- The U.S. State of Michigan has announced a new partnership with wireless EV charging specialists, Electreon, and commercial fleet electrifiers, Xon.
- The partnership will help deliver wireless charging solutions for commercial EV fleets within Michigan, to demonstrate the technology and show how it could have the possibility of cost savings for fleets.
- Results from the partnership could convince more fleet operators to go electric in the state.
Michigan pushes forward on commercial EV adoption with wireless charging project
Under the project, which is also backed by $200,000 of funding from the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform, Electreon’s wireless charging tech will be integrated into an all-electric Xos Stepvan, as a demonstration of the technology. Additionaly, the project will also create a stationary wireless charging solution at a UPS depot in Detroit, allowing for seamless wireless charging of UPS’ ever-growing electric fleet.
Electreon is already in a partnership with the Michigan Department of Transportation, which has resulted in Detroit’s ‘electric roadway’ – a quarter mile stretch of road equipped with wireless charging technology underneath, allowing EVs with the necessary hardware to charge up as they drive along. This is part of a five-year agreement to pilot the technology across Michigan’s road network. Electreon has also piloted similar schemes in countries such as Germany and Sweden.
The partnership trio hope that the project will help more fleets overcome hurdles to EV adoption, particularly when it comes to the question of range anxiety – something that wireless roads, alongside wired and wireless stationary charging equipment, would be able to largely quell.
Stefan Tongur, Vice President of Business Development for Electreon, commented:
“We’re excited to demonstrate how Electreon’s technology can optimize electric fleet usage and showcase the seamless integration of wireless charging into daily fleet operations, minimizing downtime and enabling charging across time and location. We’re proud to do this work in Michigan, a state fostering innovation and sustainable transportation solutions.”
Dakota Semler, CEO & Co-Founder of Xos, added:
“We are proud to partner with Electreon and support UPS to demonstrate the potential of wireless charging in commercial fleets. This innovative approach will revolutionize how we power our electric vehicles and drive fleet electrification forward.”
