The pilot project is partly funded by a $587,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

AMP Electric Vehicles, which makes electric drive systems for commercial trucks, and wireless charging startup Momentum Dynamics, have formed a joint venture to supply two electric vehicles equipped with wireless charging to the Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority (BARTA) in Pennsylvania.

The pilot project is partly funded by a $587,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The grant money will be used to purchase two “paratransit” electric vehicles equipped with wheelchair lifts, which will use Momentum Dynamics’ wireless battery charging technology, an integrated suite of hardware and software that can be operated with any type of vehicle.

“This grant allows the company to demonstrate that wireless electric vehicle charging is more effective than plug-in charging, especially for commercial and fleet operators, who stand to save 75-80% of fuel costs,” said Momentum Dynamics CEO Andy Daga. “AMP is really unmatched with the technology they have developed for this vehicle class. Another advantage of converting existing fleet vehicles to electric drive by using the AMP model is that it allows private, municipal and state or federal vehicle managers to recycle older vehicles.”

The project will begin in the first quarter of 2013, and is expected to create 18 jobs and cut CO₂ emissions by 297,000 pounds annually.

Source: AMP Electric Vehicles