Nottingham was home to ground-breaking demonstration of wireless charging of electric taxis in 2022 as part of a UK-first trial.
Five wireless charging pads were installed at the Trent Street rank and nine council-owned electric taxis fitted with wireless charging hardware in the UK’s first trial of wireless charging technology of its kind.
Wireless charging-enabled vehicles were available for a free loan to licenced taxi drivers to experience the technology first-hand. The council and its project partners closely monitored the trial and fed back learning to Government to help shape future regulations and delivery of wireless charging projects.
The council secured £930,000 from the Government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles through Innovate UK for the WiCET project. This was a UK first involving both London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) and Nissan Dynamo electric taxis, placing Nottingham at the forefront of green technology innovation.
Wireless charging technology has many benefits that were demonstrated throughout the trial. These included:
- Easy and convenient charging – Drivers able to start a charge by driving over the pad without needing to leave their vehicle
- Time saving – Drivers able to charge their taxi at the rank while waiting for passengers without the need to leave the rank
- Reducing street clutter – No charging cables required as the wireless charging equipment was built into the road surface
It is hoped these benefits will encourage the adoption of more electric taxis in the city, which will lead to a reduction in emissions.
For more information visit the project website here.
