Commercial EV specialist Ideanomics (NASDAQ: IDEX) has successfully tested WAVE’s 500 kW wireless charging system at the Port of Los Angeles. In a test, WAVE’s system fully charged a Class 8 electric truck in less than 15 minutes. (Ideanomics acquired WAVE in 2021.)

Construction and charger installation at the Port of Los Angeles is underway, and Ideanomics expects the first 500 kW charger to enter service in 2023.

The project was supported by an $8.4-million DOE grant. The newly-passed Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides more than $75 billion in programs and tax credits to electrify commercial vehicles, and some of these programs are specifically aimed at heavy-duty vehicles operating at ports and warehouses.

Ideanomics calls wireless charging the ideal solution for any fleet operator with vehicles serving a fixed route. “In logistics, where minutes and seconds count, fully automated and unobtrusive high-power wireless charging keeps vehicles powered up during regularly scheduled stops,” says the company. It also “allows for smaller batteries and fewer chargers, resulting in reduced vehicle weight and costs.”

Ideanomics plans to offer EVs and charging through an “As a Service” model. An unnamed e-commerce company is partnering with Ideanomics to deploy wireless charging and EVs on a subscription basis for a flat monthly fee.

“We’re showing that today, right now, electric heavy-duty vehicles can operate 24/7, topping off their charge while the work is happening,” says Robin Mackie, Ideanomics Mobility President. “The benefits of this technology are crystal clear—fleet operators become more efficient by cutting out vehicle downtime otherwise spent filling up or plugging in at a central depot.” 

Source: Ideanomics