By Amelia Lipcsei
On Monday, April 11, Electreon Wireless, a major provider of wireless electric vehicle charging technology, announced a 2.2 million dollar extension to the Smartroad Gotland pilot project in Sweden. Funded by the Swedish Transport Administration, the extension allows for a 400 meter upgrade to the road charging installation and the continuation of the electric airport shuttle bus. Although the company currently only has a few projects, their long-term goal is to create a network of roads spanning Europe with in-road charging that could steadily power vehicles moving along a route.
Working to make electric vehicles more widespread, Electreon wants to increase the accessibility and ease of charging. Instead of having to stop at charging stations, electric vehicle owners will soon have the option to drive along charging roads. Many consumers who continue to purchase gasoline fueled vehicles have two major apprehensions about switching to electric: cost and efficiency. Electreon hopes to dismantle these concerns. By providing a network of convenient and efficient charging, the company makes purchasing electric vehicles seem more tempting.
In fact, the company’s research suggests that “wireless charging can increase a consumer’s intent to purchase an EV by 68 percent” (De Socio). Since electric vehicles play an integral role in decreasing the amount of fossil fuels released into the atmosphere, granting consumers more charging and buying options is of utmost importance. According to Alex Gruzen, CEO of a wireless charging company called WiTRicity, the implementation of Electreon’s wireless technology “could help move electric vehicles beyond the early adopter stage.” With more and more wireless charging areas being built, the cost of both electric charging and electric vehicles should decrease, making them that much more appealing to consumers. The technology of Electreon Wireless may be a step in the right direction to a more energy efficient and environmentally friendly world.