China's ZTE to invest 1.5b yuan in wireless charging technology for cars

Smartphone maker ZTE plans to invest 1.5 billion yuan (HK$1.8 billion) in wireless charging technology for vehicles this year and more than two billion yuan next year, a senior executive said yesterday.

ZTE's director of corporate strategy, George Sun, also said the company had signed agreements with more than 20 mainland cities to provide wireless charging technology for public transport, in a significant boost for the electric car industry.

"So far the feedback [from local governments] is very, very positive," Sun said.

"We solved the biggest headache of electric car charging for local government."

Mainland drivers have yet to widely adopt the use of electric vehicles despite years of government programmes to support their development, although public transport fleets are a notable exception.

Shenzhen-based ZTE is planning to conduct pre-commercial trials of wireless charging for public transport in 50 to 100 mainland cities this year, Sun said.