England Is Testing Roads That Automatically Charge Electric Cars

Roads that automatically charge your electric car as you drive on them are coming to England.

Image via Highways England

Here's another update to remind you that you are actually living in the future: England is about to start testing electric highways that will charge your electric vehicle wirelessly as you drive on them. 

Highways England announced that it will begin trial testing charging lanes for an 18-month period, Mashable reports. 

From their report: 

"During the trials, vehicles will be fitted with wireless technology and special equipment will be installed beneath roads to replicate motorway conditions. Electric cables buried under the surface will generate electromagnetic fields, which will be picked up by a coil inside the device and converted into electricity."

The trial won't take place on public roads this time, but that's the idea eventually, and it looks like this could be a real possibility within a few years. 

Electric car batteries still haven't caught up to gasoline engines, of course, with electric cars getting about 250 miles out of a full charge (still way less than conventional vehicles). Charging lanes would extend those distances significantly. 

Maybe they'll be ready in time for that self-driving Apple car?

 

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