London wireless recharging trial announced

Transport for London (TfL) is to trial inductive charging technology on up to four extended range diesel electric hybrid buses in east London from next year.

The Alexander Dennis Enviro400H buses will be fitted with special technology enabling on-board batteries to receive a charge boost at bus stands at either end of Stagecoach operated route 69 between Canning Town and Walthamstow bus stations. It is hoped this will enable the buses to operate in pure electric mode for a significant period of the time they are in passenger service.

The trial utilises inductive charging technology that allows the buses to top up their batteries without the need to be physically plugged in, offering a more convenient option for use on busy London bus routes. The buses have a diesel engine that will be used when the battery power on the bus is depleted, but it is anticipated this will only be a small amount of the time, meaning emissions on these vehicles are greatly reduced.

This trial is part funded as part of a wider European Programme called Zero Emissions Urban Bus System (ZeEUS) which is co-ordinated by the International Association of Public Transport (UITP, L’Union Internationale des Transports Publics). TfL is leading a consortium of suppliers all working together to deliver and assess how the technology works in London. These include Alexander Dennis which is delivering the vehicles and IPT Technology which is supplying the bus station charging technology.