Sweden to Build the World’s First Highway with On-the-Go Electric Vehicle Charging
Sweden has selected a 21-kilometer stretch of an intercity highway to be equipped with dynamic charging for electric vehicle (EV) batteries while driving. This technology could reduce EV battery capacity by 70% and potentially accelerate the growth of electric vehicle fleets, which still suffer from comparatively short driving ranges.
Sweden already has four test sections of roads with dynamic charging systems for electric transport. However, this project aims to scale up the technology and implement it on a permanent basis, making it a world first. Experimental routes with similar technologies have been implemented in France, Israel, and several other countries.
The high cost of such projects has limited their widespread adoption. For example, Israeli wireless charging technology, which involves embedding induction coils into asphalt and concrete, has a cost of around $650,000 per kilometer. Swedish company Scania AB estimates an even higher cost—up to $2.5 million per kilometer for electrifying a highway.
The Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) will oversee this large-scale project. A tender is currently underway to find a contractor for the project’s implementation. The specific technology for on-the-go electricity transmission has not yet been chosen, but the construction, including the design phase, is expected to be completed by 2025 and quickly put into operation.
The administration is considering various options, ranging from wired to wireless solutions. These may include overhead wires like trams (Scania AB has developed trucks with pantographs), rails similar to those in metro systems that transmit electricity through a current collector underneath the vehicle, or induction coils embedded in the road for wireless energy transmission.
The electrified highway will be located on the E20 motorway between Hallsberg and Örebro. This highway runs between Stockholm in the north and Gothenburg and Malmö in the south and was intentionally chosen as it is a busy transport corridor for commercial freight transportation. The area also has the necessary energy sources available.
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- I'm Vasyl Kolomiiets, a seasoned tech journalist regularly contributing to global publications. Having a profound background in information technologies, I seamlessly blended my technical expertise with my passion for writing, venturing into technology journalism. I've covered a wide range of topics including cutting-edge developments and their impacts on society, contributing to leading tech platforms.
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