Aggie Bus Powered by WAVE

WAVE, in partnership with Utah State University, developed the first solid state 25kW wireless power transfer charging system in North America for bus transit. The wireless charging unit operates a 22' Ebus on USU's Innovation Campus. In the Spring of 2013, the Ebus will run shuttle operations on USU's general campus, receiving its power from two wireless charging stations located in bus stops around campus.

The Aggie Bus rolled onto the streets carrying passengers just 16 months after USU demonstrated the first high-power, high-efficiency wireless power transfer system capable of transferring enough energy to quickly charge an electric vehicle. In July 2011, the USU Research Foundation demonstrated 90 percent electrical transfer efficiency of five kilowatts over an air gap of 10 inches. The demonstration validated that electric vehicles can efficiently be charged with wireless technology.

USU’s Aggie Bus has achieved several significant milestones. It is the first bus developed and designed by a North American organization that is charged with wireless power transfer technology and is the first solid state electric bus with WPT technology combining the three following performance metrics: a power level up to 25 kilowatts on a single pad, greater than 90 percent efficiency from the power grid to the battery, and a maximum misalignment of up to six inches.