WAVE partners with BYD, PSTA for wireless bus charging tech

Wireless Advanced Vehicle Electrification (WAVE), developer of inductive charging solutions for medium and heavy-duty vehicles, has partnered with BYD and Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) in St. Petersburg, Fla. WAVE will provide wireless in-route charging for four BYD buses powered by its wireless technology.

Faced with increasing demands for sustainability, a growing number of transit agencies are turning to all-electric vehicles. PSTA operates the largest diesel-hybrid electric fleet in Florida with a total of 71 vehicles in active service. The agency has now decided to explore fully-electric vehicles.

WAVE's in-route charging extends vehicle range, making it a natural choice for transit agencies interested in transitioning their fleets to electric. WAVE’s in-route charger eliminates the need for third rail power systems or impractical and cost-prohibitive overhead wire-charging systems.

“PSTA eagerly anticipates the opportunity to deploy WAVE’s wireless charging solution as part of our all electric bus program. ‘In-Route Opportunity Charging’ offers a high-power charging solution, seamless integration, with the benefit of minor impact on existing city streets. The partnership with WAVE will allow us to keep the BYD all-electric buses in service throughout the day for the passengers of Pinellas County,” says Henry Lukasik, PSTA’s director of maintenance.

WAVE offers a commercially available wireless charging system at 50 kW and 250 kW. WAVE’s inductive charging systems, currently powering buses on routes throughout the U.S., are the nation’s only solutions to have successfully undergone multiple rigorous commercial deployments. Today, WAVE has 50 kW commercial deployments at six U.S. locations. The systems are operating successfully with four different vehicle OEMs including BYD, Gillig, and ZEPS.