South Korean researchers are exploring the viability of electric roads. The roads work using inductive charges, which power small car batteries as the cars travel over special strips installed in the pavement. Vehicles don’t have to contact the strips to make the system work.
A functioning prototype of the electric road has been constructed and tested with a golf cart, but the technique could be developed to work with full-sized cars and buses. Cost estimates of construction are approximately $318,000 per km of road.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Electric Roads
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in transportation infrastructure using inductive charges to power vehicles without the need for contact.
- Inductive Charging
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in charging technology by implementing inductive charging systems on roads for efficient and convenient charging of electric vehicles.
- Wireless Power Transfer
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in energy distribution by developing wireless power transfer technology to eliminate the need for physical connections in charging electric vehicles.
Where This Applies
- Transportation Infrastructure
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in road construction and maintenance by incorporating inductive charging technology to power electric vehicles.
- Electric Vehicle Manufacturing
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in electric vehicle design and production to integrate wireless power transfer technology for seamless charging on electric roads.
- Renewable Energy
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in renewable energy generation by utilizing the excess energy generated from electric roads through inductive charging to power other infrastructure.
