Program to Deploy First Transit Inter-agency Wireless Charging Network

Public buses carrying passengers in Northern California soon will be among the first electric vehicles in the state to use wireless charging, allowing emission-free automatic charging while the buses remain on designated routes. Shared charging network will be provided by Malvern, PA-based Momentum Dynamics Corporation, a firm focused on wireless charging for all types of electric vehicles.

The project, with support from the California Energy Commission (CEC)’s BESTFIT Innovative Charging Solutions program, will establish a model for shared electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Northern California. This project – approved unanimously by the CEC board – will deploy the first inter-agency wireless charging network.

Momentum will partner with Solano Transportation Authority (STA) to deploy 300kW automatic wireless fast-charging infrastructure at seven strategic transit centers in the region between San Francisco and Sacramento. The charging network will power STA’s SolanoExpress service, which is operated by two local agencies.

In addition, this network will facilitate the acceleration of electric bus adoption by also being open to other transit agencies operating at these transit centers:

• El Cerrito Del Norte BART station
• Walnut Creek BART Station
• The Fairfield Transportation Center
• The Suisun-Fairfield Amtrak Station
• The Vacaville Transportation Center
• The Vallejo Transit Center
• The York St Regional Bus Facility Extension at Vallejo Transit Center

“This will accelerate the electrification of transit in the Northern California corridor between Sacramento and San Francisco,” said Bob Kacergis, chief commercial officer at Momentum Dynamics. “This project is well aligned with Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent proposal to replace 1,000 transit buses with electric models in the state of California and President Biden’s push to accelerate electrification of U.S. fleets. At a time when there is great focus on the combined priorities of U.S. infrastructure and climate change, this project can serve as a model for public transit systems across the country and throughout the world.”