UK motorway to charge moving electric cars

The Highways Agency is set to test wireless charging in moving electric cars on a UK motorway, according to Engineering and Technology Magazine.

This would see electric vehicles gain additional charge as they passed over wireless charging nodes embedded in the motorway’s road surface.

On Bing: see pictures of wireless electric car charging

Find out how much a used electric car costs on Auto Trader

The concept, already used by some mobile phones and currently being trialled for static charging of electric cars, uses electromagnetic fields to pass current to batteries without the use of cables or wires.

The obvious advantage is that such a system should considerably increase the range of electric vehicles, which are currently limited by battery capacity.

A study by the North Carolina State University in the United States has already suggested that an electric car with a 100km (62 miles) conventional range could potentially travel as far as 500km (310 miles) using the system, before need to stop for a full recharge.

The exact time and location details of the UK test scheme has not been announced. But the Highways Agency has issued a set of necessary criteria for any such proposed dynamic wireless charging system.

This includes a surface that last as long as ordinary asphalt (around 16 years), offers efficient charging capability at speed, affordable maintenance and is durable when confronted by both weather and the inevitable vibrations created by road traffic.

Volkswagen e-Golf electric car review (2014 onwards)

The best electric cars

Single-seat Colibri electric vehicle set for 2015 launch

Car technology of tomorrow at CES 2013

Four new electric speed records for the UK

By motoringresearch.com