EV chargepoint provider Char.gy and peer-to-peer car sharing platform Hiyacar have launched a 12-month wireless charging trial in Marlow, Buckinghamshire.
The trial will use 10 Renault Zoe battery-electric vehicles and is a collaborative effort between Buckinghamshire Council, Milton Keynes Council, London Borough of Redbridge, the University of Warwick, the Open University, IPT Technology, and additional support from Hiyacar.
Funding has come from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and Innovate UK.
Char.gy, which has developed the wireless technology with IPT Technology, said it hopes the trial will pave the way for the future of urban wireless EV charging.
According to Char.gy, the new charging solution will mean that, in the near future, those without access to private charging via garages, driveways or other off-street parking options will be able to charge their vehicles efficiently and cable-free.
Char.gy’s wireless charging works via an electrical induction charging pad installed in the ground. In the trial this is fitted in a dedicated parking spot in Liston Road car park.
While existing EVs do not have wireless charging capabilities built in, the 10 Hiyacar Zoes have been fitted with an aftermarket induction charging kit. The vehicles can be booked through the Hiyacar app.
Nine additional trials will take place in other locations around Buckinghamshire, as well as Milton Keynes.
Drivers who rent an EV during the trial will be contacted by the Open University for their feedback on their experience to gauge the success of the charging solution from the drivers’ perspectives.
In another OZEV-funded project, nine electric taxis will take part in a wireless charging trial in Nottingham.
The vehicles will be available for hail by the general public as they capture data, including journey distances and battery level. All of the taxis will be adorned in a new green and blue livery to promote the WiCET (Wireless Charging of Electric Taxis) branding.
In Scotland, Heriot-Watt University, Flexible Power Systems and City of Edinburgh Council are currently exploring how wireless charging at shared logistics hubs could reduce the cost of decarbonising last-mile transport.
