Wireless charging taxis to be trialled in Nottingham

The UK Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, has announced that £3.4 million will be invested in trials for wireless charging of electric taxis in Nottingham.

10 Nissan and LEVC electric taxis in Nottingham will be fitted with wireless charging hardware for six months to trial taxi rank-based charging. Nottingham City Council will own the vehicles and provide them to drivers rent free.

As more and more people make the switch to electric cars, this new technology could also be rolled out more broadly for public use, the Department for Transport (DfT) has suggested, helping everyday drivers of electric vehicles charge more easily.

Installing wireless chargers at taxi ranks is said to offer drivers the chance to recharge while waiting for their next passengers, so they can help the environment and start their journeys quicker. The technology, allowing for shorter and more frequent bursts of charging, also aims to benefit cars with smaller batteries, ending ‘range anxiety’ for drivers.

Shapps said: “Taxi drivers up and down the country are at the vanguard of the electric vehicle revolution, playing a leading role in reducing air pollution in our city centres where people live, shop and work.

“New wireless technology will make using an electric taxi quicker and more convenient, allowing drivers to charge up at taxi ranks before heading off with their next passenger.”

Andrea Leadsom, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, added: “Charging technology, including wireless, is vital in giving consumers confidence to make the switch from petrol to electric cars. This pioneering trial in Nottingham, and others like it, will help us take crucial steps towards lower emissions and cleaner air.

“We are determined to end our contribution to global warming entirely by 2050 – and delivering cleaner and greener transport systems is a key part of this.”

Councillor Sally Longford, Deputy Leader at Nottingham City Council, commented: “Nottingham is excited to host the trial of this new type of innovative charging technology, keeping us ahead of the pack, and helping to promote cleaner taxis in our city and potentially take us a further step forward towards our goal of being carbon neutral by 2028.”