The technology is similar to that used in electric toothbrushes, transmitting energy via a magnetic field between a pad on the ground and another on the vehicle itself, allowing charging without cables.

Chargemaster, based in Luton, said 10,000 of the 27,000 charging points it has installed for public, domestic and workplace use are ‘wireless ready’ – capable of being adapted for wireless charging, which it sees as a growth area now vehicle manufacturers are developing the technology as factory equipment.

David Martell, CEO of Chargemaster said: ‘We have been working with Qualcomm for several years now and this investment is a natural progression. We are very excited about helping to bring the next major evolution in electric motoring to the market, making the electric driving experience even more enjoyable and practical for daily use.’

Qualcomm is already undertaking real-world trials of its technology in London, and recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Renault which could see the carmaker’s future electric vehicles get wireless charging pads from the factory.  

Dr Anthony Thomson, vice president of business development & marketing, Qualcomm Europe, commented: ‘Qualcomm Halo WEVC is viewed as the future of EV charging by many EV manufacturers. Chargemaster is a leader in the deployment of charging infrastructure and by making this investment we are taking another step towards deployment of a convenient and easy to use WEVC network. The goal being to improve the user experience and drive the uptake of electric vehicles.’