Electric cars are amazing and all, but sometimes the whole recharing part can get annoying.
That’s why the British government is making it more enticing to drive an electric vehicle by adding an element of convenience.
With a goal to help drivers with electric and hybrid cars avoid frequent stops to recharge their vehicles, the U.K. is getting ready to test out new road technology that would allow electric cars to charge as they drive. The new charging roads will work similar to wireless phone chargers, using magnetic induction technology.
Basically, cables underneath the highway would generate electromagnetic fields that could be picked up by a receiver in the car and transformed into electric power. The system would also include a communication system, enabling the roads to detect the approaching car and begin the process.
A similar technology is currently used in the South Korean city of Gumi, where shuttle buses get their juice via underground power cables.
The initiative – which will cost the government £500 million ($779 million) over the next five years – is expected to begin later this year, when engineers will install wireless technology in test vehicles and place special equipment under the roads.
For now, the trials will be restricted to test areas where regular drivers aren’t allowed.
Giving you fewer excuses not to drive an electric vehicle, the government will also expand the number of charging stations available in the country so that there is a plug available every 20 miles.
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