US gets its first-ever wireless charging road: How it works
The city of Detroit in the US has unveiled the country's first wireless charging roadway for the general public. It is situated on 14th Street near Michigan Central in Corktown. This seemingly ordinary quarter-mile stretch hides inductive-charging coils beneath its surface, capable of charging electric vehicles as they pass. The manufacturer of the technology is an Israeli company called Electreon.
How does the wireless charging roadway work?
Electric vehicles equipped with a wireless receiver can charge while driving or parked on this innovative road. The charging process involves the vehicle's receiver picking up a charge from the primary coil beneath the ground. Stefan Tongur, Electreon's Vice President of Business Development, emphasized that wireless roads are safe for all cars, pedestrians, and wildlife, as the charging segments will only work with vehicles that have the special receiver.
Similar projects carried out by Electreon around the globe
This is not the first wireless charging road project for the Israel-based charging infrastructure developer. Electreon has previously implemented similar technology in other countries such as France, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Norway, and China, along with its home market.
Future expansion and impact of wireless charging roads
Michigan Central CEO Josh Sirefman called this development an "amazing step forward." He further added that insights gained from this quarter-mile stretch will pave the way for future wireless charging road expansion. Electreon's Tongur envisions more wireless charging roadways within a few years. As this technology advances, it holds the potential to transform electric vehicle charging infrastructure and significantly contribute to sustainable transportation solutions.
