Electrified roads is a futuristic approach for transferring energy created on the road to batteries in car. Cars are always subjected to different things at different times of travel. They need to be comfortable, silent, expel less emissions, have good air conditioning and more.
As the world is moving towards electric cars and away from fossil fuels, the need for electric charge storage is higher. But electric energy storage is not inexpensive. There are costs involved to recharge electric energy once it is exhausted. The most important limitation is carrying electricity storing batteries around. Given the heaviness of such an arrangement, it’s not a feasible idea. And what happens when the electric car runs out of electricity? There are not many countries that have all gasoline stations equipped with electric vehicle charging terminals. Even if they were present, charging electric vehicles is not a fill-and-go affair. It takes time to recharge the vehicle.
These things could limit the development of electric car technology. Researchers at the Energy Dynamics Laboratory at Utah State University have created a new concept called electrified roads. Charging pads are tucked beneath the asphalt of roads. Connected to electrical grids, these pads wirelessly transfer electricity of the grid to the car. Pads will have interactive capabilities. By using a signaling system, other pads will be alerted about an approaching vehicle.
Such charging pads can deliver 5-kilowatt charge from short distances of about ten inches. Manufacturers have already started production of such charging pads. In Seoul, South Korea, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has started testing electric roads using vehicles moving in slow speeds.
An important challenge to overcome for charging pads is to be super-quick in delivering electric induction. This is because cars will only make contact on charging pads for a fraction of a second. A charging pad will have to establish a two-way contact with approaching electrical vehicles, which will signal need of electric charge to it.
Via: Txchnologist
