Electric Taxis in Sweden Charge With Innovative Wireless EV Charging from InductEV
Innovative wireless EV chargers are being used by electric taxis in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Car Company is well known for staying on the cutting edge of technology. It makes sense that the company would be one of the first-movers on wireless EV charging, a highly innovative new charging method that is creating industry excitement. Volvo’s compact, all-electric XC40 Recharge SUVs were chosen for the pilot program, along with wireless charging stations provided by InductEV. Formerly known as Momentum Dynamics, InductEV is the leading company in the wireless EV charging space.
(Image: electric taxi charged with wireless EV charging by InductEV)
Wireless EV charging is very convenient
One of the many benefits of wireless EV charging is convenience. Charging begins within seconds after the car is positioned over the charging pad, known as a ground assembly (GA). Volvo’s 360-degree camera system assists in proper positioning. Drivers can charge without ever leaving the car. Charging wirelessly in this way is much more convenient than getting out of the vehicle to plug in to begin charging, then getting out again to unplug and stop charging. Wireless EV charging avoids many problems caused by wired EV charging with connectors. When vehicles become fully autonomous in the future, the only way to charge them will be with wireless technology, as it would be inefficient to expect humans to handle plugging in cords.
How wireless EV charging works
Wireless EV charging works by magnetic induction, using copper coils. Power is brought from the grid, to a cabinet which feeds the power to the charging pads installed in the ground. Energy travels through the air to a receiving unit under the vehicle, called a vehicle assembly (VA). Wireless EV charging is very safe, the technology has been widely used since the late 1970s in magnetic resonance machines used in medical diagnostics.
Power used by the all-electric Volvo taxis
The Volvo XC40 Recharge taxis draw 40 kilowatts of wireless EV charging power. This is about four times faster charging than a wired 11 kW AC charger. The wireless charging is nearly as fast as a wired 50 kW DC fast charger. The taxis drive over 100,000 kilometers (62,000 miles) per year, and are used over 12 hours per day. Wireless charging is highly efficient and provides more than enough power for the vehicles without the need for them to ‘return home’ to a charging depot where every vehicle would have its own wired charger.
The Green City Zone sustainable development project tests electric cars and buses
Cabonline is the Nordic region’s largest taxi operator, and runs the pilot program for the electric taxis. InductEV partnered with Cabonline to complete the project, along with Swedish energy company Vattenfall. Göteborg Energi, the citywide energy company in Gothenburg, participated in the exciting new project. Business Region Gothenburg, A municipal economic development agency, participated as well. The Gothenburg Green City Zone is a sustainable development project which encouraged the ingenious wireless EV charging project in Gothenburg.
Axel Josefson, Chair, Gothenburg City Executive Board, said: “In Gothenburg Green City Zone, the city, industry and research communities will work together to make the transportation system emission-free in a very short time. Through fruitful collaboration we will take the lead in sustainability issues in Europe, proving that we are serious about the city’s climate contract with the EU and our ambitious sustainability goals for 2030.”
(Image: Cabonline’s electric taxis wait for passengers while wirelessly charging.)
John F. Rizzo, Chief Strategy Officer of InductEV said: “The Nordic region has been on the cutting edge of decarbonization for years and we are grateful and honored to be partnering with Volvo and the Gothenburg Green City zone. There’s not one technology that eventually hasn’t gone fully wireless and charging electric vehicles is fast becoming wire free.”
The bold and admirable goal of the Gothenburg Green City Zone sustainable development project is to achieve entirely emission-free transport by 2030. New technology is tested in both the infrastructure and vehicle sectors. The region has become well-known and respected throughout the globe for its innovation. Many companies, including InductEV, have joined the public sector and the research communities to transform the region into a world-class innovation center. All-electric bus routes are included in the Gothenburg Green City Zone.
Business Region Göteborg AB (BRG) manages the Green City Zone. BRG is a wholly owned, non-profit subsidiary of Stadshus AB. The City of Gothenburg owns Stadshus AB. BRG represents thirteen municipalities within the region.
The Gothenburg Green City Zone is a climate-neutral and zero-emission transportation system. Partners include the Swedish Exhibition and Congress Centre, Chalmers University of Technology, the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg, Johanneberg Science Park, and the City of Mölndal. InductEV is based in Pennsylvania and has completed many successful wireless EV charging projects around the globe. These include electric public transportation buses in Washington, Indianapolis, IN, Chattanooga, TN, Martha’s Vineyard, MA, and across Washington, Oregon, California, and other states. The company announced a move to a new, larger innovation center in April 2023, and announced Four Newly Granted U.S. Patents in May 2023. InductEV is the wireless EV charging leader and is well known and respected in the wireless EV charging industry.
Written by Bill Pierce, Publisher EVinfo.net