Thursday, November 17, 2011

Startup Looks To Advance Electric Bus Charging Technology

WAVE, Inc.--a spinout of Utah State University--is taking a new tact on electric vehicle charging this week, looking advance its technology to reduce the need for large banks of batteries in electric vehicles. According to Utah State University, WAVE has just received a $2.7M, federal grant to electrify a bus route on the campus of the University of Utah. WAVE's technology embeds inductive charging technology at bus stops, which allows buses to charge while sitting above a special location installed within bus stops. WAVE's technology takes a technique which has been used widely in consumer electronics--inductive charging--and applies it on a much grander scale, to charge buses. WAVE has electrified sections of roadway at specific intervals, including where buses load, and where they wait for their next route, allowing those buses to charge wirelessly--and greatly reducing the need for expensive, heavy batteries. USU said that WAVE is also looking to use the technology for applications like fork lifts and haulers in industrial yards. USU did not say when the special, electric buses will hit the University of Utah campus.