(NewsNation) — Detroit is now home to the first roadway in the nation where people will be able to wirelessly charge their electric vehicles as they drive, the city announced in a news release Wednesday.
Electreon, an Israel-based developer of wireless charging solutions for electric vehicles, provided the technology for the project. It uses copper inductive coils, installed below the road’s surface, to allow electric vehicles with receivers installed on them to charge their batteries. When a car with a receiver comes by, the charging segments of the road transfer electricity wirelessly through a magnetic field. That electricity is then transferred to the vehicle’s battery, the press release said. This can happen whether the vehicle is parked or in motion.
City officials said the electric road is safe for drivers, pedestrians and wildlife, as the coils are only activated when a vehicle with the appropriate receiver passes over them.
“For more than a century, Detroit has been known around the world as the leader in transportation innovation,” Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said in a statement. “We are the birthplace of the auto industry, and the home of the first mile of concrete road and the first three-way traffic signal. Today, thanks to Gov. Whitmer and our partners at Michigan Central and Electreon, we can add the nation’s first wireless charging public roadway to that list of innovations.”
The quarter-mile segment of roadway, which is on 14th Street between Marantette and Dalzelle in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood, will be used to test and perfect the wireless-charging technology in a “real world environment,” according to the news release.
“We’re excited to spearhead the development and deployment of America’s first wireless charging road,” said Dr. Stefan Tongur, Electreon’s vice president of business development. “Alongside Michigan’s automotive expertise, we’ll demonstrate how wireless charging unlocks widespread EV adoption, addressing limited range, grid limitations, and battery size and costs. This project paves the way for a zero-emission mobility future, where EVs are the norm, not the exception.”
The charging road is near Newlab Michigan Central Building, which is home to dozens of tech and mobility startups, so there will be further testing and advancement of the new technology.
Michigan’s Department of Transportation and Electreon made a five-year commitment to develop the electric road system. A pilot program to construct the wireless-charging roadway was announced by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2021.
Remaining work along 14th Street is expected to continue through the end of 2023, the city said, and MDOT will seek bids next year to rebuild part of Michigan Avenue so more inductive charging can be installed.
“Developing electrified roadways may be the catalyst to accelerate interest and acceptance of EVs for all consumers,” MDOT Director Bradley C. Wieferich said. “Making it easier for EV users to find a reliable charging source without disrupting their commute supports both fleet operations and passenger travel.”
Electreon has contracts for similar electric vehicle charging roadways in Israel, Sweden, Italy and Germany.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
