Wireless-charging public road in Detroit expands range of EVs

Drivers of electric vehicles in Detroit searching for the next station to charge their car now have another option: the first wireless-charging public road in America. For a few days now, drivers of certain EVs have had the opportunity to charge their cars on the newly paved 14th Street in the Motor City.

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On Wednesday, Nov. 29, an electric Ford E-Transit van, the first vehicle to use the innovative technology, traveled at speeds up to 9 mph generating 16 kilowatts. State officials said the cost of the project is approximately $6 million.

Here’s how it works: rubber-coated copper inductive charging coils installed in the quarter-mile stretch of the roadway allow EVs equipped with receivers to charge while driving, idling, or parking. The surface of the road is still asphalt.

Israel-based company Electreon developed the technology, and according the Michigan Department of Transportation is working with the state to build a mile-long stretch of the chargeable roadway, including a portion on Michigan Ave slated to break ground in 2025.

The company, which has similar projects in other countries, including Sweden, Germany, Italy, and Norway, said the roadway is safe for pedestrians. The company added that each coil is individually connected and only charges when a vehicle with a sensor moves over it.

According to Electreon officials, this technology is already in use in Israel where buses pay a fee to use the charging roads. While the first of its kind technology is groundbreaking, Electreon officials said it is not a replacement for charging stations, but a way to extend EV’s range, allowing manufacturers to cut costs and make EV batteries smaller.