From the advent of telephones to computers and power tools, the elimination of power cords has always signified technological progress.
Similarly, wireless charging for electric vehicles (EVs) has the potential to be a game-changer. In recent years, significant strides have been made in the development of electrified roads and wireless charging technology.
These innovations aim to revolutionize the way we charge EVs, promote sustainable mobility, and reduce the challenges associated with limited range and the availability of charging infrastructure.
Electrified Roads: A Vision for the Future: One pioneering example of electrified roads is the project initiated in South Korea in 2013. This groundbreaking endeavor involved laying cables beneath the road surface to convert electricity into the electromagnetic transmission.
Special devices were employed to transmit this energy to the vehicles' batteries as they traveled along the designated lanes. Originally intended for charging electric buses, this road served as a proof-of-concept project for future electrified roads.
Solar-Powered Roads: Harnessing the Sun's Energy: In 2016, France introduced the world's longest photovoltaic road, covering a distance of one kilometer and equipped with 2,880 square meters of photovoltaic electric panels.
The road was designed to generate sufficient power to not only charge EVs but also provide surplus energy for streetlights in nearby towns. However, the test results fell short of expectations due to factors like reduced sunlight exposure, leaf cover, and the impact of vehicles, including tractors, causing wear and tear.
The road's annual power output peaked at 80,000kWh, well below the anticipated 150,000kWh.
Preparing for Fossil Fuel-Free Travel: In response to the European Union's landmark legislation mandating zero CO2 emissions from all new cars sold by 2035, European countries are ramping up their efforts to establish the necessary infrastructure for fossil fuel-free travel.
This legislation has prompted Sweden to announce plans to open the world's first permanently electrified road by 2025. The Electric Road System (ERS) represents a revolutionary development that enables electric cars and trucks to recharge while driving, allowing for longer distances between conventional charging stations.
This approach eliminates range anxiety and fosters sustainable mobility.
The Intersection of Vehicle-Road Cooperation and Autonomous Driving: Moreover, in the context of future vehicle-road cooperation and autonomous driving, photovoltaic (PV) pavements can provide their own electric power support and a built-in information network.
This infrastructure enables various information interactions, including visualization, wireless internet connectivity, and positioning guidance between vehicles and roads. By wirelessly connecting with PV pavements, vehicles can upload and download crucial data such as vehicle status information, driving parameters, and massive datasets.
Additionally, the positioning points integrated into the PV pavement offer millimeter-level positioning accuracy, facilitating the smooth flow of traffic and enabling unmanned driving under unified command.
Driving Down the Cost of Electric Vehicles: Jan Pettersson, the director of strategic development at the Swedish Transport Administration, highlights the potential benefits of turning a quarter of a region's highways into dynamic chargers.
Dynamic charging reduces the need for long-distance, single-charge trips for EVs and allows for a significant reduction in battery size—up to 70 percent. Smaller battery sizes translate into reduced production costs, ultimately leading to more affordable electric vehicles.
However, implementing such dynamic charging infrastructure will require time and investment, as even the pilot roads in Sweden will take several years to be ready for testing.
The progress being made in wireless charging and electrified roads has the potential to revolutionize the electric vehicle industry. These innovations address the challenges of limited range and the availability of charging infrastructure, offering a promising future for sustainable mobility.
