Honda to demonstrate a road model that charges electric vehicles while driving
Honda will demonstrate a technology that allows electric vehicles to be charged wirelessly while in motion, without stopping. For this purpose, special modules that transmit electrical energy to the receiver in the car will be installed in the road surface.
Honda shows a model of a road that charges a moving electric vehicle
The Japanese company Honda will demonstrate a model of a wireless charging system for an electric vehicle in motion at the Japan Mobility Show Bizweek.
The event will take place on October 13–16 at the Makuhari Messe exhibition center.
In the system, transmitters installed in the road surface transfer energy to a receiver on the moving vehicle. This technology was developed by Honda R&D in collaboration with the construction company Taisei and the road construction company Taisei Rotec: Honda is responsible for the transmitters and receiver, Taisei for the high-speed DC power source, and Taisei Rotec for the methods of placing the equipment into the road surface.
According to Honda's statement, its road modules are the first development to combine an inverter and a coil in a single housing. This reduces the number of components and the volume of roadwork, allowing the modules to be installed on existing roads as well. On the test track, the modules and the surface were able to withstand the load caused by vehicles weighing approximately 20 tons. At the second proving ground in Tamura, scheduled for construction starting from the end of 2026, tests will be conducted for one million wheel passes and electromagnetic field leakage.
Testing on public roads is expected to begin in 2027. Initial tests will be conducted on logistics and large commercial transport, including the Tateyama Expressway in Chiba. Honda has not yet provided information regarding the cost of the system compared to a traditional fast-charging network: its economic viability is also yet to be evaluated.