Hyperdrive
Wireless-Charging Road Trial Sets Out to Transform Trucking
Motorways that can keep heavy vehicles charged as they drive could be key in Australia, where trucks travel vast distances.
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Australia faces unique challenges in electrifying its heavy-vehicle fleet because of its vast geography. A futuristic new technology may be a solution: roads that can wirelessly charge electric trucks as they drive.
In an Australia-first trial, a research group from Melbourne’s Swinburne University will embed dynamic wireless charging technology into a 1.5-kilometer (0.93-mile) stretch of road as part of a broader bid to accelerate lagging EV uptake in the country. The A$8.2 million ($5.4 million) initiative has been partially funded by an A$3 million government grant.