Beginning in the spring of 2020, trials of wireless charging pads for electric vehicles will take place across Scotland, the Midlands, and Greater London. These cutting-edge induction pads will be installed in car parking lots, on residential streets, and in taxi ranks.
The pads are discreetly sunk underground, where they can pump out an alternating electromagnetic field that converts into electricity when a car is parked above it. Owners of electric vehicles that support such technology will be able to charge their cars wirelessly once the trial begins.
Wireless charging pads eliminate the need for cluttering charging points and unsightly cables running down the street. Older electric vehicles that don’t have the hardware to use the induction pads built-in can easily have their cars retrofitted with the technology. Most new models being manufactured from here on out will already have the capability built-in.
The invention was developed by a firm called Connected Kerb. It says the wireless induction kit puts Britain at the forefront of electric vehicle charging.
Chris Pateman-Jones, Connected Kerb chief executive, said:
“Vehicle manufacturers are increasingly including induction charging technology in their new models but at present, there are only a handful of induction-enabled electric vehicle charge points. We aim to change that.
It seems unlikely that we will still plug-in EVs in the next five to 10 years … indeed the new VW range coming to market next year is induction charging enabled. We see immediate use cases for induction charging in taxi ranks and for disabled people, who presently struggle with the trailing cables involved in charging an EV.”
With the climate emergency mounting pressure on local authorities, things like installing charging points have become a requirement. Still, the infrastructure has not been able to keep up with the demand for electric vehicles.
There is a growing concern regarding the limited supply of curb-side plug-in points for electric cars. And as for the ones that have been installed, residents complain that they clutter the streets and sidewalks. Furthermore, they are vulnerable to damage or vandalism. All of these are problems the underground wireless charging pads do not have.
Pateman-Jones added:
“Induction charging will become the norm over the coming few years, and for good reason: It’s comparable in performance to traditional charging, however, it’s more convenient and even more simple.
Also, induction opens up electric vehicles for disabled people, who are currently excluded from EVs by trailing cables and accessibility. Longer-term, induction charging will be the path to electrification of all parking bays without the street furniture and cable clutter that dominates EV charge point technology today.”
These wireless charging pads will be the first-ever available to private UK car owners.
