The Effizienzhause-Plus mit Elektromobilität project begins next March, and will examine the energy usage of a family of four while they live in a house specially designed to generate more energy than it uses. Excess electricity will be used to charge various electric vehicles which will be made available to the inhabitants.

Mercedes-Benz said it will supply an A-Class E-Cell battery electric vehicle at the start of the project, which has been modified for inductive (wireless) charging. When the vehicle is parked over the underground charging coil, the battery begins to charge automatically.

The carmaker will also supply a smart fortwo and smart ebike, as well as installing conductive and inductive charging points at the property.

‘We are keen to find out how the inductive charging process proves in daily use,’ says Herbert Kohler, head of e-drive & future mobility in the Research and Advance Development department at Daimler AG.

‘We have already demonstrated the essential feasibility of the technology. The experience in day-to-day use will now provide important pointers for the further course of development. A number of technical and financial issues also need to be resolved before we can really assess the marketability of this technology.’