Public wireless EV charging ramps up

Wireless smartphone charging is becoming increasingly common in cars today, but wirelessly charging your electric car is still in the early stages.

An on-street EV wireless charging trial has just been launched in the UK by charging solutions company Char.gy to test the merit of integrating charging infrastructure into the road surface.

Because this is a relatively new technology, not just any EV can drive up, park over the pad and begin charging.

It needs to be fitted with a compatible induction charging pad of its own, which Char.gy says could be either retrofitted or eventually included as original equipment on future models.

The vehicles being used in the trial have been specially adapted and are not privately owned – those wanting to take part can hire the vehicle for up to three days.

Initially launched in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, Char.gy says the trial will be expanded to seven other locations within London and that the new solution “streamlines the charging process, declutters the residential kerbside in urban areas and provides a solution accessible to all drivers”.

The wireless solution also adds a new level convenience for EV owners without access to off-street parking and/or charging, which will be critical given 50 per cent of cars on UK roads are expected to be EVs by 2030.

“Inductive charging takes another step towards making on-street charging in urban contexts the de facto solution for people without off-street parking who want an EV,” said Char.gy inductive charging project manager Myles Roberts.

“So we’re delighted to have successfully concluded the first trial of the technology ‘in the wild’.

“From here on, we’re broadening the trial contexts with a number of new locations and we will also be moving the technology another step forward towards commercialisation with our partners.”

Meanwhile, Buckinghamshire councillor Peter Strachan said that inductive charging solved “a great many of the problems and looks like a clear contender for how we organise our clean power infrastructure in the best interests of all” the county’s residents.

Char.gy has also developed a ‘lamppost smart charge point’ which, in order to reduce clutter on kerb sides and car parks, integrates charging infrastructure into “existing street furniture”.

This is similar technology to the footpath-based technology developed in Australia and abroad, including the Kerb Charge system being trialled in Melbourne.