Inductive Charging for Electric Shuttles
With economy parking located about two miles from its main campus, Kansas City International Airport (MCI) has always tried to have leading-edge buses to shuttle passengers to and from the terminal. It’s currently making a major step forward in that effort by transitioning to all electric buses and a wireless charging system.
Currently, MCI’s fleet for economy parking has seven electric buses and 24 that run on compressed natural gas. Airport personnel note that the fully electric buses cost less to operate because there are no expenses for fuel, oil and transmission fluid. In addition, the electric vehicles are more energy-efficient, produce fewer emissions and require less repair/maintenance work compared to buses with diesel engines. New wireless charging also eliminates previous concerns about range. Based on the many advantages and a positive track record with its initial electric shuttle vehicles, MCI is transitioning to an all-electric fleet as its other buses age out.
In 2017, MCI was the first U.S. airport to integrate fully electric shuttles for passenger service. It embraced the green technology by purchasing four 30-foot electric coaches from BYD North America, custom built with luggage racks and other features specifically for airport service. Each K7M model seats 20 passengers, has a range of up to 150 miles and can be fully charged in two and one-half to three hours. In 2020, three additional electric buses were added to MCI’s evolving fleet.