Sweden is set to become the global pioneer in electric motorway implementation, according to the director of strategic development at the Swedish Transport Administration, Jan Pettersson.
As part of this initiative, a section of the E20 highway, which connects Hallsberg with Örebro, will be reconstructed to facilitate charging electric trucks and potentially electric cars while in motion. Works are set to commence in 2025.
The specific method for implementing the charging infrastructure, whether through overhead contact lines, a conductive rail or an inductive system integrated within the roadway, is yet to be determined.
The system will primarily serve heavy vehicles like trucks and buses if overhead contact lines are selected. By implementing a conductive system, heavy-duty vehicles and private cars could charge, utilizing a contact stick that establishes a connection with the rails.
If an induction system is under consideration, it entails hidden equipment within the roadway wirelessly transmitting electricity to a coil in electric vehicles.
Electric Road System tests, study
The Swedish Transport Administration has previously tested a similar system in Visby. It has also conducted experiments with a charging rail for electric vehicles along a two-kilometer stretch between Arlanda and Rosersberg.
Although the Electric Road System primarily targets trucks, a recent study indicates that private cars could also reap advantages. The study replicated the travel behaviors of 412 privately owned vehicles on different roads in Sweden and Europe. The findings revealed that combining home charging with dynamic charging can reduce the size battery of these cars by up to 70 percent.
Sweden, boasting a vast network of 310,685 miles of roads, is strategically directing its electrification initiatives towards highways. This decision stems from the fact that cars usually have a maximum distance of 28 miles to cover before reaching a highway.
The country has set forth plans to electrify an additional 1,900 miles of roads in line with its objectives by 2045.