Copper coils have been placed a few centimeters below the asphalt. These create a magnetic field and can thus wirelessly power electric cars that drive over them, a principle known as inductive charging. It actually works the same as many modern smartphones, which use similar technology.
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Don’t immediately drive your Tesla towards the German to experience this in person, because then you will come home from a rude awakening. It now only works on some test cars. After all, your EV also needs a special receiver to be able to charge in this way. These are not yet available. The route at Amberg now only serves as a test lane for certain prototypes that test this charging method. This stretch of road is even closed to regular traffic.
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Each coil under the asphalt can supply up to 25 kW of energy, allowing vehicles to charge wirelessly at speeds of up to 120 km/h. Electreon Germany developed this road surface under the leadership of Andreas Wendt. He is a specialist in the field of inductive charging. The charging route is one kilometer long and cost two million euros. Wendt expects that these costs can be significantly reduced in the future.
This makes electric cars more affordable
The impact this technology can have on the automotive industry is enormous. Electric cars are currently packed with large, expensive and heavy batteries to offer the driver a decent range. The production of these batteries not only requires a lot of raw materials that are not always extracted in an equally sustainable manner, the batteries also greatly increase the vehicle weight.
By charging wirelessly while driving, there is no longer a need for an enormous range. This means that smaller batteries are sufficient. The batteries could be 50 to 80 percent smaller than current batteries. This means that electric cars become a lot more affordable, because EV batteries are very expensive.
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Another advantage is that motorists can spend their time more usefully than waiting at a charging station. After all, fewer charging stops are needed. Those charging breaks are no longer a huge problem, because at This electric car is just as quick as refueling.
Disadvantage of inductive charging
There are also disadvantages. Inductive charging, what certain cars (while stationary) can already dois generally less efficient than charging via a plug. This means that charging losses are greater and more energy is lost.
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To limit these losses as much as possible, it is important to drive directly above the copper coils. Work is therefore being done on driver assistance systems that keep the electric car in the optimal position on this special road surface.