The Australian government is investing 3 million AUD in a university-led research project aimed at developing wireless charging technology for electric vehicles (EVs), particularly focusing on heavy vehicles. Swinburne University of Technology is spearheading the project, which has a total budget of 8.2 million AUD. The goal is to create an advanced wireless charging infrastructure on regional roads.
Researchers believe that electrifying heavy vehicles could lead to significant savings for Australia, estimated at $324 billion by 2050. However, the lack of charging infrastructure for long-haul trucks remains a major hurdle. The integration of wireless charging into Australia’s roads could address this issue, ensuring that electric trucks have enough charge to operate with heavy loads and over long distances.
See also: Tesla Confirms Development of Wireless Charging Solution for Electric Vehicles
The funding for the project comes from the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) Grants scheme. Several companies, including ACE Infrastructure, SEA Electric, Fleet Plant Hire, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Siemens, ARRB Group, and Net Zero Stack, are also participating in the research.
Professor Mehdi Seyedmahmoudian, leader of the project and head of the New Energy Technology Research Group, sees this collaboration as a step towards a sustainable transportation ecosystem that can significantly reduce environmental impact.
