UK’s town to run inductive charging buses that never stop to recharge

Some European cities including Turin and Genoa in Italy have been testing inductive-charging systems on road since 2002. Taking the idea of inductive charging a step further, South Korean researchers have laid out induction charging strips on a small patch of a road, which recharges electric vehicle on the go, so that they don’t need to stop to recharge. Following the Korean idea, a new form of electric buses are slated to operate along a busy route in Milton Keynes this month. A fleet of electric buses will run between Wolverton and Bletchley. On this 25km (15 miles) the electric buses, whose batteries will be charged from induction coils located underground at the start and end of the route, will run non-stop, without having to stop midway for recharging.

After charging completely overnight at the depot, the electric buses will be provided a booster charge at the start and end of the route. At the start, the buses will park over buried induction coils. The bus driver will then lower the induction receiver plate at the bottom of the bus to almost 4cm from the ground. The bus will then charge enough for a trip down the route in 10 minutes. The bus will then receive the same charge injection at the end of the route. If you are wondering how the bus batteries will charge here a simple explanation – the wire coils installed in the plates on the road generate magnetic field. This magnetic field prompts a voltage which the bus plates inherit and the batteries are charged.

The unique electric buses built by United Kingdom’s renowned manufacturer Wrightbus, will be inducted on the route as a five-year trial program. If the buses prove successful, the induction charging program will be rolled out on all bus route in Milton Keynes.

Via: BBC/SpectrumIEEE