The text discusses the increasing popularity of foreign electric cars, which has grown from 4% of global car sales in 2020 to 14% in 2022. However, the lack of charging infrastructure and range anxiety are hurting the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the U.S. The Biden's infrastructure Bill has allocated 7.5 billion dollars to build out America's EV charging network, but most of these chargers will be level 2, which only provide about 25 miles of range per hour.
To overcome this, the text introduces the concept of electrified roads, where roads are connected to the grid, allowing EVs to wirelessly receive a charge while driving. This technology is being explored by Sweden, which has plans to construct the world's first permanent electrified road. The first electric road in the U.S is expected to be tested in Detroit, Michigan, within a year.
This approach to charging is not only efficient but also versatile, as it can charge vehicles in any shape and size, including buses, vans, passenger cars, and trucks. It can also charge a vehicle while it's driving or standing still.
The text also discusses the environmental and economic benefits of electrified roads, which can be powered by clean energy sources like solar panels. It mentions that an estimated 43% of American roads are in mediocre or poor condition, providing an opportunity to innovate and rehabilitate infrastructure.
The cost to electrify a mile of road is estimated to be about 1.2 million dollars, compared to the cost of reconstruction, which can range between 1.5 to 11 million dollars depending on the condition and population density of the area. Sweden has been a pioneer in implementing this technology to reduce its environmental impact, having already piloted four unique electrified road projects.
Finally, the text mentions that one of the world's first permanent electrified roads will be built on the European route E20, located between three major Swedish cities. However, plans have been delayed due to the high cost. Other countries like Israel, Norway, and Italy are also testing this technology.
1. The global electric car market has grown from 4% in 2020 to 14% in 2022, indicating increasing popularity of these vehicles.
2. Charging infrastructure and range anxiety are among the main reasons why U.S consumers are not buying electric vehicles (EVs).
3. The Biden's infrastructure Bill allocated 7.5 billion dollars to build out America's EV charging network.
4. Many of the chargers will be level 2, which only provides about 25 miles of range in an hour.
5. There is an alternative charging solution that doesn't require stopping at a station at all, a process where roads are connected to the grid allowing EVs to wirelessly receive a charge while driving over electricity transmitters.
6. Sweden has become a world leader in the realm of electrified roads, having participated in four pilots and planning to construct the world's first permanent electrified road.
7. The First Electric Road in the U.S is expected to be tested in Detroit, Michigan within a year.
8. Electrified roads work like the wireless charging found in most smartphones.
9. The inductive charging project is looking at a system and implementation for electrification in vehicles on our infrastructure.
10. This approach can charge vehicles in any shape, meaning vehicles that are buses or Vans or Passenger cars or trucks.
11. For phone to charge wirelessly, the coils have to be almost perfectly aligned for it to work.
12. With electrified roads, the technology allows for more leniency so precise alignment of the coils isn't necessary.
13. Electrified roads can also be hooked up to battery hubs connected to solar panels or other sources of clean energy.
14. An estimated 43% of American roads are in mediocre or poor condition, and there's over 750 billion dollars worth of backlogged road and bridge repairs.
15. The cost to electrify a mile of road would be about 1.2 million dollars at a high production volume.
16. Sweden has already piloted four unique electrified road projects, testing out different electricity conduction techniques.
17. The EU will require all new cars and member states to be electric starting in 2035, adding pressure to improve EV infrastructure.
18. Sweden is also testing out how well this infrastructure holds up to extreme cold weather.
19. One of the world's first permanent electrified roads will be built on European route E20 located between three major Swedish cities.
20. Electron is working with the state of Michigan to pilot a dynamic electrified road in Detroit within the next year.
21. There's over 160,000 electric vehicle charging ports in the US, nearly doubling in just three years.
22. Studies show the US needs eight times more charging stations by 2030 to handle the coming wave of EVs.
23. The vast majority of working electrified road projects are temporary, either case studies or pilots.
24. Electrified roads could fit well in certain target areas like exit ramps, intersections, and high-traffic streets.
25. In 10 years, there could be a scenario where we also have intercity roads between regions that have electric corridors.