Browse wBW ad-free: bercome a member for just $10/year!

Italy’s Electric Charging Highway Moves Into the Test Phase

A view of the "Arena of the Future" - an electric charging highway in Italy currently undergoing test phase

Remember that electric inductive highway that the Italians were busying themselves with this past spring – the one that will purportedly charge electric cars just by driving on the thing?

Well, Italian Automotive Group Stellantis is apparently already in the test phase of the “The Arena of the Future”, though it’s not a highway quite yet.

Rather, the report from RideApart states that the 1,050-meter (0.65-mile) track is powered with a 1-Megawatt DWPT system and 5G connectivity. It’s still in its early stages of testing, though we’re thinking the goal would likely be to have stretches of these inductive highway tracks all over the country.

A view of the "Arena of the Future" - an electric charging highway in Italy currently undergoing test phase

Source: MCN

“Similar to wireless smartphone charging, Stellantis plans to use inductive charging technology to power both parked and in-motion electric vehicles,” states the report from RideApart

“By installing the company’s Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer (DWPT) tech under the roadway, the system wirelessly charges all-electric vehicles with Stellantis’ special receiver.” “The project now moves into Phase 3, where the firm will test the charging system at a closed-circuit built near Italy’s A35 autostrada.”

A view of the "Arena of the Future" - an electric charging highway in Italy currently undergoing test phase

Source: CarScoops

Should the Italian company be successful in their goals, we could be seeing a pioneering bit of tech that solves the gigantic issue of range in electric machines – for the ones that will be compatible with the system, that is. 

“This is a cutting-edge solution to provide a concrete answer to the issues of range and charging, both of which customers are concerned about,” says Stellantis’ Head of Global E-Mobility, Anne-Lise Richard. 

“We’re accelerating our role of defining the mobility of the future and, in this sense, DWPT technology seems to us to be in line with our desire to offer a concrete response to customers’ requirements. Charging vehicles while they are on the move provides clear advantages in terms of charging times and the size of their batteries.”

Let us know what you think by dropping a comment below – we love hearing from you. 

Be sure to also check out other recent newsies from our archives, and as always – stay safe on the twisties.