Charging EVs While Driving: Honda to Test Technology in Japan Next Year

Japanese companies, including Honda, plan to conduct technical verifications next year for a system that charges electric vehicles (EVs) while they are driving on highways, according to reports by the Nikkei and Yomiuri Shimbun on October 6.

Honda, Taisei Corporation, and Taisei Rotec held a press conference the previous day, announcing that they have developed a "wireless power supply system" capable of charging EVs while in motion. Following durability tests, they plan to conduct a technical verification on a highway in Chiba Prefecture as early as next year.

This system embeds power transmission devices, such as coils, into the road to wirelessly transmit electricity to a moving vehicle, which then receives and uses this power for driving.

It is capable of charging vehicles traveling at speeds of up to 120 km/h.

The companies aim to first introduce the system for logistics and transportation vehicles before expanding the target and commercializing it.

Honda expects that enabling charging while driving will increase the cruising range of EVs (the maximum distance travelable on a single charge) and reduce the frequency of charging.

In particular, the company believes it will also help lower EV prices by allowing for smaller battery capacities.

Ueda Taku, a senior engineer at Honda R&D, emphasized, "This is a challenge to build next-generation social infrastructure and a technology that will further expand the potential of EVs. Once in-motion charging becomes a reality, it can alleviate anxieties regarding charging locations, time, and cruising range."

Similar in-motion charging technologies are currently undergoing technical verification in countries such as the United States and France.

In Israel, Electreon successfully completed a 2,000-kilometer continuous drive using this method in 2023.

The Nikkei cited costs and durability as challenges that must be overcome for the technology to be commercialized.

Installing power transmission devices in roads requires digging up existing pavement and burying them. Evaluations are needed to determine which vehicle types, traffic volumes, and road sections would make the installation economically viable.

To keep power transmission facilities operational, road surfaces must be paved with sufficient durability to withstand repeated driving by heavy vehicles.

The Nikkei explained that massive investments are inevitable for commercialization, which would likely necessitate higher existing highway tolls, adding that infrastructure development must account for the break-even point to succeed as a business.

(Photo: Getty Images)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.