WiTricity, a wireless charging company for electric vehicles (EV), has been awarded a $50,000 grant by the State of Michigan and the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform to deploy an EV wireless charging station at the Detroit Smart Parking Lab (DSPL).
The DSPL, announced by Governor Whitmer in August 2021, is operated by the American Center for Mobility (ACM) and is an open innovation platform and real-world testing site for parking-related mobility, logistics and EV charging technologies. The DSPL was established by Bedrock, Bosch, Ford Motor Co. and the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC).
WiTricity will install a working prototype of its WiTricity Halo wireless EV charging system at the DSPL. WiTricity will also upgrade an existing EV with wireless charging capabilities to complete the demonstration, showing how EVs equipped with wireless charging can be charged with no cords, cables or plugs – simply by parking. The technology will be available at the DSPL in late summer 2022.
“To help encourage EV adoption in Michigan and alleviate range anxiety, it will be essential to provide convenient, accessible charging options for drivers,” says Trevor Pawl, chief mobility officer with the Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME). “We are pleased to provide WiTricity with the funds for its testing at the DSPL – and we are excited to see how its EV charging solutions can improve environmental sustainability in Michigan and create a more robust mobility ecosystem.”
Grants from the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform aim to catalyze and scale mobility solutions that improve environmental sustainability by encouraging EV adoption and the buildout of EV charging infrastructure. The program also seeks to increase access to affordable and reliable transportation options and modernize existing transportation systems. Together with its partners at Bosch, Ford Motor Co. and Bedrock, OFME reviews and administers grant applications for projects being launched at the Detroit Smart Parking Lab. Applications for funding through the platform are accepted on a rolling basis.
“In a recent survey, U.S. consumers considering an EV purchase reported that they would be 68% more likely to purchase an EV if it included wireless charging,” states WiTricity CEO Alex Gruzen. “Our technology will help accelerate EV adoption by making EV ownership experience better, and we’re proud to be able demonstrate the WiTricity Halo Charging experience first-hand at the Detroit Smart Parking Lab.”