Via inductive charge strips, E-Taxis could charge in the queue. A prototype plant is built in Mülheim, Germany.

E-cars are not so easy to integrate into the taxi industry. They depend on free charging stations and have to be flexible. The University of Duisburg-Essen is now testing the wireless loading of e-taxis in a pilot project. The vehicles are charged via inductive charging strips while waiting for passengers.

The fact that they keep moving forward in the queue and do not stay in the same place is no problem without cables.

Loading six cars simultaneously

The test will initially start in Mülheim an der Ruhr. A prototype plant is to be built there at a taxi company. The charging strips will be integrated into the waiting strip underground. Then another facility will be set up in Cologne with which up to six vehicles can be loaded simultaneously.

The project is to run for three years. It will be carried out by the Chair of International Automotive Management at the University of Duisburg-Essen and six other partners, including the City of Cologne, Rheinenergie AG and the English vehicle manufacturer LEVC. Further car manufacturers are to be involved in the future. The Federal Ministry of Economics is funding the project with two million euros.