Officials at Utah State University are looking into the economical and safety viability of creating an electric powered bus that would charge itself using wireless electric pads under the surface of the road. School officials hope that, if successful with this new project, the technology could go nationwide and be used on other campuses in the US.
Two of the main issues stopping manufacturers from producing electric powered vehicles are the weight of the battery needed and the cost of making them. The university is hoping to solve these barriers by using the specially designed wireless electric pads that can charge the battery in the bus as it goes. This reduces the amount of electricity that needs to be stored on the vehicle.
The director of the school’s commuter services, Alma Allred said; “If it’s viable here, it would be viable on campuses elsewhere. We want to be a national model. It has to be safe and it has to run. We are a research institution. We want to be in the forefront of technology that reduces the need for fossil fuels. We want to reduce emissions.”
The Department of Transportation has given the university a $2.7 million grant to continue the project.
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