In a groundbreaking collaboration, the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), Purdue University, and German startup Magment GmbH are set to revolutionize electric vehicle charging with the creation of the world’s first wireless charging concrete pavement, writes Loukia Papadopoulos for Interesting Engineering. Imagine driving down the road, and your electric car automatically charges without the need to stop or exit the vehicle. This ambitious project, scheduled to commence later this summer, aims to seamlessly charge electric vehicles as they travel, marking a significant leap towards a greener and more efficient future.
The project, outlined in a joint press release, will unfold in three primary stages. Initial phases involve various forms of pavement testing and optimization research at Purdue’s West Lafayette campus, while the third phase will see INDOT constructing a quarter-mile-long test site to evaluate the concrete’s charging capacity for heavy trucks operating at high power. If successful, this initiative could potentially electrify a segment of an interstate highway within Indiana, setting the standard for affordable, sustainable, and efficient transportation electrification. While the specifics of the energy generation techniques remain undisclosed, the project promises a promising step forward, with its success anticipated to usher in an era of eco-friendly transportation.