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This Electric Road Charges an EV While You Drive

The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality has just announced a pilot program whose purpose is to help determine whether an electric road that can charge EVs on the go could be a long-term alternative to the typical stations installed in specific locations.
The road uses special copper coils connected to electricity 5 photos
Photo: Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality
Electric road constructionElectric road constructionElectric road constructionElectric road construction
First announced no less than three years ago, the concept of a road that can charge electric public transportation isn’t necessarily new, and ElectReon, the company that will provide the infrastructure in Tel Aviv, is also conducting similar tests in Germany.

This new pilot program will include the installation of a 600-meter recharging system that would be placed under the two-kilometer bus route between the Tel Aviv University Railway Station and the Klatzkin Terminal in Ramat Aviv.

The idea is as simple as it could be: the charging system uses copper coils installed under the road and is connected to electricity, while a special receiver placed under the bus picks up the power and sends it "directly to the engine and battery." A special battery is needed, according to ElectReon, but on the other hand, such vehicles would be able to improve their autonomy without the need for stopping for charging.

Tel Aviv-Jaffa authorities hope that this system can be expanded to more routes across the city, although right now, it all depends on the results of this pilot program.

The benefits, however, are more than obvious. First of all, an electric road eliminates the need for recharging, thus addressing one of the biggest drawbacks of EVs in the first place. For public transportation, this means zero inactivity times, as the buses can just work for as long as needed given the continuous source of power.

Then, this implementation eliminates the need for a charging station and allows for smaller batteries to be installed in cars and buses, which instead make it possible to use the available space for other purposes.

On the other hand, the costs are likely fairly big since authorities would just have to lay underground cables on these roads, so it’ll definitely be interesting to see if the tests prove this is a good long-term investment or not.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
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Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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