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Swiss startup Winduction, a spin-off from ETH Zurich, has demonstrated an inductive charging system that transfers power through coils in specially developed bus tires. The company reports over 90% transfer efficiency from the ground into the vehicle and is building test infrastructure in Winterthur; a first pilot is planned for 2028, but cost savings and deployment details are still being studied.
Swiss startup Winduction, an ETH Zurich spin-off, has demonstrated a system that wirelessly charges electric buses through induction coils built into specially developed tires. The company says the design transfers electricity from road-mounted plates into the vehicle at more than 90% efficiency, and is intended to let buses charge during service rather than rely entirely on overnight depot charging.
The system uses induction coils in a plate set into the road and a second set integrated into a bus tire. Conventional wireless bus chargers typically send power from a road coil to a receiver beneath the vehicle. Winduction says placing its receiver in the wheel reduces the gap between the two coil sets, a factor that affects energy-transfer efficiency.
The company has demonstrated the system on a bus route between Zurich Airport and Oerlikon. Winduction CEO Laurin Schwitter said the route could require charging plates at two of its 24 stops. In the company’s proposed operating scenario, buses would charge for a total of three hours across 16 hours of service. Buses on the line currently charge overnight in a garage for five hours, according to the report.
Winduction is building testing facilities in Winterthur, including a laboratory and a test bus stop. The company is also working with partners on a steel-free tire: CEO Schwitter said conventional bus tires contain steel belts that would interact with the magnetic field and turn some transmitted power into heat. The startup says it is in discussions with several Swiss transport operators and aims to conduct its first pilot in 2028.
Charging Buses During Service
If the system works reliably in everyday operations, charging at selected stops could change how bus operators size batteries and plan charging infrastructure. Winduction argues that regular top-ups during service could allow smaller battery packs, potentially reducing vehicle purchase and operating costs. The source report also notes that wireless charging can help extend battery life and allow operators to serve routes with fewer charging stations, though those benefits depend on the route and operating conditions.
For transit agencies, the practical question is not only how much energy a charger transfers, but whether charging can fit into normal dwell times without disrupting schedules. Winduction says its technology can operate during short stops. The Zurich Airport–Oerlikon example offers a possible model, but the company has not yet published independently verified cost comparisons or results from a full commercial operation.
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Why Winduction Uses Tires
Most inductive systems place one coil in the ground and another on the underside of a vehicle. Winduction’s founders say the relatively large and variable distance between the road and a bus’s undercarriage can reduce transfer efficiency. The company’s technical director, Sylvain Fricker, argues that the wheel offers a more consistent point of contact with the ground, allowing the receiver coils to sit closer to the road plate.
The tire design creates a materials challenge. According to Schwitter, standard bus tires’ steel belts would respond to the magnetic field and generate heat. Winduction is therefore developing a steel-free tire with partners, alongside the road equipment and vehicle integration required for testing. The startup’s calculations indicate savings compared with depot charging, but Schwitter said the scale depends on the route and that a feasibility study with transport operators is still quantifying them.
“We believe that electric buses can be operated much more cheaply if they are charged wirelessly and regularly during operation.”
— Laurin Schwitter, Winduction CEO
Costs and Field Performance Pending
Several parts of the proposal remain unverified in public operating data. Winduction reports over 90% efficiency for energy transfer from the ground into the vehicle, but the report does not specify the test conditions, measurement method, or whether that figure accounts for the full charging chain. It also does not provide independently validated results from sustained service across a public bus route.
The projected savings compared with depot charging are still being assessed. The company says their size varies by route, and a feasibility study with transport operators is underway. Details such as installation costs, maintenance needs, tire durability, charging performance in varied weather, and the final pilot route have not been reported. The two-stop charging scenario is a company projection, not confirmation that the route has adopted the system.
Winterthur Tests and 2028 Pilot
Winduction is constructing a test laboratory and a bus-stop setup in Winterthur, where it plans to bring the road plates, tire coils and other components together. Schwitter said the next development stage is to produce a fully converted electric bus that can operate beyond the startup’s private test area.
The company’s founders plan a first pilot in 2028, while discussions with several Swiss transport operators continue. The next meaningful updates will include results from the test infrastructure, details of the vehicle and tire design, and findings from the route feasibility study. No pilot operator, timetable or final deployment plan has yet been named in the source report.
Key Questions
How does Winduction’s wireless bus-charging system work?
A coil in a plate installed in the road transfers power inductively to receiver coils integrated into a specially developed bus tire. The system is designed to charge buses while they stop at equipped locations.
Has the system been tested on a bus route?
Winduction has demonstrated the system on a bus line between Zurich Airport and Oerlikon. The report does not describe this as a full commercial deployment; the company is building further test infrastructure in Winterthur.
What efficiency does Winduction report?
The company says the system achieves more than 90% efficiency in transferring energy from the ground into the vehicle. The published report does not give the test conditions or an independent verification of that figure.
Why does the system need a special tire?
Winduction says conventional bus tires contain steel belts that would interact with the magnetic field and generate heat. The company is working with partners on a steel-free tire for the system.
When could the technology enter a pilot?
Winduction’s founders plan to carry out their first pilot in 2028. The company has not yet named a pilot operator or confirmed the location and schedule.
Source: rss
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