First Wireless EV Charging Road Slated for Michigan

Posted on 1 February 2022 by Ken Zino

Electreon has been selected to build the first public wireless in-road EV charging system on a one-mile section of road in Detroit, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said today. More than half of Michigan’s automotive suppliers conduct automated vehicle testing in the state. Michigan has ~600 miles of roadway equipped for connected vehicle testing and is building the road of the future with a new 40-mile connected corridor project being led by MDOT and the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification. (Ford Testing Autonomous Delivery of Food in Detroit; Michigan and Cavnue to Create Autonomous Vehicle Lanes Linking Ann Arbor and Detroit)

“As we aim to lead the future of mobility and electrification by boosting electric vehicle production and lowering consumer costs, a wireless in-road charging system is the next piece to the puzzle for sustainability,” said Governor Whitmer.

Governor Whitmer first announced the Inductive Vehicle Charging Pilot in September 2021 at Motor Bella. Later that month, MDOT released the request for proposal specifying the system is safe, scalable, interoperable with industry technology and vehicles, and financially and environmentally sustainable.

MDOT will provide $1.9 million in funding toward the pilot project, with Electreon contributing the rest. Electrified roadways have the potential to accelerate adoption of electric vehicles by consumers and fleet operations alike by enabling continuous vehicle operations and turning public streets into safe and sustainable shared energy platforms.

Electreon will lead the design, evaluation, iteration, testing, and implementation of the pilot program, which aims to be operational as of 2023, working with NextEnergy and Jacobs Engineering Group. The project is currently slated for up to a 1-mile stretch of both dynamic and stationary wireless EV charging in Detroit. The project will be hosted by and live within Michigan Central, a mobility innovation district, and supported by partners such as Ford Motor Co., DTE Energy, and the City of Detroit.

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About Ken Zino

Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
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One Response to First Wireless EV Charging Road Slated for Michigan

  1. Pingback: Building Forward Better – President Biden, DOT, DOE Announce $5B National EV Charging Network | AutoInformed

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