DWPT - The Road That Can Charge Electric Vehicles Quickly!

The competition to recharge electric cars as quickly as they can be filled with gasoline – and to extend their battery driving range beyond that of a petrol or diesel car – could be won without ever having to plug in!

Stellantis, the merger of Peugeot-Citroen and Fiat-Chrysler, has revealed a kilometer-long stretch of road equipped with inductive charging stations.

The technology (officially known as Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer, or DWPT) works like a wireless phone charger, with grids of coils placed beneath the asphalt to transfer energy to vehicles equipped with special "receivers."

Stellantis and its partners claim that the energy transfer from road to car is "comparable to the typical efficiency of fast charging stations," even at highway speeds, removing the need to pull over and plug in to recharge.

The prototype road uses DC charging technology, similar to a roadside fast charger, allowing for reduced energy losses, easier connection with "renewable energy sources," and the use of thinner, cheaper, and easier-to-recycle aluminium cables.

The magnetic field produced by the road, according to Stellantis, has "no impact on the driver and passengers," and with all cables and electronics kept beneath the road, it is "safe for people to walk on."

The road is also said to connect with 5G and Internet of Things systems – and to be adaptable to both dynamic on-road driving and static situations like "harbours, airports, and parking lots."

It remains to be seen whether the Stellantis-backed wireless charging road technology will ever be widely adopted, but the manufacturer says it will continue to develop the technology with its partners.

“Our long-term strategic plan, Dare Forward 2030, is based on the premise of bringing ‘cutting-edge freedom of mobility’ to all and this project is the very essence of where we’re headed as a company,” said Anne-Lise Richard, Head of Global e-Mobility Business Unit at Stellantis.

“Working with this incredible group of partners, we have proven that inductive recharging technology can power our electrified future.”