We’ve long been entertained by the fact that electric vehicles are out of a fantasy book into the real world. It does save the environment to a great extent but many would still stick to the fuel-powered vehicles – each having their reasons but we’re here to talk about Smart Electric Road System.
The important thing about having the world with an EV word is arguably the environment and with that, it also reduces all the extra costs that come with these fuel-powered vehicles. If we start with the repair costs of these vehicles; it’s obnoxious – You won’t even want to begin with it.
But even those who aren’t impressed with the EVs would like something like this – self-charging roads that charge your car even when you are driving. Yup, charge as you drive.
The Implementation of Electric Road System
Now, would you still think of it as something out of a comic book? With all the evolving Metaverses and humanity’s mission to Mars? I think not. the project I’m going to has already been implemented as a prototype in countries like Norway and an illegally land occupying and genocidal community – Israel, on Palestinian land. Anyways…
The idea for these roads is to have lesser stops for charging and save charging spots. The lesser charging spots would make the energy abundant enough for every other electric vehicle to not have pit stops to charge their EVs.
The Mechanism Behind Electric Road System
The system that is used is not something that just came out from a mad scientist’s lab – it has been around forever and the reason this is only coming out now is because of the lack of electric vehicles that would be needed to test these systems while implementing. As Norway has a relatively small population than many other countries. And has proportionally higher EVs around, this makes Norway the perfect testing ground for smart roads.
These smart roads work using electric induction through solenoids. Solenoids are physical devices that have existed since electricity itself. Solenoids use the electromagnetism relation, which is when you put a current through a solenoid’s copper coil; the magnetic field will be produced which circles inside the solenoid. Although, when a magnetic field is induced in a copper coil, the current starts flowing through the coil. The road will detect the type of vehicle that has entered the road. And it will power it depending on the type of vehicle that has entered the road and the type of battery it contains.
Systems of Induction and Conduction
Although the type of armature that a company based in Sweden called ElonRoad is using is different from the one I just stated. It is still wireless charging but the armature is different. The vehicle has a grid beneath it which lowers down on the road soon as it detects the electric charging; that starts the charging.
Public Safety with Electric Road System
Charging the vehicle is only one part of this whole story. The better part – the one I think would make fuel-powered vehicle users change their vehicles to EV – is the ability of these roads to monitor the vehicles on the road and quickly analyze if there is a problem in the traffic. It can see the status of the vehicles traveling and alert others about it. A separate feature like this is already available. And called Dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) which alerts all the nearby cars about things like sudden brakes and traffic jams.
We’ve come a long way with these safety precautions available in more and more cars each day. There are no cars in the world that don’t follow some type of safety equipment. Whether it is mechanical or digital. The digitally controlled precautionary equipment has surely come a long way. But they also have a long way to go when they’re equipped in each car in the world.
Are These Electric Road Systems Safe?
The question that rises is about these electric roads electrocuting pedestrians – don’t worry, there’s no danger of people getting electrocuted – as the founder says. Even when the streets are flooded with water, the current is not enough to hurt people.
Another thing that comes with these driving while charging while tracking is that the report of the disaster can be easily transferred to the closest hospital, fire station, police station, etc.
How Much Do They Cost?
The cost of these roads, when England tested them was £19.3bn which is quite an amount. But this is the most effective one and one day would be able to sustain itself. And the businesses that are related to moving goods. Even though the system wasn’t launched in England due to budget limitations, it works the same as the one in South Korea and has been fully operational since 2013.
The most profiting through this model would be the fleet marketing business. They will have their costs of fuel reduced to none and just billing of the electricity that they consume. Furthermore, their costs of carbon emission tax would be reduced.