Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr GmbH (RNV), a regional bus operator in Germany, is trialing wireless inductive charging technology for electric buses. The pilot will involve two buses fitted with PRIMOVE inductive wireless charging plates from Bombardier. These will charge the buses as they stop at passenger stops in the city of Mannheim.
Transmission plates will be fitted under the road surface, to correspond with the receiving plates fitted to the undersides of the buses. The idea is to remove the need for long overnight charging and this allows for smaller on-board batteries that can run for longer.
The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology is supporting the PRIMOVE Mannheim project to demonstrate the use of the charging technology on a busy bus route to provide in-field data to research and development teams.
The funding for the year-long trial is coming from Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development. The €3.3 million (US$4.35 million) project is due to commence in 2014.