Japanese construction group Obayashi and well-known auto parts manufacturer Denso have begun testing a unique road surface that will allow electric vehicles to charge while driving. It is planned to introduce this technology on public roads in 2025.
The new pavement is being tested at the Obayashi Research Center in Tokyo. As part of the experiment, a small electric car was able to move almost continuously at a speed of 15 km/h on a road with built-in electric coils.
First of all, the new technology will be designed for unmanned buses operating around the clock. Such roads with built-in chargers can eliminate the need for large batteries and at the same time increase the range of electric cars. In the future, this should help make electric vehicles mass.
Developed by Obayashi and Denso, the technology is based on the use of magnetic induction – coils are built into the road surface that transmit electricity to a battery installed inside the electric car. And thanks to the use of durable, durable fiber-reinforced road surfaces, charging coils can be installed as close to the surface as possible.
Closed study of the new technology will last until March. During the testing period, developers should evaluate how the unique charging for electric cars works in real conditions.
However, despite the obvious advantages, the new technology has its drawbacks. First, installing electric coils in the pavement will result in a loss of charging power, making such charging less efficient than traditional wired charging. Secondly, the construction of such roads will obviously be more expensive compared to conventional routes.