Wireless car charging to be trialled in the UK this spring

Electric vehicles in the UK could be charged on the road without wires from as early as spring 2020.

Induction pads will debut on residential streets, car parks and taxi ranks across London, the Midlands and Scotland in trials starting over the next two months.

Cars simply park over the electromagnetic pads, installed underground, to recharge without needing the somewhat unsightly charging points.

Existing electric vehicles can be retro-fitted with the technology to wirelessly charge, while newer models will be built with the technology included.

The induction kit will be the first wireless charging pad available to UK car owners.

Connected Kerb, the British firm behind the innovation, says the wireless kits will put the UK at the forefront of electric vehicle charging.

Chief executive Chris Pateman-Jones said: “Vehicle manufacturers are increasingly including induction charging technology in their new models but at present there are only a handful of induction-enabled electric vehicle charge points.

“We aim to change that.”

Inventors of the technology believe induction charging will become the norm over the coming few years, as “it's comparable in performance to traditional charging, however, it's more convenient and even more simple.”

Disabled drivers should particularly reap new benefits from the technology, Mr Pateman-Jones said: “Induction opens up electric vehicles for disabled people, who are currently excluded from EVs by trailing cables and accessibility.

“Longer term, induction charging will be the path to electrification of all parking bays without the street furniture and cable clutter that dominates EV charge point technology today.”

The chief-executive also highlighted that the pads could last longer than plug-in points exposed to the elements and potential vandalism.

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Local authorities have found themselves under increasing pressure to install charging points to meet consumer demand for electric vehicles.

Electric cars have also struggled to go mainstream because of ‘range anxiety’, the fear that a pure electric vehicle has insufficient range to safely reach a destination.

Only last month a study revealed that electric cars go furthest on £5 worth of fuel, a whole 102 miles compared to a 56.5 miles from an equivalent diesel.

Experts believe that such range reviews could lead to a sales surge in electric vehicles.

Would wireless charging encourage you to buy an electric vehicle? Let us know in the comments.