Swedish truck company Scania will test a wirelessly charged electric-hybrid city bus in the city of Södertälje starting in June 2016 using a cutting edge bus stop that can add enough power for a complete journey in just six to seven minutes.
Scania is looking into various types of electrification technologies that could replace or complement combustion engines, so while Volvo is busy sending robots around Gothenburg, they will test their idea for an electrified future in real-life conditions about 19 miles southwest of Stockholm in the city of Södertälje, home of the Volkswagen empire's Scandinavian commercial vehicle manufacturer.
The program will launch in June 2016 with a hybrid bus prototype entering regular service equipped with the wireless receiver that can harvest enough energy from the road surface at a dedicated bus stop in such a short time that the passengers and the drivers shouldn't have to wait any longer than when using a regular diesel-powered bus.
Scania believes there is a huge potential in electrified roads that feed fleets of zero-emission vehicles, especially when it comes to public or commercial transportation:
"With a fleet of 2,000 buses, the city can save up to 50 million liters (13.2 million gallons) of fuel each year. This means the fuel costs decrease by up to 90 percent."
Apart from induction, Scania's research and development department is also looking at other options, including the take-up of energy from overhead electrical wires (meaning trolleybuses) or charging stations.
H/T to fareastgizmos!