World’s first road that recharges electric trucks as they drive opens in Sweden ahead of the country’s plans to have a fuel-free transport system by 2030
- Road runs 1.25 miles from Stockholm Airport to a centre as proof of concept
- An arm from the bottom of the truck conducts electricity like a train or tram
- Company hopes to electrify Sweden’s 12,400 miles (20,000km) of highway
Sweden has opened the first stretch of electrified road that allows trucks to charge themselves as they drive along it ahead of plans to have fuel-free transport by 2030.
The 1.25 miles (2km) road runs between Stockholm Airport and a logistics site is part of a larger plan to electrify the country’s 12,400 miles (20,000km) of highways.
The technology aims to solve the biggest problem with electric vehicles – how to keep them charged over long distances.
Sweden is opening the first stretch of electrified road that allows trucks to charge themselves as they drive along it ahead of plans to have fuel-free transport by 2030
The 1.25 miles (2km) road runs between Stockholm Airport and a logistics site is part of a larger plan to electrify the country’s 12,400 miles (20,000km) of highways
The electric rail has been installed along public road 893, between the Arlanda Cargo Terminal and the Rosersberg logistics area outside Stockholm.
Energy is transferred from two rail tracks embedded in the road to the truck through an arm attached to the bottom of the vehicle, similar to an electric tram or train.
The arm is automatically disconnected when the truck changes lanes and then reconnects to a different electrified line.
Each truck’s energy use is monitored and used to bill drivers for their consumption, as they would when charging at a petrol station.
Charging a car’s batteries as it drives meant they could be smaller and cheaper as they wouldn’t have to go as far without charging.
Experts say they only need to electrify Sweden’s highways (not the whole network) as cars never have to travel more than 28 miles (45km) to reach one.
It is currently designed for trucks but will also be capable of charging cars and buses.
The technology aimed to solve the biggest problem with electric cars – how to keep them charged over long distances
The electric rail has been installed along public road 893, between the Arlanda Cargo Terminal and the Rosersberg logistics area outside Stockholm
The arm is automatically disconnected when the truck changes lanes and then reconnects to a different electrified line
Each truck’s energy use is monitored and used to bill drivers for their consumption, as they would when charging at a petrol station
Charging a truck’s batteries as it drives meant they could be smaller and cheaper as they wouldn’t have to go as far without charging
Sweden has 500,000km of roadway but would only need to electrify the highways as trucks never have to travel more than 45km to reach one
‘One of the most important issues of our time is the question of how to make fossil-free road transportation a reality’, said Hans Säll, Chairman of the eRoadArlanda consortium and Business Development Director at NCC.
‘We now have a solution that will make this possible, which is amazing.
‘Sweden is at the cutting edge of this technology, which we now hope to introduce in other areas of the country and the world’.
Mr Säll said existing vehicles and road could be modified to use the technology.
‘There is no electricity on the surface. There are two tracks, just like an outlet in the wall. Five or six centimetres down is where the electricity is,’ he said.
‘But if you flood the road with salt water then we have found that the electricity level at the surface is just one volt. You could walk on it barefoot.’
‘One of the most important issues of our time is the question of how to make fossil-free road transportation a reality’, said Hans Säll, Chairman of the eRoadArlanda consortium and Business Development Director at NCC
Mr Säll said existing vehicles and road could be modified to use the technology. It is currently designed for trucks but will also be capable of charging cars and buses
‘Sweden is at the cutting edge of this technology, which we now hope to introduce in other areas of the country and the world’ said Mr Säll
‘There is no electricity on the surface. There are two tracks, just like an outlet in the wall. Five or six centimetres down is where the electricity is,’ he said
‘But if you flood the road with salt water then we have found that the electricity level at the surface is just one volt. You could walk on it barefoot’, Mr Säll said
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