University of Auckland develops EV in-road charging

Researchers at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, are developing new technology for in-road charging of electric vehicles (EVs). The project, which uses inductive power transfer technology, has recently received US$8.7 million ((NZ$12 million) government funding for the development of in-road pads which would charge EVs driving or parking over them.
September 22, 2017 Read time: 1 min

Researchers at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, are developing new technology for in-road charging of electric vehicles (EVs). The project, which uses inductive power transfer technology, has recently received US$8.7 million ((NZ$12 million) government funding for the development of in-road pads which would charge EVs driving or parking over them.

The New Zealand government aims to have 64,000 EVs on the country’s roads by 2021, including one third of government vehicles. However, extending the range of electric vehicles is critical to their success but many of the challenges of plug-in cars have proved difficult to solve.

The five-year project builds on technology developed by Professors John Boys and Grant Covic and will tackle requirements such as developing long-lasting charging materials that can survive being driven on and do not degrade road performance.

Related Content

  • Tritium receives US funding to make cheaper ultra-fast EV charger
    September 14, 2018
    Tritium will use $400,000 in US funding to develop a cheaper version of its Veefil-PK ultra-fast charger for electric vehicles (EVs). The fund is part of the Electric Power Research Institute's (EPRI) $3.2m package, issued by the US Department of Energy (DoE), to develop a fast charging system which will connect to the grid. Once complete, the plug-in system is expected to reduce the impact on the grid and charge multiple EVs quickly. Mark McGranaghan, EPRI vice president of integrated grid, says: “Our
    Read More
  • Cut freight deliveries – improve Southampton’s air quality
    November 23, 2018
    Taking the pressure off cities’ road networks can have a beneficial effect on the environment. David Crawford looks at a new economic model which seeks to quantify the societal effect of freight traffic in Southampton, one of the UK’s five most polluted cities Cuts of 60% or more in volumes of freight deliveries are being predicted - along with badly-needed improvements in air quality - from a load consolidation scheme currently being introduced in the UK port city of Southampton. The forecasts are based o
    Read More
  • Developments in signal head lens technology
    February 3, 2012
    Heads and tails Leading manufacturers of traffic signal systems discuss developments in signal head technology as well as some of the legacy issues which affect future deployments Transparent model of Dambach's ACTROS.line technology, showing the bus electronics in the signal head Cowls could be superseded by the greater use of lens technology
    Read More
  • CarConnect to harmonise home plug-in-vehicle charging
    May 17, 2016
    The CarConnect project, which aims to help the electricity industry better understand how plug-in electric vehicles (PIVs) charge at home in harmony with the electricity grid, is now under way in the UK. It is known from other projects that clusters of PIVs will have an impact on local electricity networks; analysis from the recently completed My Electric Avenue project indicates that by 2050 the electricity industry in Great Britain may have to invest an additional US$3.6 billion (£2.2 billion) to upgra
    Read More

Highlighted Content