Electreon, an Israeli startup based in Beit Yanai, will build the first mile of pavement capable of wirelessly charging electric vehicles in the US. The first-of-its-kind infrastructure project to charge EV’s passing by will start in Detroit, Michigan.
Electreon uses special coils embedded in the pavement to send magnetic frequencies to a charging pad underneath electric vehicles.
Check out the concept video below, then read on for more details.
Whenever an electric car cruises over the pavement or stops on the road, the battery is charged. It’s similar to how wireless charging pads send juice to your cell phone. This kind of innovation saves drivers the time it takes to park at a charging station and plug and wait. The coils do not react to or harm gas-powered vehicles either.
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“Michigan is aggressively rolling out various charging solutions and we need to continue to stay ahead of the technology curve. A wireless in-road charging system will be revolutionary for electric vehicles, potentially extending their charge without having to stop.”
-Paul Ajegba, transportation director
The company has previously developed a portable charger that charges the vehicle’s battery from the trunk space. They also offer a service where, if your battery dies, a technician will come to your location to charge it.
State officials didn’t say how much the project would cost, but this technology isn’t cheap. Michigan’s transportation department will contribute $1.9 million, and Electreon will foot the rest of the bill.