WATERTOWN, Mass. – WiTricity, a leading company in wireless EV charging, has partnered with YuTong Bus, the top bus brand in China, to offer wireless charging for YuTong’s autonomous electric buses. This marks a major milestone in the commercial application of wireless charging for e-buses and positions WiTricity as a key player in the advanced public transportation sector.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with YuTong Bus in this historic first demonstration of wireless charging powering autonomy at scale,” said Alex Gruzen, CEO of WiTricity. “As autonomous technology advances, charging and servicing logistics will become increasingly critical. Our wireless EV charging solution offers a promising path for the next generation of electrified transportation and logistics.”
The commercial deployment of wireless charging in YuTong’s e-buses will be unveiled in Zhengzhou, China, with the Xiaoyu 2.0 autonomous minibus being the first to adopt the technology. The level 4 autonomous bus, which can carry up to 10 passengers, has a range of 150 km.
WiTricity’s Halo® chargers simplify the charging process by eliminating the need for cables and cords, making it an ideal solution for transit applications. The cumbersome and heavy charging cables can pose a safety hazard in transit, where slips and falls are a common cause of workers’ compensation claims for commercial drivers. As autonomous shuttles and buses become increasingly popular globally, wireless charging will play a crucial role in keeping these vehicles on the road.
So far, WiTricity’s wireless EV charging has been deployed in passenger vehicles such as FAW’s HongQi and Genesis’s GV60. There are also ongoing taxi trials showcasing the use of wireless charging to provide “power snacks™” while the taxis wait for their next fare. The collaboration with YuTong Bus represents WiTricity’s first demonstration of wireless charging with autonomous commercial vehicles.
