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

  • Expectations for growth of UAE infrastucture
    February 9, 2012
    The INTERMAT Middle East event is being launched at a pivotal time of major infrastructure development in the region. As with most sectors, the highways industry has not had a fantastic 18 months in the Gulf. Not only has the recession impacted the delivery of projects across the board, GCC Governments' attention have been switching increasingly to rail, as plans to roll out a Gulf-wide rail system gather steam. GCC countries will invest over US$119.6 billion in infrastructure projects over the next decade
  • Tunnels - an environmentally attractive option?
    February 21, 2012
    While tunnels are often more expensive than bridges, they can offer environmentally attractive options for transport schemes. Tunnels offer environmentally attractive options for a range of transport infrastructure schemes, but in many cases high construction costs may restrict their use.
  • Bitumen technology: three ways to more sustainable roads
    May 14, 2020
    This issue we look at three case studies showcasing new technologies designed to deliver more sustainable paving solutions.
  • Hewden Core Fleet Guarantee success sparks huge investment
    February 20, 2014
    Hewden, the national UK plant hire specialist, is investing over €70 million in its machine lines after seeing an enthusiastic response to its Core Fleet Guarantee (CFG). The CFG, said to be the first in the hire industry, offers a next day delivery on the 30 most hired plant and access machines or the customer receives a credit of €119 (£100). Launched in February 2013, 20,363 deliveries had been made up until mid-November 2013, 20,115 being delivered on time, giving an on time success rate of 98.78%.