Recently, while ways to charge EVs on the road while driving are being explored, the world's first 'EV wireless charging highway while driving' is expected to be created soon in Indiana, USA.
An example of a project that charges EVs on the road is 'Electric Road', which was tested in Sweden in 2018.
This is a method of installing something like a subway pantograph in an EV and charging it based on electrode lines built into the road.
This plan is being promoted by Purdue University and the Indiana State Department of Transportation. The wireless charging technology designed by the Purdue University research team is a system that installs a special lane with a transmitting coil attached under concrete and sends power to a receiving coil attached under the vehicle.
The research team has been working on this project since 2018. Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, who attended COP27 of the United Nations Environment Conference held in Egypt in 2022, said, 'Thanks to Purdue University and the technology team, we are developing the world's first wireless charging high-speed highway test stand.'
Specifically, starting this spring, tests will be conducted using large trucks by installing it on a 400-meter section of highways 52 and 231 running through West Lafayette, located in northwestern Indiana.
If the verification proceeds smoothly, we plan to expand the scope and conduct EV wireless charging tests in some areas over the next four years.
Additionally, the 'electric road' has been confirmed to be harmless to the human body, and safety technology, including blocking sensors, is activated only during testing.