebin, where the brand’s charging pad is located to power up Qi-enabled phones and devices without a power cord. The transmitter creates an electromagnetic link, and diodes on the ebin inform users of the charging status of their devices. The Qi system, licensed by the Wireless Power Consortium and supplied by Denso, is offered in several recent phones, including the LG Nexus, the HTC Windows Phone 8X, the Nokia Lumia 820/920 series, and several Japanese-market NTT Docomo phones. A total of 34 phones come with Qi charging as standard equipment; older phones can be made compatible with aftermarket accessories.
To make use of Toyota’s wireless charging capabilities, ponying up for just any Avalon won’t do. This technology is limited to just the $40,445 Limited and $42,195 Hybrid Limited trims. And even within those trim levels, the wireless charger won’t be included until buyers check the box next to the Technology package, a $1750 add-on. Fortunately, this tech should trickle down to more-affordable vehicles soon.
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