Taxi corporations primarily based in Vienna can register for the pilot section of the ‘eTaxi Austria’ challenge from 16 August. As a part of the challenge, the cities of Vienna and Graz wish to make automated conductive charging stops for electrical taxis sensible.
The pilot section of the challenge is scheduled to begin in October 2023. For this function, eight taxi stands within the Austrian capital and 50 electrical taxis will initially be geared up with Easelink’s charging system. Taxi corporations can specific their curiosity in collaborating on the Vienna Chamber of Commerce between 16 August and 15 September 2023. The businesses will most likely be chosen by the top of September. They’ll then buy the already geared up autos at quick discover or receive them on a subscription foundation, says the Vienna Chamber of Commerce.
The eTaxi Austria challenge makes use of the VW ID.4 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5. Each EVs are routinely charged with the Matrix Charging resolution from Easelink through the challenge. As reported, this can be a conductive system: not like inductive charging, there’s a bodily connection between the charging pad on the ground and the connector on the automobile ground. If the automobile is parked above such a charging pad, the connector lowers and thus establishes the conductive connection.
The system has been examined on the Wien Energie web site on the Simmering energy station since final yr. The purpose is to implement numerous software situations in follow. Charging on the Simmering energy plant takes place with 11 kW and a transmission effectivity of 99 per cent. The charging plates are additionally linked to a Wien Energie load administration system in order that the required charging energy may be managed on the taxi stand. Nonetheless, the 11 kW charging energy from the pilot challenge is to be elevated. The goal is 22 kW for AC charging and 50 kW (at 400 volts) or 100 kW (at 800 volts) for DC charging.
Firms collaborating within the eTaxi Austria programme obtain a subsidy for the acquisition prices or a decreased subscription price. As well as, they profit from an working subsidy (per buyer kilometre pushed) and free electrical energy from Wien Energie when charging through the charging plates.
“With the Matrix Charging plates embedded within the ground, there’s a resolution for uncomplicated and sensible charging on the location. As a substitute of constructing an additional journey to a charging station, the time spent on the taxi stand can be utilized for charging. This is a vital step in direction of making electrical taxis extra sensible,” mentioned Leopold Kautzner, chairman of the transport trade part of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce, in an earlier assertion.
ots.at (in German)