Car Talk
These Roads In Israel Charge And Electrify Your Cars While You Drive
Israeli startup Electreon Wireless aims to create and build the first electric city road in the world, with their demo project in Tel Aviv. It will form a 2km (1.2 miles) stretch between the Tel Aviv University and their main train station. The concept itself enables EVs to charge while driving, ensuring energy can be fuelled on the go and range is maximized. This is said to be especially important when electric vehicles become fully autonomous.
-
Related Post: Netherlands Company Introduces Plastic Roads That Are More Durable, Climate Friendly Than Asphalt
Israel’s Electreon Wireless Ltd. plans to install electric charging coils under a 1.2-mile stretch of road in Tel Aviv in mid-August. It’s the latest attempt to enable electric vehicles to charge while driving. But is the approach feasible and necessary?
Electreon is also moving ahead in Sweden, where the pandemic slowed down another electrified road project. The company is now getting back on track to deploy coils across 2.5 miles of road on the Baltic Sea island of Gotland in Sweden. The electrified road will support an airport shuttle supplied by the Dan bus company and an electric truck. The company is in the final stages of engineering.
As any EV driver knows, it takes about 10 seconds to plug in your electric car. The next day, a battery capable of between 200 and 300 miles driving is ready to go. The technology for ultra-fast highway charging is also progressing – with highway charging that occurs in the time, it takes to stretch your legs.
A self-charging roadway would allow EV makers to use smaller, lighter batteries. They would get replenished as you drive. Smaller batteries that still provide adequate range would reduce the purchase price of battery-powered vehicles.
Electreon wants to start with urban bus and shuttle routes first. After installing that first mile of electrified road in Tel Aviv, the company wants to expand deployment to a long route around the city. The company’s big vision is for all-electric city transport across the entire globe.