Pavement that charges electric vehicles being developed in Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS — The first phase of a project to develop wireless electric vehicle charging pavement on Indiana highways is slated to start later this summer.
Indiana will be the first location in the world to create a segment of pavement on the highway that can charge electric vehicles wirelessly, according to the Indiana Department of Transportation.
The three-phase project is part of the Advancing Sustainability through Power Infrastructure for Road Electrification (ASPIRE) Initiative. The project will use magnetizable concrete — which is developed by a German startup called Magment GmbH — to enable the wireless charging of electric vehicles as they drive.
“We’re quite eager to see this first of its kind project unfold in Indiana,” David Christensen, the ASPIRE Innovation Director, stated in a release. “This partnership that includes Magment, INDOT, Purdue University, and the larger ASPIRE consortium has great promise to really move the needle on technology development, which will, in turn, enable more positive impacts from deeper electric vehicle adoption.”
Phases one and two of the electric charging pavement project will feature pavement testing, analysis and optimization research at Purdue University's West Lafayette campus.
