Sweden is making history with the construction of the world's first permanent electric road, which will allow electric vehicles to charge while on the move. The Swedish transport administration, Trafikverket, has already tested four temporary electrified roads, but this 21 km (13-mile) stretch of road will be the first of its kind to be permanent.
Trafikverket is currently in the process of selecting a contractor to build the electrified road, which will be located on the E20 motorway between Hallsberg and Örebro. This motorway runs through the north and south of the country and is a busy traffic corridor for the commercial transport of goods.
The electrified highway is expected to be completed by 2025, and Trafikverket is considering several options for charging technology, including overhead power lines, ground-level electric rails, or road-embedded inductive coils.
This is a significant milestone for Sweden's ongoing efforts to promote sustainable transportation. The country's Chalmers University of Technology released a study earlier this year suggesting that if 25% of the busiest national and European roads were electrified, and EV home charging was implemented, it could result in EV batteries being made significantly smaller, potentially reducing their size by up to one-third.
Sweden's commitment to sustainable transportation and innovation is commendable, and the success of this project could potentially revolutionize the way we think about electric vehicles and sustainable transportation. We will continue to follow this story closely and bring you any updates as they become available.