France is testing an innovation that could revolutionize electric vehicle charging technology. Induction coils have been installed beneath the surface of a 1.5-kilometer section of the A10 highway near Paris. This system was developed as part of the “Charge as you Drive” project. The technology allows electric vehicles to charge while driving, without the need for cables or charging stations.
A first in France: This highway charges electric vehicles while they’re driving!
Electreon, Gustave Eiffel University, and global mobility infrastructure company Vinci are collaborating on the project. Initial results shared by Vinci have been described as “very encouraging.” Tests have yielded instantaneous power transfers of up to 300kW. Under optimized “steady-state” conditions, an average power output of 200kW was reported. These charging speeds are even faster than those offered by many current high-speed DC charging stations.
Trials currently being conducted on a public highway include a truck, a van, a passenger car, and a bus equipped with specialized receiver technology. According to Vinci, the technology’s biggest promise lies in its potential to significantly reduce battery size. If roads can charge vehicles, vehicles won’t need massive batteries for long range. The company states that this could save “several tons” of weight on heavy electric vehicles.
Smaller batteries will reduce direct production costs, carbon footprint, and the need for critical materials. They could also eliminate costly charging stops and range limitations for fleet operators. Vinci is specifically targeting the logistics and freight transport sector, which accounts for more than 16% of greenhouse gas emissions in France.
While this French project is the only trial operating on public highways worldwide, it’s not the first of its kind. Similar technologies are being tested on bus routes in Germany, taxis in Sweden, and heavy-duty vehicles in the US. While the concept of wireless charging isn’t new, the technology has now reached a level where it can be implemented on a small scale on public roads. Porsche even announced that it will offer an 11kW static wireless charging pad for its upcoming electric Cayenne model.
The biggest obstacle to the technology is cost. Installing these induction coils on millions of kilometers of highway network or upgrading existing infrastructure with this technology requires a massive investment. Traffic disruptions during this process also pose a significant problem. Furthermore, Vinci did not disclose the cost of the specialized wireless receivers required for vehicles to handle these high speeds.
Vinci hopes that by reducing the need for batteries, particularly in trucks, it can persuade fleet operators to switch to electric vehicles. However, the biggest challenge with the project appears to be convincing governments to foot this massive infrastructure bill. So, do you think charging electric vehicles on roads will be possible in the future? We welcome your comments.
