Charging Just by Standing at the Bus Stop... Seoul City to Pilot 'Wireless Electric Vehicle Charging' Next Year

Expansion of Wireless Charging System for Electric Vehicles to Two Urban Circulation Electric Bus Routes Underway

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government is promoting a pilot project to expand the application of wireless charging technology for electric vehicles from the Seoul Grand Park elephant train to commercial vehicles circulating in the city. The targets are the ‘Namsan Circulation Bus (Route 01)’ and the ‘Cheonggyecheon Autonomous Bus,’ scheduled to operate in the second half of this year. Infrastructure such as charging devices will be completed within this year, and full-scale operation will begin next year.

On the 7th, Seoul announced that since introducing wireless charging technology to the elephant train last year, it plans to expand the application of wireless charging technology due to advancements in electric vehicle battery performance and wireless charging technology over the past decade. Domestic wireless charging technology currently supports high-capacity rapid charging of over 150kWh, allowing an electric large bus to run more than 21 km after about 6 minutes of charging.

Electric vehicle wireless charging works by embedding a wireless charger (transmitter) at bus stops or road surfaces, and vehicles equipped with a wireless charging device (receiver) are charged through resonant frequency when stopped nearby. Unlike wired charging, it is convenient because charging occurs simply by parking or stopping without the need to connect heavy connectors or operate separate chargers, and it offers the advantage of easy charging for drivers with mobility difficulties.

The wireless charging technology to be applied in the pilot project involves embedding wireless chargers at bus stops or garages and using an 85kHz frequency band so that vehicles equipped with wireless charging devices can be charged when stopped. First, for the Cheonggyecheon Autonomous Bus, a wireless charger (transmitter) will be installed on the road at the turnaround point, Cheonggye Plaza bus stop, allowing the autonomous bus equipped with a wireless charging device (receiver) to charge while stopped during passenger boarding and alighting or waiting times.

The charging capacity is designed at 20kWh, enabling the bus to run 6 km after about 6 minutes of charging, allowing it to operate the circular route without separate wired charging. If both operation and charging are conducted unmanned, practical autonomous driving is expected to be realized. The Namsan Circulation Bus (Route 01) will operate by installing wireless chargers (transmitters) on the floors of the Namsan Tower bus stop and garage, allowing drivers to charge during breaks or stops. The city plans to equip 1 to 2 existing electric buses with wireless charging devices (receivers).

The wireless charger’s charging capacity is designed at 150kW considering the electric bus battery capacity to enable rapid charging. About 6 minutes of charging allows operation for more than 21 km, enabling route operation without wired charging.

After evaluating the results of this pilot project, Seoul plans to consider further expansion to autonomous vehicles, shared cars, and electric buses. If wireless charging expands, public transportation such as buses and taxis will be able to charge frequently at stops during passenger boarding and alighting or while driving, improving electric vehicle charging convenience and encouraging the transition of public transportation to electric vehicles.

Yoo Yeon-sik, Head of the Seoul Climate and Environment Headquarters, said, “Through the wireless charging technology pilot project, we expect to complete technology verification and, upon commercialization, provide an alternative solution to the problem of installing charging stations caused by the transition to electric buses. Furthermore, it has great potential to lead the era of electric vehicle popularization and develop as a core technology for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.” He added, “Seoul will actively support the development and dissemination of new technologies to enhance electric vehicle charging convenience so that the city can lead in electric vehicle adoption.”