Oslo Claims World’s First Wireless Chargers for Electric Taxis
The world’s first rapid wireless chargers for electric taxis are to be installed in Oslo, Norway.
The city is partnering with two charger makers to construct the tech, which they claim will be the world’s first for taxis. The ‘inductive’ chargers will be pads installed in the ground which can charge electric taxis when their drivers park over them. Up to 75kW of charge is sent from the pad to a receiver inside the taxi.
The project is a collaboration between Oslo’s local authority, Fortum Charge & Drive, the EV charging unit of a Finnish energy company, and US wireless charger maker Momentum Dynamics. They claim it will “help the further development of wireless charging technology for all EV drivers”. Sture Portvik, e-mobility manager for Oslo’s government, said the move formed part of the city’s aim to have solely zero-emission taxis “from 2023 onward”.
BMW produces similar chargers and last July, the UK government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles offered £40M to companies developing wireless chargers for commercial vehicles.
