Are friends electric? Charging along

Highways Agency initiates study into en-route electric vehicle charging

• electric
• technology

Ealier this year The Highways Agency started researching the possibility of dynamic en-route charging of EVs (electric vehicles) while they are actively driving on motorways. The idea is that cars or motorcycles specially equipped with a unit which is able to pick up wireless energy,  would be able to connect dynamically with a power source laid underneath the road surface as they travel. They would be able to continue to ride at a normal speed and the vehicle would wirelessly pick up the required energy to recharge itself while still in motion.
A highways Agency spokesperson said:
‘The Government is promoting the advantages of ultra-low emission vehicles. The consortium is well placed to understand the feasibility of available and emerging technology to support the growth of electric and hybrid vehicles on our network’.
The research should have come up with some results by the middle of 2015 and if it is all looking good then trials could be under way on private roads by 2016, followed by on-road trials on a real functioning prototype motorway.  What the study is examining is the efficacy of the charging system itself as well as how long the road will last compared to a standard motorway surface.  It will also be important to ascertain how easy it will be to maintain and how it will survive bad weather and wear and tear from traffic.
The shape of things to come perhaps?
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