Wireless charging specialist Electreon, together with the ASPIRE Engineering Research Center, truck-maker Kenworth and project management firm Kiewit, plan to demonstrate a dynamic wireless charging system.  

Electreon’s in-motion dynamic wireless charging technology will be installed at ASPIRE’s research test track in North Logan, Utah in the summer of 2022.

Kenworth supplied a Class 8 T680 Classic diesel truck for the project, and Kiewit will provide expertise on the construction processes of electric roads.

“So far, Electreon has already demonstrated its dynamic wireless charging technology in four operational pilots across Europe. Our first US-based deployment [will display] the viability of our in-road wireless charging infrastructure,” said VP of Business Development for Electreon in North America Stefan Tongur.

“The ASPIRE demonstration will be essential in understanding construction considerations around installation and maintenance of dynamic and static inductive vehicle charging on public roads,” said Kiewit Senior VP of Infrastructure Markets and Strategy Mike Johnson.

The demonstration project will be composed of a test track, power management equipment and a charging communication system. Electreon’s dynamic in-road wireless charging hardware will be installed on 50 meters of the test track.

“We will discover the amount of energy actually generated from driving the Kenworth T680 over charging plates at various speeds, and collect data for possible real-world on-road testing in the future,” said Kenworth Director of R&D Ryan Reed.

In addition to demonstrating the technology for government and industry audiences, the demonstration will support upcoming and future projects. It will be used to validate the wireless technology for upcoming pilot projects at the Utah Inland Port Authority in Salt Lake City, the Central Florida Expressway in Orlando and other US projects. Electreon also plans to use the demonstration as a test bed for future vehicle integration programs with automakers.

“We believe that our findings will provide the blueprint for the nation’s path to deep electrified vehicle adoption and resulting energy, economic and environmental benefits through low-cost and ubiquitous charging infrastructure,” said ASPIRE Center Director Regan Zane.

Electreon also plans to work with the Michigan Department of Transportation to install its wireless charging technology on a public road in Detroit in 2023.

Source: Electreon