You Could Soon Be Riding Utah’s Gloriously Wireless Electric Bus

The company is expecting more cities to take notice, especially since existing buses can be retrofitted with an electric drivetrain and induction charging.

Researchers at Utah State University have successfully developed and tested an electric bus that charges wirelessly through induction. Now a Utah-based startup has plans to roll it out to transit fleets across the country.

Designed by Utah State University’s Wireless Power Transfer Team and the Utah Science Technology and Research Initiative’s Advanced Transportation Institute, the battery-powered bus recharges every time it drives over a charge plate. Conveniently, those charge plates can safely be placed underneath bus stops. The frequent top-offs mean that electric buses can run on lighter, cheaper batteries, with no wires or downtime required.

By Keith Barry

Full Story: http://www.wired.com/autopia/2013/10/utah-ev-bus/

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In South Korea, Wireless Charging Powers Electric Buses

The city of Gumi, South Korea has debuted a wirelessly charged electric bus, becoming yet another municipality to embrace induction charging. Where we’re going, we don’t need cords…

The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) developed the Online Electric Vehicle (OLEV) platform, which is already in use on trams at the Seoul Grand Park amusement park and shuttle buses on the school campus. Now, the passenger route between the Gumi train station and the In-dong district is now plied by two induction-powered buses.

By Keith Barry

Full Story: http://www.wired.com/autopia/2013/08/induction-charged-buses/