CALSTART and the FTA Explore Wireless Charging for BEBs
In response to a federal directive, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) tasked CALSTART with assessing the viability of wireless charging technology for battery electric buses (BEBs) as an alternative to traditional wired systems.
Through comprehensive literature review and stakeholder interviews, the CALSTART report explored the current state of wireless charging — also known as inductive charging — along with its potential advantages, challenges, and implementation barriers within the U.S. transit landscape.
The resulting report highlights practical recommendations to overcome adoption barriers, including the need for standardization, funding strategies, and industry education, while also finding that whether as a primary charging solution or a range extender, high-power wireless charging may play a pivotal role in enabling the transition to zero-emission public transit.
METRO’s Executive Editor Alex Roman spoke to CALSTART’s Brian Ballschmidt, deputy director, technology and demonstration; Brian Lee, lead project manager; and Katrina Sutton, technical project manager about key findings from the report, what the future may hold for wireless charging, and more.