What Happened?
A $4.35 million pilot project testing the viability of wireless charging technology for electric buses is set to launch in Mannheim, Germany. The PRIMOVE inductive charging technology allows the vehicles to be charged from afar while continuing to transport residents.
So What?
According to GizMag, inductive wireless charging technology transmits energy from components embedded in the road and remote receivers on the vehicles, eliminating the need for plug-in charging of large, heavy batteries. If the buses do not have to be charged overnight, they can operate for longer periods of time and require smaller energy sources.
The trial run will provide Karlsruhe Institute of Technology researchers with real world data on how the technology performs in daily applications and what changes should be made to improve infrastructure. Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development, the year-long trial will help developers understand challenges to adoption, and public transit providers assess the competitive of the technology.
U.S. Project
Researchers at Utah State University have also developed induction charging technology to enable public buses to fill up their batteries throughout their daily routes. The Utah Science Technology and Research Initiative’s Advanced Transportation Institute has already put the Aggie Bus prototype on the road, able to charge its battery when driving over a charging plate without having to make contact. The Aggie Bus can collect 25KW of power and 90 percent efficient when aligned 6 inches from the charging plate. The Aggie Bus offers communities:
- Increased reliability
- Assurance of safety with no threat of electrocution
- Added convenience with no plug-in required
- Environmentally-friendly transport options
The Federal Transit Administration has provided a $2.7 million TIGER grant to support the project and test 40-foot transit bus vehicles to replace traditional bus options.
How It Works
Inductive charging involves the manipulation of an electromagnetic field that transfers energy between a transmitter and receiver across a short distance. The flow of energy includes:
- Transmitter sends a signal to a receiver, which is waiting for a signal
- Receiver acknowledges the signal from the transmitter and determines the strength of the transmission
- Receiver communicate its identifier and required power to the transmitter
- Transmitter configures transfer of appropriate power amount
- Receiver shares control information
- Transmitter sends power to receiver
Other Future Transit Options
Sunpods Inc. has produced an integrated solar power generation system to assist busses and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. California’s heightened air pollution standards are encouraging faster development of alternative energy sources for public transit. Toyota has tested a hybrid road/rail vehicle in Japan that uses four rubber tires for road use and four steel wheels when moving on rails. The vehicles hold 25 passengers but may grow in size in the future. JPods in Minnesota are expanding availability of its transit technology that can move passengers across communities during extreme weather, traveling up to 40 miles per hour. The small carriers hold four passengers.
Other Green Energy Efforts
Gov1 has followed alternative energy projects intending to save millions.