World’s First Electrified Road for Charging Vehicles Opens in Sweden

Megalith

Megalith

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Stockholm is now home to the world’s first public road that can recharge the batteries of cars and trucks. Consisting of two tracks of rail, the system only provides current when there is a car driving over it and is capable of calculating each vehicle’s energy consumption.

“There is no electricity on the surface. There are two tracks, just like an outlet in the wall. Five or six centimeters down is where the electricity is. 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.”
 
It will definitely take two to tango to make things seamless - not just for electric vehicles but automated driving. Good to see the Gov putting some effort.
 
How well is this going to hold up though, especially at highway speeds?

What happens if dirt/gravel get into the channels?

I can see the channel and device on the car getting screwed up pretty badly if a driver has to swerve suddenly.
 
Very interesting--why this and not some wireless standard. Also....will the hyper milers slow down to get the most charge?
 
It seems like they only want to use these on their highways.

I think overhead cables or induction charging is the way to go, because powered rails look like high maintenance devices.
Not that the other two don't have their own set of issues.
 
Read the article (wow I actually did before commenting): the arm auto disconnects when passing (they call it overtaking). Nifty idea. I would be worried out here on the west coast about sparks generated from this though. The railroads sometimes start fires when they have dragging equipment.
 
cyclone3d said:
How well is this going to hold up though, especially at highway speeds?

What happens if dirt/gravel get into the channels?

I can see the channel and device on the car getting screwed up pretty badly if a driver has to swerve suddenly.
Click to expand...

No idea but it sure is going to get tested.... In the area the temp can go under -20C and above 25C a regular year with heavy snow that gets plowed (not very carefully there's always a lamppost or two that gets a bit crooked after the winter) and they use small gravel (not sand) and rare occasions salt on that road, it is a bit of a back road that where lorries carries cargo to and from the airport and a industrial area and speed limit is 70km/h (~44mph)... And the company that's first to use it PostNord is basically the regular postoffice and funded partly by taxes...

If it'll work we'll see but it's a nice idea if it does, especially for stretches that are primarily cargo transport
 
If this somehow affects wildlife it will give all new meaning to 'fast food'.
 
bumper-cars1.jpg

I like this design better.

I am curious how it's going to make sure only a car gets juiced up and not some dude walking across the street that accidentally has a nail in his shoe
 
sfsuphysics said:
View attachment 66878
I like this design better.

I am curious how it's going to make sure only a car gets juiced up and not some dude walking across the street that accidentally has a nail in his shoe
Click to expand...

You got a 6-9cm nail sticking out of your shoe AND poking you in the bottom of your foot and you are still walking on it, then you are already dead (a zombie).

Plus, from the looks of it, you would have to have the same thing in both feet or possibly two in one foot in order to be able to accomplish that feat. (pun intended)
 
It solves a lot of problems, but there are two things I don't like: It socializes another industry (automobile fuel) and it makes people more dependent on the infrastructure. As far as socializing 'fuel', unless the roads are privatized (which I don't approve of either) people will be dependent on the government for the price and the billing to drive down the roads. Even if the energy suppliers are privatized the government sits between the automobile and energy, and governments have a hard time separating a revenue stream from voter pressure for new programs.

Secondly, it creates what anthropologists would call a vector for civilization collapse. If this form of transportation is popular and goes large scale, and then the system fails (or is targeted by an enemy attack) the local and national ability to move people and goods grinds to a halt. Granted this is also true of ICE or battery-based electric vehicles, but to a much smaller degree. If electrified roads gain international acceptance I can see cars having an internal electric range of less than 10 miles with no method of charging at home, and that makes it harder for urban centers to adapt during any kind of infrastructure collapse.
 
seanreisk said:
It solves a lot of problems, but there are two things I don't like: It socializes another industry (automobile fuel) and it makes people more dependent on the infrastructure. As far as socializing 'fuel', unless the roads are privatized (which I don't approve of either) people will be dependent on the government for the price and the billing to drive down the roads. Even if the energy suppliers are privatized the government sits between the automobile and energy, and governments have a hard time separating a revenue stream from voter pressure for new programs.

Secondly, it creates what anthropologists would call a vector for civilization collapse. If this form of transportation is popular and goes large scale, and then the system fails (or is targeted by an enemy attack) the local and national ability to move people and goods grinds to a halt. Granted this is also true of ICE or battery-based electric vehicles, but to a much smaller degree. If electrified roads gain international acceptance I can see cars having an internal electric range of less than 10 miles with no method of charging at home, and that makes it harder for urban centers to adapt during any kind of infrastructure collapse.
Click to expand...

you just end up with companies marketing that their batteries lasts 10x longer with a single charge. (well, like those AAA batteries ads)

you'll see a boon in tow truck services though. (time to invest)
 
This is amazing. I cant wait until the US gets off its lazy ass and starts acting first world again with innovations like this.
ymer said:
Dumbest chit I've read in a while.
Click to expand...
Care to elaborate or just trying to have an edgy opinion?
 
cyclone3d said:
How well is this going to hold up though, especially at highway speeds?

What happens if dirt/gravel get into the channels?

I can see the channel and device on the car getting screwed up pretty badly if a driver has to swerve suddenly.
Click to expand...
All of those questions is the reason for this test bit.
* The truck passing this stretch at ~100 km/h (60 mph) thirteen times a day. (Transporting mail between the airport and post terminal.)
* There's one asphalt plant and a gravel pit nearby, so dirt and gravel is expected.
* Snow and ice is also hoped for, mixed with the regular road salt (and sugar) to prevent icing when it's around freezing.
* You don't (physically can't) take very tight turns at that speed.

MrDeaf said:
It seems like they only want to use these on their highways.

I think overhead cables or induction charging is the way to go, because powered rails look like high maintenance devices.
Click to expand...
Highways only, yes.
Overhead cables have been tested on another strech of road for the past two years.
Induction is planned for testing soon.

All three options are being evaluated to find out which (if any) works (best).


sfsuphysics said:
I am curious how it's going to make sure only a car gets juiced up and not some dude walking across the street ...
Click to expand...
If "some dude" is walking on the highway he's far more likely to be hit by a car at 65 mph than accidentally activating the power line.
 
FTFA

which enables electricity costs to be debited per vehicle and user
Click to expand...

so it must have some RFID/wifi system to track users on the road, else it refuses to charge?

need a lot more info on that
 
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