The inductive road can charge EVs while driving or when stationary, although it would be closed for the general public and only used for research.
Italy will soon get a road where you can charge your EV by merely standing on it or driving. Few big multinational giants have come together to launch the project “Arena del Futuro,” which translates to “arena of the future.”
A dedicated part of Italy’s A35 Brebemi-Aleatica motorway will be used for the job. The highway stretches between Brescia and Milan, but the project will only utilize a patch of 1,050 meters (slightly more than half a mile) near the Chiari Ovest exit.
The asphalt-surfaced patch will be a closed-circuit road. It will receive one megawatt of power and both static and dynamic power transfer technologies by ElectReon that will provide charging for stationary and in-motion vehicles.
Fourteen multinational giants and Italian universities have teamed up for the project—Stellantis, A35 Brebemi-Aleatica motorway, ABB, ElectReon, IVECO, IVECO BUS, Mapei, Pizzarotti, Politecnico di Milano, Roma Tre University, University of Parma, TIM, and Prysmian.
These project partners will also explore IoT (Internet of Things) connectivity technologies to ensure the safety and maximum efficiency of the wireless road-charging systems. They will also explore road construction optimization to increase road durability without affecting the efficiency of inductive road charging systems.
There has been no official statement made about when the project would be delivered, although statements from few officials say “few months of study and work.”
A few of the Stellantis production vehicles and IVECO inter-state bus have been chosen to be a part of this project. Meanwhile, ElectReon will be demonstrating the inductive-road charging technology on these vehicles.
“The Arena of the Future project will demonstrate how a toll road can be transformed into a charging asset for all road users,” said Oren Ezer, CEO of ElecTreon.
“With Europe at the forefront of this electric mobility shift, there is a critical need for assets that can be supported by suitable, efficient, and sustainable charging methodologies.”
