
We can always count on Detroit for auto industry innovations. Over the next two years, technology will be embedded in two stretches of road near downtown Detroit that will allow electric vehicles to charge while being driven. This will be the first test of this wireless system, known as inductive charging, on public roadways. Florida, Utah, Pennsylvania and Indiana will soon follow suit.
How will it work? Think of this technology as similar to setting a cell phone on a wireless charger, just on a larger scale. Coils embedded in the pavement will transfer magnetic energy to a receiver attached underneath an electric vehicle. Drivers would use a phone app or vehicle control to choose whether or not to pay to charge their car.
One of the most exciting applications of this new technology is how this could change the freight trucking industry. Right now, EV batteries for long-haul semi-trucks are incredibly expensive and heavy, and charging is inconvenient and time-consuming. Electromagnetic inductive charging would allow for much smaller and cheaper batteries, and less downtime. This new technology truly puts us on the road to zero emissions.
Improved solutions and infrastructure for EV charging means more folks will be opting to buy electric vehicles. The advanced training we receive through the EVITP (Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program) means union electricians are imperative for a cleaner, greener future.
Interested in learning more about EV charging roads? Read more here.
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