In the near future, going on a long drive using an electric vehicle will be a common thing, and people won’t have to worry about finding high-speed charging stations whenever the need arises.
Soon, owners will be able to charge their EVs by simply driving along a special-purpose road, similar to the 21-kilometer highway in Sweden that is set to be completed in 2025.
The project, spearheaded by Trafikverket (Sweden’s transport administration), is mulling over three possible options for charging EVs along this special highway. One is to fit the road with overhead powerlines, (similar to trams or electric rails) that can charge EVs.
Another option is to place a rail along the length of the highway where an EV could be charged via a retractable stick attached under the vehicle that touches the rail.
There’s also the suggestion to use an inductive charging system, which is similar to a wireless charging system employed in smartphones. Magnetic frequency will be used to transfer power from coils buried underground. Electricity is then received by a pad attached to the EV’s underbelly that charges the batteries.
The “electrified” highway in Sweden is called the E20 highway, located between the cities of Hallsberg and Örebro.
This particular highway was chosen since it is considered as a busy traffic corridor for trucks that transport goods. It is also situated near a power source which makes it an ideal location for EV charging.
The technology behind the electrification of the highway aims to solve a number of challenges which includes keeping an EV charged without having to wait long hours at a charging station.
Electrified highways could keep EVs running 24/7, with unlimited range — a big help for transit buses, delivery vans, and long-haul trucks that require the use of an extremely large battery pack since they need to carry heavy loads and cover long distances.
Such in-road charging will help pave the way for more EV purchases and relieve drivers of the need to frequently stop and charge their EVs.
Interestingly, Sweden is not alone in developing e-highways. Countries like Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Israel and Michigan in the United States are also now testing and assessing the technology.
