The roll out of these charging points is being driven by London-based Connected Kerb and induction technology specialist Magment, based in Munich.
The partnership will see the two companies deliver the first UK instalment of wireless/induction charging across multiple public sites; on-street residential, car parks, public service and taxi ranks. The arrival of this technology will lay the foundations of a new era of EV charging, helping to make EVs accessible to those with disabilities and more convenient for all people, as EV demand continues to rise.
Connected Kerb expect to begin early UK deployment within the next two months, with international deployment from mid-2020. The transition to wireless charging will remove the need for drivers to plug-in via a charging cable, instead enabling them to charge by parking over the inductive pad which is sunk beneath the road.
Connected Kerb’s CEO, Chris Pateman-Jones said, “Induction charging will arrive faster than perhaps many people think. Vehicle manufacturers are increasingly including induction charging technology in their new models, but at present there are only a handful of induction-enabled EV charge points. We aim to change that. We’re delighted to be leading the charge in this exciting area with the team at Magment.”
The two companies have highly complementary commercial and technology models, centred on the provision of future-proof infrastructure for electric vehicle charging and multi-modal mobility. Connected Kerb is currently the only charging company to deploy its charging technology beneath the ground and to provide induction capabilities within its existing charge points. The induction capability will be deployed in conjunction with existing chargers as a simple upgrade, consolidating Connected Kerb’s position at the forefront of innovation in the charge point sector.
Pateman-Jones continued, “Induction charging will become a ubiquitous technology over the coming few years, and for good reason. It’s just as fast as traditional charging, however, it’s convenient, simple and provides a compelling user experience. Importantly, in the short term, induction opens up EV for disabled people, who are currently excluded from EVs by trailing cables and accessibility. Longer term, induction charging will be the path to ubiquitous electrification of all parking bays without the street furniture and cable clutter that dominates EV charge point technology today.”
Magment’s CEO, Mauricio Esguerra added, “Connected Kerb’s separation of the charger from the plug is a perfect solution for Magment’s technologies. We like the way in which supporting induction charging becomes a logical upgrade with CK’s technology, not a new infrastructure build. We’re looking forward to driving ubiquitous, user-friendly and efficient charge points into the UK market with the CK team.”
Induction chargers use an induction coil to generate an alternating electromagnetic field from within a charging base, while a second induction coil in the vehicle converts the electromagnetic field back into electricity that charges the battery without requiring a physical connection.
