Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has announced that Michigan plans to have the nation’s first in-road wireless charging system for electric vehicles—or at least part of it—operational by 2023.
“As we aim to lead the future of mobility and electrification by boosting electric vehicle production and lowering consumer costs,” Gov. Whitmer said in a statement about the project, “a wireless in-road charging system is the next piece to the puzzle for sustainability.”
The system, which is supposed to be able to charge moving and stationary vehicles alike, will debut in a mile-long section of road outside Detroit. An Israeli startup called ElectReon will “lead the design, evaluation, iteration, testing, and implementation of the pilot program.”
ElectReon will be joined by NextEnergy and Jacobs Engineering Group in building this system. The City of Detroit, Ford, and DTE Energy will also support the project, which “will be hosted by and live within Michigan Central, a mobility innovation district,” per the announcement.
“Electrified roadways have the potential to accelerate adoption of electric vehicles by consumers and fleet operations alike,” Gov. Whitmer’s office says, “by enabling continuous vehicle operations and turning public streets into safe and sustainable shared energy platforms.”
The Michigan Department of Transportation will contribute $1.9 million in funding, according to the announcement, with ElectReon picking up the tab for the rest. (Presumably in exchange for an ongoing contract should the system expand beyond this initial mile-long stretch.)
