Israeli startup ElectRoad is taking a novel approach by creating special roads that charge vehicles. The company is initially targeting the public transit market.
As reported in NoCamels:
Using specialized electromagnetic induction technology, the same basic principle behind wirelessly powering smartphones, ElectRoad powers electric cars with renewable energy while you drive. By supplying electricity to the car wirelessly from the road, ElectRoad removes the energy source from the vehicle, reduces the cost and weight of the car, and eliminates concerns about driving distances of battery-operated vehicles.
How does it work? Electric cars fitted with the company’s technology have contacts fitted onto their undercarriage that receive electricity when driving over the smart road. The smart road is designed to give the vehicles enough energy to power them, as well as to charge their batteries.
ElectRoad is initially targeting the public transit market. According to the company, a bus will be able to travel for up to 5 kilometers (3 miles) on a regular road after being charged on the electric road. In many city centers, buses use special lanes. These lanes could then be fitted with ElectRoad’s technology to become smart electrical charging lanes for electric public transportation vehicles.
Domestic transport is the second-largest contributor to energy usage in Australia. Electric cars, with the right infrastructural support, could make a credible difference with mainstream adoption.
Israel Trade and Economic Commission in Sydney, Australia 