"Electrified Road" Could Solve a Dilemma for Electric Vehicle Industry

There are several challenges that must be overcome in order to fully transition drivers worldwide to electric vehicles. One of the biggest challenges is the charging infrastructure, as enough charging devices need to be built to support everyone with an electric car and to increase charging speed. As it stands, fully charging some electric cars takes hours. Many automakers and researchers see the potential for future electric vehicle charging using highways capable of charging the electric car while it is being driven. While this may sound like science fiction, Italy is ready to launch its first of these highways for charging electric cars, which will open along a road in northern Italy. The system has been developed by a company called ElectReon Wireless, which specializes in inductive charging for electric vehicles. The technology developed by the company allows for charging electric vehicle batteries while driving, along specially built roads that have electrical equipment embedded within. The first test of the system is taking place in Italy along a kilometer of highway between Milan and Brescia. The company is integrating its wireless technology to charge two Stellantis vehicles and an IVECO bus while driving, as part of the Arena of the Future project. The project aims to demonstrate non-contact charging for a range of electric vehicles as they traverse highways and toll roads, as a potential pathway to decarbonize transportation systems along highway corridors. ElectReon Wireless is building the infrastructure for the expansion of the highway by installing copper coils under the asphalt. Energy is transferred from these coils wirelessly to the vehicle's batteries as they move along the road, using magnetic induction. The charging system requires a control unit on the roadside and a receiver installed in the structure of each vehicle participating in the experiment. This closed circular road is named Arena of the Future or Arena del Futuro in Italian, located near the Chiari Ovest exit of the A35 highway, about 50 kilometers from the city of Milan. This road is expected to charge the vehicles participating in the test, both in motion and while stationary. If the experiment is successful, it could mean fewer electric charging stations and reduced need for electric vehicles to stop and connect to charge in the future. If all major roads could eventually be equipped with this technology, it could signify the end of waiting to charge an electric car. The "electrified" road could also solve the major issue of adopting electric vehicles worldwide.