Sweden has inaugurated its first electrified road that is charging electric vehicles. This is the first road of its kind in the world, and the project proposes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2030.
Also, the project wants to solve the biggest problem of electric cars - quick download. The electrical network was installed along the public road 893 between the Arlanda Cargo Terminal and the Roserberg area outside Stockholm.
The operating system is quite simple. Electricity is transferred to the machine's batteries by means of two rails buried in the asphalt. They are connected under the vehicle with a mobile arm. When the vehicle stops, the electricity is switched off automatically. The technology is currently used for trucks, but will also be able to load cars and buses. The use of energy is monitored for each truck. Thus, consumers' costs can be calculated exactly as they are at gas stations.
Accounts of a load will also be smaller. Some experts say technology should only be applied on Swedish highways because vehicles can travel up to 45 km to reach such a "stop".
The first vehicle to benefit from this innovation is a former diesel truck. It belongs to PostNord and has been transformed into an electric vehicle. Hans Sall, director of eRoadArland that implements this project, said today's electric vehicles and existing roads can be adapted to use the new technology.