Sweden is preparing a unique type of road infrastructure that can change the way transport and sustainable mobility are done in the future. It has already started the construction of the wireless charging infrastructure on the E20 motorway that connects the cities of Hallsberg and Orebro in central Sweden and is an area located in the center of the country’s three major cities, Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö. This infrastructure is the first in the world and is expected to be ready in 2025.

At the same time, the Scandinavian country is already experimenting with the creation of several small sections on its highways to provide electricity to vehicles traveling on its sections, as long as they have inductive charging systems. If the said highway brings the desired results, then the country will move to the next phase with the construction of 3,000 kilometers of permanently charged highways.

The electrified road will be able to be used by electric cars, however its main purpose will be to facilitate the operation of trucks and heavy vehicles that have high energy needs. In this case and since there are similar highways all over Europe, trucks will have solved a big problem related to their ranges and will not need bigger batteries, which means more cost and more weight.

Dynamic charging, i.e. charging that takes place during movement, can make trucks and cargo transports more independent from static charging stations, giving them greater flexibility and optimization.

Experts also say this could lead to cheaper production of such vehicles, as they would not require such large batteries. Although the deadline for the completion of the electrified road has been decided, how the road will charge the vehicles has not been decided. There are three options that experts are considering, and all have advantages and disadvantages.

The options are overhead cables to provide electricity just like some buses and trams do, conductive charging which works for both heavy commercial vehicles and private cars as long as a conduction system is in place and inductive charging where special equipment is underneath the asphalt.

Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology pointed out that not all roads in Sweden need to be electrified. Electrifying just 25% of the roads could bring a substantial solution and a real change in the way vehicles in motion are charged.