Jaguar I-PACE taxi fleet to trial next-gen wireless charging

A taxi firm in Olso, Norway, has been chosen by Jaguar to test its next-generation wireless charging technology on a fleet of 25 Jaguar I-PACE SUVs.

As part of what's thought to be the world's first wide-scale wireless EV charging scheme, the new technology has been developed to charge the I-PACE wirelessly in small high-power increments throughout the day and night as drivers wait for their next fare.

Developed by both Jaguar Land Rover and wireless charging expert Momentum Dynamics, with help from charging operator Fortum Recharge, the new tech has involved modifying the I-PACE for inductive wireless charging.

Meantime, multiple charging plates have been embedded into a set of roadways near Oslo's central train station.

To ensure the drivers park accurately over the chargers, the Jag's nav helps align the car directly overhead the charge pads.

Without any need to be plugged in, the I-PACE is then treated to an intense 50kW burst of charge over six to eight minutes – the average time calculated by the operator NorgesTaxi AS to drop off a customer and pick-up a passenger for a new journey.

For now, the project will include six charging pads, with three more placed at another location in the future. Oslo was chosen, says Jaguar, because it has declared it will be tailpipe-emission free as soon as 2024.

According to their developer Momentum Dynamics, each charging pad costs $25,000 ($A36,000) – the same as a conventional fast-charger.

Jaguar Land Rover boss Ralf Speth said: “The taxi industry is the ideal test bed for wireless charging, and indeed for high-mileage electric mobility across the board. The inherently safe, energy-efficient and high-powered wireless charging platform will prove critical for electric fleets, as the infrastructure is more effective than refuelling a conventional vehicle.”