A huge barrier to electric vehicles is charging them in a cost and time-efficient manner. Some companies experiment with fast chargers, while others test the limits of battery swapping. But this project is thinking out of the box by asking this question: “What if EVs could be charged by the very streets upon which they drive?”
The answer: A wireless charging solution that eliminates the need to stop and plug in the wires for hours at a time.
Stellantis, the parent company for Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and more, has heavily invested in a test track called the “Arena del Futuro,” or “Arena of the Future,” in Chiari, Italy, that allows a car to charge simply by running laps, according to Gizmodo.
Their tests found that the energy transfer was “comparable to the typical efficiency of fast-charging stations” through a system of coils under the asphalt road, according to Drive.
In addition to having built-in 5G, this road is made up of thinner, and cheaper aluminum cables, but also is completely safe to walk and drive on.
What the future looks like for this technology is unclear for now, but this automaker’s long-term plan, coined the “Dare Forward 2030,” is zoomed in on “cutting-edge freedom of mobility,” said Anne Anne-Lise Richard, head of the Global e-Mobility Business Unit with Stellantis, according to its website.
“These joint projects are exciting steps as we work to achieve longer battery lifespan, lower range anxiety, greater energy efficiency, smaller battery size, outstanding performance and lower weight and cost.”