The US’s first wireless charging public roadway has been installed in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood by the City, the Michigan Department of Transportation, and Electreon.
Wireless charging provider Electreon provided inductive-charging copper coils installed below the roads’ surface. The coils will charge EVs equipped with Electreon receivers as they drive on the road. The road’s charging segments transfer electricity wirelessly through a magnetic field, which is then transferred as energy to the vehicle’s battery, charging it.
The public EV charging roadway is a pilot that will be used to test and perfect this wireless charging technology in a real-world environment. The plan is to open it up to the public in the next few years. MDOT and Electreon have entered a five-year commitment to develop and pilot the electric road system (ERS) on Michigan roads.
It’s located on a quarter-mile stretch on 14th Street between Marantette and Dalzelle streets in Detroit’s historic Corktown. The ERS runs alongside the Newlab at Michigan Central Building, home to more than 60 tech and mobility startups, allowing for further testing and advancement of the technology.
Remaining work along 14th Street is expected to continue through the end of 2023, with extensive testing of the inductive charging technology beginning in early 2024. Researchers will use a Ford EV Transit shuttle equipped with an Electreon receiver.
Electreon has also installed two static inductive charging stations in front of the historic Michigan Central Station, which will be able to charge Electreon-equipped vehicles while they’re parked.
In 2024, MDOT will begin seeking bids to rebuild part of Michigan Avenue (US-12), and will install additional inductive charging.
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Keyword: Michigan installs the US’s first wireless EV charging public roadway