The future of electric mobility arrives in Zaragoza with a wireless charging system

The autonomy and lack of charging points are two of the challenges that electric vehicles still face, despite significant advances made by manufacturers and an increasing number of public charging installations.

A step forward towards achieving greater electrification and facilitating the process of recharging electric vehicles has been launched by the Zaragoza City Council, which together with CIRCE - Technology Center has presented an innovative wireless charging technology in motion that aims to transform the European urban transport landscape.

The development is the latest milestone of the European INCIT-EV project, which has received funding of 15 million euros from the European Commission and a direct investment in the Aragonese capital of almost three million.

The Councilor for Environment and Sustainability, Tatiana Gaudes, emphasized Zaragoza's position as a city "that bets on the future of sustainable mobility, open to being a space where new technologies can be tested that, in the near future, become everyday elements for everyone. In this sense," she added, "CIRCE is a strategic partner of the Zaragoza City Council and it is always a source of pride and a guarantee to go hand in hand with them in this type of project."

The general director of CIRCE - Technology Center, Andrés Llombart, highlighted that "these cutting-edge technologies eliminate the need for cables and optimize the charging process through a safe and efficient system, ready to integrate into existing urban infrastructures. With this initiative, Zaragoza takes a key step towards cleaner mobility and a more sustainable urban environment, where innovation and sustainability go hand in hand."

According to the Manufacturers Association Anfac, Spain continues to increase its network of charging points to reach 35,698, 3,276 more points than the previous quarter. However, as a negative aspect, non-operational installed points increased by 5.8%, rising from 8,645 to 9,145. If these were operational, they would raise the public access charging network to 44,843, almost meeting the 2023 target.

In this second part of 2024, the public access charging infrastructure has increased to reach 35,698 operational charging points. This means there are 3,276 more than in the data corresponding to the first quarter report, which translates into greater growth than recorded from January to March 2024.

The ultra-fast charging network equal to or greater than 150 kW increases by 309 new charging points. Currently, Spain has 2,412 points with this power, representing 6.7% of the total network. Therefore, the number of chargers with this power remains scarce. The advancement of this type of charger is necessary to bring recharge times closer to those of refueling a conventional vehicle and to facilitate the development of freight and passenger vehicle activity.

Additionally, 29% of public access charging infrastructure in our country has a power greater than 22kW.

One of the main achievements of the INCIT-EV project launched in Zaragoza is the development of an inductive charging system for electric taxis. This system allows recharging up to 50 km of autonomy in just ten minutes, making it an ideal solution for urban fleets. Thanks to the installation of a cooled emitting coil on the ground, vehicles can charge without cables and without overheating risk, providing greater safety and energy efficiency.

In addition, significant progress has been made with dynamic recharging, allowing vehicles to charge on route while traveling at speeds up to 130 km/h. This system based on installing a cable under asphalt is especially promising for long-distance travel as it accelerates transition towards more sustainable transport while significantly reducing stop times and operational costs.

Another key innovation of the project is developing a bidirectional inductive charging system installed outside Mobility City at Expo. This technology allows electric vehicles not only to recharge wirelessly but also act as mobile energy storage units exchanging electricity with buildings and renewable energy sources. With up to 25 kW capacity this solution helps balance energy demand supporting grid stability creating new opportunities integrating renewable energies into city.