this post was submitted on 14 May 2024
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Trams, Trolleys and Streetcars

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[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I would only power it when there is a car on top of it. That was done a hundred years ago. Now it is much easier. It just takes an IGBT per section. Seems pretty easy.

Magnetic Resonate wireless chargers are about 90% efficient but it seems that is a lot more complicated and expensive. Still this seems like an huge improvement over those charging stations.

I don't see any reason to charge from the top of the vehicle no matter what method you use.

[โ€“] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago

Charging from the top means you can easily keep the public away from the contacts. It's also easier to keep things clean. It might also be a factor that you don't have to dig up the road to add a new station/charger.

There was likely some cost/benefit analysis done that found it was cheaper/more reliable/less logistically complex.