France's first highway section capable of charging electric vehicles while they are in motion has officially opened. Although the system currently operates only on a small section of the A10 highway near Paris, it has already demonstrated remarkable effectiveness.
This pilot project, named "Charge as You Drive," is 1.5 kilometers long. The system boasts a peak power exceeding 300 kilowatts and an average power exceeding 200 kilowatts, several times that of a standard Tesla Supercharger station. This power is sufficient to simultaneously power and charge the battery of a 40-ton truck.
Its working principle is similar to wireless charging for smartphones. Copper coils are laid beneath the asphalt pavement and connected to power sources along the road. When a vehicle equipped with a receiving module drives by, the system is activated, generating a magnetic field that induces a current in the coil beneath the vehicle.
This technology was developed by Electreon. Similar projects are also under development in Germany, Italy, the United States, China, South Korea, and Israel. If the French trial confirms the system's effectiveness, it will help expand the use of electric transportation.
