Electric Taxis in Sweden Charge With Innovative Wireless EV Charging from InductEV

Innovative wireless EV chargers are being used by electric taxis in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Car Company is well known for staying on the cutting edge of technology. It makes sense that the company would be one of the first-movers on wireless EV charging, a highly innovative new charging method that is creating industry excitement. Volvo’s compact, all-electric XC40 Recharge SUVs were chosen for the pilot program, along with wireless charging stations provided by InductEV. Formerly known as Momentum Dynamics, InductEV is the leading company in the wireless EV charging space.

InductEV, a pioneer in high-power wireless charging solutions, has been operational in the commercial transport sector across the U.S. and Europe since 2017. Their advanced system supports charging up to 450 kW, making it a vital component for commercial fleets and municipal transit systems aiming to reduce carbon emissions.

John F. Rizzo, CEO of InductEV, expressed enthusiasm over Tesla’s entry into the wireless space, underscoring the validation it brings to the vision InductEV has pursued. Rizzo highlighted the importance of wireless charging in replacing diesel-powered vehicles with electric ones, pointing out the challenges associated with wired depot charging in achieving this goal. InductEV’s technology not only facilitates this transition but also offers significant cost savings, potentially reducing total ownership costs by 25% or more compared to traditional wired systems.

Wireless EV charging is very convenient

One of the many benefits of wireless EV charging is convenience. Charging begins within seconds after the car is positioned over the charging pad, known as a ground assembly (GA). Volvo’s 360-degree camera system assists in proper positioning. Drivers can charge without ever leaving the car. Charging wirelessly in this way is much more convenient than getting out of the vehicle to plug in to begin charging, then getting out again to unplug and stop charging. Wireless EV charging avoids many problems caused by wired EV charging with connectors.  When vehicles become fully autonomous in the future, the only way to charge them will be with wireless technology, as it would be inefficient to expect humans to handle plugging in cords.

How wireless EV charging works

Wireless EV charging works by magnetic induction, using copper coils. Power is brought from the grid, to a cabinet which feeds the power to the charging pads installed in the ground. Energy travels through the air to a receiving unit under the vehicle, called a vehicle assembly (VA). Wireless EV charging is very safe, the technology has been widely used since the late 1970s in magnetic resonance machines used in medical diagnostics.