A startup from Israel plans to construct a mile of pavement in Michigan to wirelessly charge electric cars as they drive past. This is the first U.S. infrastructure project. Governor Rick Snyder awarded a contract to the state to build the charging roads system near Detroit. Gretchen Whitmer stated Tuesday.
Electreon uses special coils embedded into pavement to transmit magnetic frequencies to a charging station underneath a vehicle. The battery is charged every time an electric vehicle cruises along the pavement or stops at a stop sign. This is similar to the way wireless charging pads charge your phone. The coils do not react to or harm gas-powered vehicles, according to Electreon.Electreon’s road in the Motor City will be able to charge all electric vehicles, including electric buses. The company stated that a portion of the system would be completed and ready to use by next year. The cost of the project was not disclosed by state officials, however they said that $1.9 million will be contributed by the state’s transportation department and $1.9 million will be paid out by Electreon.
Paul Ajegba, transportation director in Michigan, stated that Michigan is actively implementing various charging solutions. He also said that it was important to keep up with technology. A wireless in-road charging system for electric vehicles will revolutionize the industry, potentially extending their range without stopping.
Since December, Electreon has been conducting tests in Italy with its technology. Other testing is ongoing in Germany and Sweden. In October, the company signed a $9.4million deal to bring its technology to electric buses within Tel Aviv. The U.S. has a tradition of charging electric vehicles by parking their cars at a charging station, or plugging in a cable at home. Electreon and other startups think this method is inefficient. They have created new ways for drivers not to need to wait to charge their electric vehicles.
Sparkcharge, a Massachusetts startup, has created a portable electric vehicle charger. It fits in the trunk of your car and can charge fully. Sparkcharge also offers a service that allows employees to come to the location of an electric vehicle driver and charge it.
According to S&P Global, U.S. automakers will sell 6.9 Million electric vehicles by 2025, an increase of 1.4 million in 2020.
