An electric van drives past an on-road visible wireless charging coil that will be installed on a Detroit street, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023. A demonstration of the first electric vehicle charging road in the United States took place Wednesday on a quarter-mile stretch of a Motor City street. Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya
Crews installed what is billed as the nation’s first public wireless charging path for electric vehicles under a street just west of downtown Detroit.
Inductive copper charging coils allow vehicles equipped with receivers to charge their batteries while driving, idling or parked on top of the coils.
The quarter-mile segment of 14th Street will be used to test and refine the technology before making it available to the public within a few years, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation.
Protests took place Wednesday at the Michigan Central Innovation District, a hub for advancing technologies and programs that address barriers to mobility. This neighborhood is also where Ford Motor Co. is restoring the old Michigan Central Station to develop autonomous vehicles.
The technology is owned by Electreon, an Israeli developer of wireless charging solutions for electric vehicles. The company has signed contracts for similar routes in Israel, Sweden, Italy and Germany. The pilot initiative in Michigan was announced in 2021 by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
“Along with Michigan’s automotive expertise, we will demonstrate how wireless charging drives widespread adoption of electric vehicles, addressing limited range, network limitations, and battery size and costs,” said Stefan Tongur, Vice President of Business Development at Electreon. “This project paves the way for a future of zero-emission mobility, where electric vehicles are the norm and not the exception. »
An electric van drives near a roadside visible wireless charging coil that will be installed on a Detroit street, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023. A demonstration of the first electric vehicle charging road in the United States was held Wednesday on a quarter-mile stretch of a Motor City street. Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya
When a receiver-equipped vehicle approaches the charging segments, coils beneath the road transfer electricity through a magnetic field, thereby charging the vehicle’s battery. The coils only activate when a vehicle equipped with a receiver passes over them.
Tongur told reporters the road was safe for pedestrians, motorists and animals.
The state Department of Transportation and Electreon have made a five-year commitment to developing the electric highway system. The DOT is expected to call for bids to rebuild part of busy Michigan Avenue, where inductive charging will also be installed.
As electric vehicles gain popularity in the United States, the Biden administration has made its plan for half a million electric vehicle charging stations a flagship part of its infrastructure goals.
The wireless charging route helps put Michigan and Detroit at the forefront of electric vehicle technology, officials said.
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An electric van drives down a street with wireless charging coils beneath the surface in Detroit, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023. A demonstration of the first electric vehicle charging route in the United States took place Wednesday on a stretch of a quarter mile from a Motor City street. Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya
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A roadside wireless charging coil to be installed beneath the surface of a street is demonstrated in Detroit, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023. A demonstration of the first electric vehicle charging road in the United States took place Wednesday along a stretch a quarter mile from a Motor City Street. Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya
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A tablet shows an electric pickup truck charging as it drives down a Detroit street, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023. A demonstration of the first electric vehicle charging route in the United States took place Wednesday on a quarter mile from a Motor City street. Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya
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An electric van drives past an on-road visible wireless charging coil that will be installed on a Detroit street, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023. A demonstration of the first electric vehicle charging road in the United States took place Wednesday on a quarter-mile stretch of a Motor City street. Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya
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A management unit, left, that transfers power from the electrical grid to on-road wireless charging coil segments, is shown as an electric pickup truck drives down a Detroit street, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023. A demonstration of America’s first electric vehicle, a charging route took place Wednesday on a quarter-mile stretch of a Motor City street. Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya
“In Michigan, we want to stay ahead of the curve. We want to be ahead of the curve,” said Michigan DOT Director Bradley C. Wieferich.
No decisions have been made on revenue models in Michigan, Tongur said.
“Technology is smart,” he said. “The technology knows who you are: you are a verified and authentic user; you can be charged.”
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