Charging while driving

A10 in France first motorway in Europe with built-in charging technology

Published on 2025-10-30 at 10:49

De eerste resultaten van de ladende snelweg tonen aan dat het systeem vermogens tot 300 kW piek en gemiddeld 200 kW kan leveren. Foto: Vinci Autoroutes, Caroline Gasch

On the French A10 motorway near Angervilliers, southwest of Paris, a public stretch of motorway has been equipped with a dynamic induction charging system for the first time. This allows electric vehicles to be charged wirelessly while driving.

The project, entitled Charge as you drive, was developed by a consortium led by French motorway company Vinci Autoroutes, in collaboration with Electreon, Vinci Construction, Gustave Eiffel University and Hutchinson. The aim is to reduce dependence on large batteries and charging stations and make electric transport more practical.

900 copper coils have been installed under the asphalt on a one-and-a-half kilometre stretch of road. These coils generate a magnetic field that is captured by receiving coils under electric vehicles. The generated energy is then converted into electricity, allowing vehicles to keep driving and simultaneously recharge without stopping at a charging station.

First practical results

After previous laboratory tests and closed trial runs, the first test runs with electric vehicles on the A10 have started. According to the parties involved, the first results show that the system can deliver power up to 300 kW peak and 200 kW average. This allows trucks to extend their range by about one kilometre per kilometre driven while driving, and light vehicles by up to three kilometres.

According to Nicolas Notebaert, ceo of Vinci Concessions and president of Vinci Autoroutes, the technology can make a significant contribution to the energy transition: “The application of this technology on the main French roads, alongside existing charging stations, will further accelerate the electrification of fleets of heavy vehicles and thus reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the freight and logistics sector. That sector now accounts for more than 16 per cent of the country’s total emissions.”

Smaller batteries, fewer raw materials

Electreon expects this large-scale solution to significantly reduce the size of vehicle batteries. Vehicles would therefore become cheaper, lighter and more energy efficient, with greater charging capacity. The environmental benefits would also be significant, thanks to lower raw material requirements and a smaller carbon footprint in battery production.

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This article was automatically translated from the Dutch language original to English (British).

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