Skip to main content

London to trial wireless charging

Qualcomm has announced the first wireless electric vehicle charging (WEVC) trial for London in collaboration with the UK Government, as well as the Mayor of London's office and Transport for London (TfL). The pre-commercial trial is expected to start in early 2012 and will involve as many as 50 electric vehicles (EVs) using Qualcomm wireless inductive power transfer technology that enables high-efficiency power transfer across a large air gap. The driver simply parks the vehicle in the usual way and the sys
April 30, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
5358 Qualcomm has announced the first wireless electric vehicle charging (WEVC) trial for London in collaboration with the UK Government, as well as the Mayor of London's office and 2387 Transport for London (TfL).

The pre-commercial trial is expected to start in early 2012 and will involve as many as 50 electric vehicles (EVs) using Qualcomm wireless inductive power transfer technology that enables high-efficiency power transfer across a large air gap. The driver simply parks the vehicle in the usual way and the system automatically aligns for power transfer, making parking easier and charging hassle free.

The trial, which will be based partially in Tech City, the East London cluster receiving the strong support of the Prime Minister, is planned to leverage the entrepreneurial community there and encourage companies to innovate around services and applications, in order to enhance the smart EV experience.

Prime Minister David Cameron said, "This wireless charging technology is a giant leap forward for the electric car industry and I am delighted that London businesses will be among the first to benefit from the trial. Creative, high-tech advances such as this are extremely important as we work to rebalance our economy, and the decision to trial this at Tech City shows confidence in the UK as an ideal place for innovation and investment."

5356 Addison Lee, the UK's largest minicab company, and 5357 Chargemaster, a leading European operator of advanced EV charging infrastructure, have also agreed to participate in the WEVC London trial.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Milan wins prestigious ITF transport award for its urban road pricing scheme
    May 20, 2014
    The Italian city of Milan has won the 2014 Transport Achievement Award (TAA) for its ‘Area C’ urban road pricing scheme. The TAA is awarded annually by the International Transport Forum (ITF) at the OECD, an intergovernmental organisation for the transport sector with 54 member countries. The award will be presented tomorrow in the presence of ministers from around the world during the opening plenary of their global transport summit organised by the ITF. Milan, said by the ITF to be one of the most c
  • Digital cameras and VMS improve London and Scottish road safety
    March 18, 2016
    London and Scotland are using VMS and digital cameras to successfully lower road deaths. Road safety measures such as variable message signs (VMS) and digital cameras have boosted road safety in the UK capital London and also in the Scottish Highlands. And the systems need not be a drain on electricity supplies. Full matrix driver information signs from SWARCO Traffic, one of the UK’s leading traffic management technology providers, are being installed for the first time across the Transport for London (TfL
  • Implementing road user charging
    February 14, 2012
    Oregon Department of Transportation's James Whitty spoke with Jason Barnes on the state's progress with VMT fee-based charging
  • Estonia to deploy Europe’s largest EV fast-charging network
    March 21, 2012
    Swiss headuartered power and automation technology group, ABB, has won a tender to build a network of 200 electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging stations throughout Estonia. The order, from the Estonian government, is Europe’s largest EV charging infrastructure contract to date and creates what is being claimed is the world’s first fast-charging infrastructure with full nationwide coverage.