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About

The Project

What problem does the project address?

Purpose

Europe is facing a rapid increase in electric light-duty vehicles (LDVs), with an estimated 40–60 million EVs on European roads by 2030. To support this growth, charging infrastructure must expand dramatically. Conventional plug-in charging creates challenges in urban areas, including space constraints, accessibility barriers, street clutter, safety risks, and grid congestion. Wireless bidirectional charging offers a promising alternative but still requires technological validation, grid integration, interoperability, and societal acceptance.

Why is this problem important today?

The European Commission targets 3.5 million public charging points by 2030, requiring more than 400,000 new installations per year. Urbanisation, limited off-street parking, and increasing demand for flexible energy systems make innovative charging solutions essential.

PULSE aims to establish wireless bidirectional charging as a trusted, inclusive, and service-ready cornerstone of Europe’s electromobility transition. The project combines technological innovation with societal readiness to ensure that future charging systems are efficient, accessible, interoperable, and accepted by users.

What will be achieved by the end of the project?

By the end of the project, PULSE will:

 

 

  • Demonstrate interoperable wireless bidirectional charging solutions in real-world environments. 
  • Advance technology readiness from TRL 4–5 to TRL 7. 
  • Advance societal readiness from SRL 3 to SRL 7. 
  • Deliver validated business models, replication tools, policy recommendations, and standardisation contributions. 
  • Prove the benefits of wireless bidirectional charging for users, cities, fleet operators, and energy systems. 

OBJECTIVES

Through five interconnected objectives, PULSE develops, validates, and demonstrates innovative wireless charging solutions that support sustainable, accessible, and intelligent mobility.

Objective 1 – Societal Readiness & User-Centric Design

Description: Develop and validate a Societal Readiness Framework (SRF) through co-creation, behavioural research, inclusivity assessment, and user engagement. 

Expected Outcome: 

  • Validated societal readiness methodology.  
  • User archetypes and behavioural datasets.  
  • Recommendations for inclusive charging solutions.  
Objective 2 – Wireless Charging Technology Development

Description: Develop accessible, interoperable, high-efficiency bidirectional wireless charging technologies, including power electronics, positioning systems, FLOD and HMI. 

Expected Outcome: 

  • Integrated wireless charging system.  
  • Demonstrator vehicles.  
  • Verified safety, interoperability and charging performance.  
Objective 3 – Grid & Market Integration

Description: Integrate wireless charging into energy systems through AI-supported optimisation, grid services, market mechanisms and digital twins. 

Expected Outcome: 

  • AI-powered optimisation tools.  
  • User-centric energy services.  
  • Improved grid flexibility and renewable integration.  
Objective 4 – Demonstration & Validation

Description: Demonstrate and validate solutions in Finland, Greece and the UK under different climatic, social and operational conditions. 

Expected Outcome: 

  • Technical and societal validation.  
  • Real-world performance data.  
  • Demonstrated user acceptance and accessibility.  
Objective 5 – Systemic Impact & Replication

Description: Assess environmental, societal and economic impacts and provide replication pathways for large-scale deployment. 

Expected Outcome: 

  • Double-Twin framework.  
  • Business models.  
  • Policy toolkit.  
  • Standardisation roadmap. 

CONCEPT

PULSE combines technological innovation and societal readiness through a socio-technical framework. The project develops wireless bidirectional charging hardware, AI-based energy management, behavioural modelling, and real-world demonstrations in a single integrated approach.

Main Innovation

  • Bidirectional wireless charging for LDVs.  
  • Double-Twin framework (Behavioural Twin + Energy System Twin).  
  • Societal Readiness Framework.  
  • AI-supported charging optimisation.  
  • Inclusive and accessible charging design.  

HOW THE COMPONENTS INTERACT

WP1

captures user requirements and societal readiness.

WP2

develops charging technologies.

WP3

integrates charging into energy systems.

WP4

validates solutions through demonstrations.

WP5 / WP6

evaluate impacts, replication potential, exploitation and standardisation.

Key stakeholders

  • Vehicle manufacturers  
  • Energy utilities and DSOs  
  • Charge Point Operators  
  • Fleet operators  
  • Cities and municipalities  
  • Citizens and vulnerable user groups  
  • Standardisation bodies  
  • Researchers and policymakers 

Approach

Methodological approach

PULSE follows a socio-technical innovation methodology combining development of bidirectional wireless charging technologies, behavioural research, co-creation, AI modelling, digital twins and real-world validation. 

Main research activities

  • Behavioural studies and user segmentation.  
  • EMF exposure assessment.  
  • AI optimisation algorithms.  
  • Grid integration modelling.  
  • Life-cycle and socio-economic assessments.  

Development activities

  • Wireless charging hardware.  
  • Bidirectional power electronics.  
  • FLOD systems.  
  • Positioning technologies.  
  • User-centric HMI and mobile applications.  

Validation strategy

Multi-stage validation from laboratory testing to controlled pilots and large-scale demonstrations.

Demonstration strategy

Three real-world demonstration sites representing different climates, mobility needs and user groups.

Expected Impact

Impact on European Mobility and Energy Systems

PULSE supports Europe’s Green Deal, smart mobility transition, energy flexibility and resilience through V2G-enabled wireless charging infrastructure.

These benefits are reflected across four key impact areas, as outlined below.

Technical Impact

  • Interoperable wireless bidirectional charging technologies (TRL7) 
  • AI-supported charging 
  • Contributions to standards 

Economic Impact

  • New business models 
  • Reduced charging infrastructure deployment barriers 
  • Commercialisation opportunities for European industry 

Environmental Impact 

  • Increased renewable energy
    utilisation     
  • Peak-load reduction 
  • Reduced CO₂ emissions 
  • Improved energy efficiency 

Societal Impact

  • Improved accessibility 
  • Increased user acceptance 
  • Support for
    underserved groups     
  • Inclusive mobility solutions 

More about the Project

Wireless Charging

Development of interoperable, bidirectional wireless charging systems integrated with AI-powered grid services and user-centred interfaces.

 

 

Find out more!

User Acceptance

Technology adoption depends not only on technical performance but also on trust, accessibility, usability and perceived value.

 

 

Find out more!

Demo Sites

The PULSE project validates its innovative wireless charging solutions under real world conditions across three demonstration sites in Europe.

 

 

Find out more!

Disclaimer

 

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 101270569.
This website reflects only the author’s view and neither the European Commission nor CINEA is responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.

 

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