Oslo to become the first city to introduce wireless charged electric taxis

Key Highlights

Oslo to become the first city of the world to introduce wireless charging systems for electric vehicles.

Norway to use induction technology to deliver a charge of up to 75 kilowatts to E-vehicles.

Norway has the highest number of electric cars in the world.

The governments, as well as private firms, are collaboratively working to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the environment and have put a step towards the move by launching electric vehicles. Currently, electric taxis are operational in few parts of the globe and the government has also set up wired charging stations for E-vehicles. Oslo capital of Norway is going to become the first city of the world to introduce wireless charging systems for electric vehicles. The wired charging system is shifted to wireless one to make recharging quick and efficient enough to speed the take-up of non-polluting cabs. 

According to Finnish utility Fortum, electric vehicles will be charged using induction technology. Charging plates will be installed in the road at taxi ranks linking to receivers installed in the vehicle. Country is planning to use charging plates, which use induction technology to deliver a charge of up to 75 kilowatts, will be installed under taxi parking spaces. The installation is to be done in partnership with Finnish clean energy company Fortum and America’s Momentum Dynamics.

The country has decided to make all taxis of Oslo emission free till 2023 and make complete Norway cars to be emission-free till 2025. Looking over to other nations Britain and France have similar goals for 2040.

Fortum, which is working with U.S. firm Momentum Dynamics and the city of Oslo on the scheme, said the greatest barrier for charging of electric taxis so far been the infrastructure, as it takes to time-consuming for cabbies to find a charger, plug in, then wait for the car to charge. Charging taxis by induction method is highly energy efficient and assists taxis in getting charged whole they are in slow motion too.

According to Ole Gudbrann Hempel, head of Fortum’s public charging network in Norway “Time equals money when taxi drivers are working.”  Norway has the highest number of electric cars in the world. Norway government provides long-term perks such as free or discounted road tolls, parking, and charging points. Previous year one out of three cars sold in Norway was electric. The government also makes electric vehicles liberal from taxes on traditional vehicles that are very high in a country which does not have its own fossil fuel car industry to lobby against them. 

According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, Norway has a population of approx five Billion and 46,143 folks bought new battery electric cars in 2018, making it the biggest market in Europe, ahead of Germany with 36,216 and France on 31,095. 

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