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How it works

The EVolution Road project is demonstrating an electric road system in a city center in Southern Sweden with a conductive ground mounted charging system for all types of electric vehicles.

The electric road includes a conductive connection between the electric road and the vehicle – through a pic-up installed under the vehicle. The pic-up connects to the road by sliding along electrified rails laid on top of the road, thus transmitting power and charging the vehicle’s batteries, providing an efficient transfer of power from the rails to the vehicle.

As an approved electric vehicle approaches the electric road, charging is automatically started with short segments of the rails being activated (1). The rail connects with pic-ups under the vehicle (2) charging the vehicle’s batteries (3). After the vehicle leaves the electric road, the power is supplied by the batteries. 

Only short segments of rail are activated in rapid sequence under the vehicles, all other parts of the rail is powered off, making the solution safe also in busy city traffic. The concept works both while the vehicle is driving and when it is stationary.

The system is designed so that all types and sizes of electric vehicles such as cars, taxis, buses and trucks can use the systems. The primary test vehicle is a city bus.

The system demonstrates a range of solutions – not only charging – but also wireless communication between the road and vehicles, security solutions, automated payments and more. The technology being tested in the project has been developed by the Swedish company Elonroad in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering at Lund university. Read more about the technology on Elonroad’s website.

More about electric roads

Do you want to learn more about electric roads and the technology? Read more in our Electric Road Q&A.
For example:
What is Electric Road Systems?
Electric Road System technologies
Are there any safety risks?