France Activates World’s First Wireless Charging Highway

Charging in Motion: The A10 Milestone

France has achieved a global first by activating a 1.5-kilometre stretch of highway near the A10 motorway outside Paris that is capable of wirelessly charging electric vehicles while they drive. This groundbreaking infrastructure is designed to power multiple vehicles—including buses, cars, and heavy-duty trucks—in motion simultaneously.

Performance Comparable to Fast Chargers

The system, built by the technology company Electreon, has been independently verified by Gustave Eiffel University’s laboratories. The road consistently delivers continuous power exceeding 200 kW, with peak performance reaching 300 kW. This charging speed is comparable to some of the world's fastest stationary chargers, such as Tesla’s V3 Supercharger, demonstrating the technology’s high efficiency and power delivery.

How Inductive Charging Works

The technology is based on magnetic induction, similar to a wireless smartphone charger, but scaled up for vehicles:

• Embedded Coils: Copper coils are installed and sealed beneath the road’s asphalt surface.

• Magnetic Field: These coils generate a powerful magnetic field when activated.

• Vehicle Receivers: Vehicles equipped with special receiver pads underneath their chassis capture this magnetic energy and convert it into electricity to charge their batteries.

• Weather Immunity: Because the energy transfer relies on magnetic fields rather than physical contact, the system remains fully operational and safe regardless of rain, snow, or icy conditions.

Addressing EV Range and Battery Concerns

The high-speed, continuous charging capability is poised to alleviate two major concerns regarding electric vehicle adoption:

• Eliminating Range Anxiety: The ability to add significant driving range in just minutes of highway travel effectively mitigates range limitations.

• Smaller, Lighter Batteries: For trucks and high-mileage fleets, a "charge as you drive" system reduces the dependency on massive, heavy, and costly batteries, potentially allowing for cheaper and lighter EVs in the future.

A National Plan for Sustainable Mobility

This pilot project is a key step in the French Ministry of Transport's ambitious plan to deploy 9,000 kilometres of wireless charging roads across the country by 2035. With no moving parts and minimal maintenance, the system provides a robust and scalable model for transforming the nation's road networks into core assets for sustainable electric mobility.