Michigan To Build First Wireless In-Road EV Charging System in the US

[ChasingCoral]

https://www.newsweek.com/michigan-build-first-wireless-road-ev-charging-system-us-1675123

Michigan To Build First Wireless In-Road EV Charging System in the US
BY JAMES MCCANDLESS ON 2/1/22 AT 3:15 PM EST

Next year, Michigan plans to debut the nation's first in-road electric vehicle charging system.GETTY IMAGES

The mile long system will be built in Michigan Central, in the Detroit neighborhood of Corktown. It's expected to be finished and operating by 2023.

Michigan officials announced today that the state will build the country's first wireless in-road charging system for electric vehicles (EV).

Governor Gretchen Whitmer said that the state has selected e-mobility solutions company Electreon to build the mile-long electric road system in Michigan Central, the state's 30-acre "mobility innovation district" in the Detroit neighborhood of Corktown.

Ford Motor Company has a heavy presence in the district, Detroit's oldest neighborhood, testing technologies for autonomous driving, electric vehicles and connected fleet management. The company is also restoring the area's Michigan Central Station, redefining it as a mobility innovation hub in the process.

"As we aim to lead the future of mobility and electrification by boosting electric vehicle production and lowering consumer costs, a wireless in-road charging system is the next piece to the puzzle for sustainability," Whitmer said in a press release. "I am happy to see Michigan lead and keep building on these ground-breaking initiatives creating new business opportunities and high-tech jobs."

Electric vehicles in motion or parked over the road will be able to charge using induction, using infrastructure built with copper coils embedded in the asphalt.

Electreon will lead the process from design to implementation, working alongside NextEnergy and Jacobs Engineering Group.

"We are proud and thankful to be selected by the Michigan Department of Transportation to lead and implement the first wireless electric road system in the United States," Electreon vice president Stefan Tongur said. "We're excited to be transferring our success in wireless charging for a variety of electric fleets - from cars to buses and heavy-duty trucks - to this innovative project."

As part of the contract that the MDOT awarded to Electreon, the state will provide $1.9 million in funding while the company provides the rest.

Electreon already has some experience with implementing in-road charging infrastructure. Stretches of road are currently being used to power public transportation EVs in Sweden and Israel. Similar projects are in development in Germany and Italy.

In 2019, Oslo, Norway announced that it would install a wireless charging system to power the city's electric taxi fleet. That system allows cars to charge at a rate of up to 75 kilowatts.

The move is a part of the country's clean energy push. Norway has mandated that all new vehicles sold in the country will have to be zero emission vehicles by 2025. The U.S. has made no such rule, but the Biden administration has set non-binding goals for electric vehicle adoption. Ford has estimated that 30 percent of pickup truck sales will be EVs by 2030.

The Michigan road is expected to be operational by 2023.

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[dml105]

Soooo much wasted juice....

How will the energy get to the car?

 

[RickMachE]

There needs to be a receiving pad on the car. https://www.powerelectronicsnews.com/wireless-charging-technology-for-evs/

 

[DennisD]

Sounds pretty damn exciting on this end!!

With the Infrastructure Bill passing along with this newer wireless technology being installed, I would much rather spend it on the roads we drive as opposed to Wars abroad!!

Building roads vs. destroying roads

I will take Building roads for $200 Alex. (RIP)

 

[Gimme_my_MME]

But being a Michigan road it will be full of car destroying potholes in a year, maybe two

 

[Mr67gta]

Whitmer promises much, but never delivers. She hasn't fixed the damn roads and haven't seen the insurance refunds yet. She is up for reelection this year so will say anything to get reelected. This won't charge a Mach E without modification so spend that money on regular fast chargers.

 

[Stang68]

I can’t wait to live in a future where people try to charge their phones on wireless roads only to have them crushed by 8000 pound Hummer EVs.

 

[ponydsp]

It would be nice to be sitting in traffic while cars are being fed electricity.

 

[hybrid2bev]

This is only a 1 mile long proof of concept. Driving on this stretch of road you'd be charging for what.... 2 minutes.

 

[Logal727]

This is only a 1 mile long proof of concept. Driving on this stretch of road you'd be charging for what.... 2 minutes.

Depends on how brave you are to just park in the middle of the road haha

 

[RickMachE]

Whitmer promises much, but never delivers. She hasn't fixed the damn roads and haven't seen the insurance refunds yet. She is up for reelection this year so will say anything to get reelected. This won't charge a Mach E without modification so spend that money on regular fast chargers.

Refunds are coming by May 9th, if not earlier. $400 per car. https://www.michigan.gov/difs/0,5269,7-303-13648_60666_109325---,00.html

The state is spending $1.9m. That's paltry. 75kw charging. We are at the forefront on very neat stuff. Michigan has several driverless technology sites which are also leading edge stuff. Investment gets things like the 30 acre site mentioned in the article.

Legislature didn't approve gas tax increase to pay to fix the roads. Where do you think the money comes from?

 

[ChasingCoral]

This is only a 1 mile long proof of concept. Driving on this stretch of road you'd be charging for what.... 2 minutes.

I see lots of U-turns ?

 

[Gimme_my_MME]

I see lots of U-turns ?

You mean Michigan lefts?

 

[Electric Goat]

Wireless charging is a terrible experience on a phone compared to using a cable. I definitely would prefer to see infrastructure money spent elsewhere.

 

[DamDoc]

Lets see.. 75Kw…. I mile…. If i drive 60 mph, and perfect efficiency, I’ll 1.25 kWh…. Since not perfect efficiency, maybe I’ll break even…. How much tax money is being wasted on this?

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