Friday, November 22, 2024
Infrastructure and TechnologyLatestNews

Vattenfall tests wireless induction charging of electric vehicles

As part of their efforts to accelerate progress towards fossil-free living, Vattenfall is testing wireless induction charging of taxis in Gothenburg.

The induction charging tests will assess how a fleet of taxis can be charged wirelessly, with payments taken electronically. Taking place at two locations in Gothenburg, Sweden, the charging starts automatically when a compatible vehicle parks over a charging pad embedded in the street.

The charging station sends energy through the charging pad, which is picked up by a receiver unit in the car. In the car a vehicle identifier makes it possible to send an authorisation to Vattenfall that summarises the payment due once a month.

Vattenfall’s participation in the tests is part of the company’s broader mission to drive innovation that supports the transition to net zero, a particular focus of its R&D.

In addition to induction charging in Sweden, Vattenfall is also accelerating the UK’s energy transition by making its own capital, knowledge and expertise available to last mile logistic companies and other UK businesses which are looking to transition to electric vehicle fleets.

Under the offer, known as Power-as-a-Service, Vattenfall will fund, build own and operate EV charging hubs on behalf of UK businesses, removing the need for companies to use their own finance, or own and operate their own private wire networks, making the transition to EVs as simple as possible.

The induction charging project is an ongoing three-year collaboration with Volvo Cars, taxi operator Cabonline, hardware supplier Momentum Dynamics, Göteborg Energi and the development agency Business Region Gothenburg.

The project hopes that pooling resources will lead to significant breakthroughs, with consequent long-term impact on electrical charging solutions across Europe.

The cars will be used for more than 12 hours a day and drive 100,000km per year: this is the first durability test of fully electric Volvo cars in a commercial usage scenario, paving the way for future developments in this field.

Vattenfall’s participation in the Swedish wireless charging tests is just one example of its commitment to deliver innovative and sustainable solutions to make its objective of fossil-free living within the next generation a reality.

Susanna Hurtig, Director of E-Mobility, said: “At Vattenfall, we always strive to improve ease use and customer experience. To be able to test new technology in close collaboration across industries and organisations brings great value for future development and to work towards fossil-free living.”

Image: courtesy Vattenfall

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