A new demonstration on a ¼-mile stretch of highway in Indiana proves that heavy-duty electric trucks can be wirelessly charged while driving, tells Tech Xplore.
Engineers at Purdue University, working with the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), built a “dynamic wireless power transfer” (DWPT) system under the pavement of U.S. Highway-52/231. Coils embedded in concrete transmit electricity via a magnetic field to a receiver coil mounted on a passing electric semi-tractor supplied by Cummins. Even at 65 mph, the system delivered up to 190 kilowatts, enough to power a hundred homes.
This marks the first time in the United States, a road has wirelessly charged a heavy-duty vehicle in motion. The system is built to serve both semis and lighter electric vehicles, meaning the technology could scale beyond freight transport.
The implications are significant. For truck fleets, continuous charging on highways could reduce reliance on large, costly batteries and lower total operational costs. For passenger EVs, it could ease “range anxiety” by cutting down on the need for large battery packs or frequent charging stops.
Developers are already working toward industry standards for DWPT infrastructure. If adopted widely, electrified highways could reshape EV charging infrastructure, making long-distance electric freight and travel more feasible.