Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced on Tuesday that Electreon has been awarded the contract to build the first wireless electric vehicle charging road in the United States.
The road will allow any electric vehicles to charge while they drive or are parked. Electreon, an Israel-based company, was selected to build the electric road system in Detroit after building other electric roads in Israel, Sweden, Italy and Germany.
Whitmer had announced the state's plans to build the first electric vehicle charging road in the United States in September 2021.
The road will be located in the Michigan Central district, nearby to where Ford Motor Co. is restoring the Michigan Central train station so they can develop self driving vehicles .
“It’s exciting to start in the birthplace of the modern automobile industry,” Electreon CEO Oren Ezer said in a news release. "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 Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will put $1.9 million in funding towards the project, and Electreon will then handle the remainder of the funds.
"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," Whitmer said. "I am happy to see Michigan lead and keep building on these ground-breaking initiatives creating new business opportunities and high-tech jobs. Together, we will continue growing our economy and putting Michiganders first."
The program is expected to be ready for use by 2023.
Michigan's current draft of plans to become carbon neutral by 2050 requires infrastructure like charging roads to be built to accommodate the expected 2 million electric vehicles on the roads by 2030.
“Michigan is aggressively rolling out various charging solutions and we need to continue to stay ahead of the technology curve," Michigan Transportation Director Paul C. Ajegba said in Septmeber. "A wireless in-road charging system will be revolutionary for electric vehicles, potentially extending their charge without having to stop.”
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