18 October 2013
Could New York City’s manholes provide a reliable way to charge electric vehicles (EVs) and solve NYC’s EV infrastructure issues?
Local startup HEVO Power and the Polytechnic Institute of New York University think so.
The student-led startup and university engineers have developed a wireless charging system which can be “embedded” within underground tunnel access points.
The system’s power stations use resonance charging and can either be bolted to the street or embedded as in a manhole cover. Vehicle batteries are fitted with receivers, and a mobile application helps juice-seeking drivers find available spots to park up and charge.
Once parked, a car’s battery will wirelessly charge.
The teams say that the design can “overcome problems of electric vehicle ownership like driver error in remembering to plug-in the vehicle, faulty connections between cords and vehicle charging terminals, cluttered sidewalks and tangled loading bays.”
Pilot projects are currently at the forefront of discussion, and include potentially implementing the devices at New York University’s main campus and around Washington Square Park in 2014. However, if successful, a city rollout could do much to alleviate range anxiety, and more consumers may be willing to give EVs a shot as a result.
For more information please visit the SmartPlanet website
