Electric vehicles driving in Detroit could increase their charge by using an in-road charging system by 2023, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office announced Tuesday.
In 2021, Whitmer announced the state’s plan to build the first electric vehicle charging road in the U.S. The contract to build it was awarded to ElectReon, an Israel-based company that develops wireless charging infrastructure. The roadway would charge electric vehicles while they are in motion or stationary.
ElectReon has contracts for similar roadways in Israel, Sweden, Italy and Germany. The contract with the Michigan Department of Transportation is an opportunity for the company to expand it’s presence in the U.S. the company’s CEO Oren Ezer said in a news release.
“It’s exciting to start in the birthplace of the modern automobile industry,” Ezer said. “We plan to build on Electreon’s proven track record of success globally, and demonstrate its ability to help the U.S. realize its electrification and emissions reduction goals.”
The roadway will be located in the Michigan Central district, where Ford Motor Co. is restoring the old Michigan Central train station to develop self-driving vehicles.
The roadway and other efforts to bolster sustainable infrastructure will help Michigan remain on the forefront of automotive technology and sustainability, Whitmer said.
The current draft of Michigan’s plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 calls for infrastructure like charging roadways to be built in Michigan to accommodate 2 million electric vehicles on roads by 2030.
