Electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure company Connected Kerb has announced that it will rollout wireless charging technology in London, the Midlands and Scotland in the first half of 2020.
The rollout will see induction chargers in inductive pads, sunk beneath the ground fitted around the country. EVs will then be able to park over these and charge wirelessly.
These chargers use an induction coil that generates an alternating electromagnetic field. This is matched by an second induction coil in an EV, that converts this field back into electricity, which charges the vehicles.
Connected Kerb’s CEO, Chris Pateman-Jones 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.”
Older vehicles can also be retrofitted, to enable them to charge wirelessly using the new technology.
There are a number of benefits to wireless charging, including lasting longer as they are less damaged by the elements and vandalism.
Pateman-Jones believes that induction charging will “become the norm” in coming years, saying “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.”
Together with the company’s Munich-based partner Magment, which specialises in induction technology, Connected Kerb will now begin rolling out the chargers throughout the UK within the next two months. The chargers will be fitted in residential streets, car parks and taxi ranks, and will initially be fitted alongside existing chargers, upgrading them.
Following this rollout, the companies will begin to install the wireless chargers internationally. Connected Kerb has undertaken a number of projects over the last year, following the maiden install of its kerbside public charging station last January. This includes partnering with Vattenfall and Virgin Media to provide infrastructure for on-street EV charging.
