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As more countries step up their decarbonization efforts, key questions remain about switching to electric vehicles. While the hope is that most charging will be done at home overnight, that’s not always possible in every case. We collectively understand that infrastructure needs to improve as more people start using more EVs—but it’s clear that some solutions are needed.
Hence, in December 2021, the automotive mega conglomerate Stellantis first announced the Arena del Futoro inductive filling project. By 2022, most of us are probably already familiar with the idea of inductive charging for our phones and tablets. We may have inductive charging stations in our homes, or use them at coffee shops, airports, and other public places when we are out. They have become so commonplace, we probably don’t even think about them anymore—we just use them, charge them, and carry on with our days.
The Arena del Futuro project wanted it to be that simple—but took a different approach. Instead of having to stay in one place, Stellantis and project partners asked, what if EVs could charge while using the road as usual? This is a potentially game-changing thought — and although the phrase is thrown around a lot, it seems perfectly applicable and not at all an exaggeration in this case. Battery density and range would be much less of an issue if more roads like this became available.
It’s June 2022—so how’s the project going? Very well, said the team. For those unfamiliar, the project relies on what Stellantis calls Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer (DWPT) technology, which consists of a coil positioned directly under the asphalt in the test loop road. Any vehicle equipped with a special receiver can then draw power from the coils, transferring that power directly to the electric motor and bypassing whatever is in the battery completely. This way, the power in the battery is reserved for later use when the vehicle is no longer on an inductive road.
So far, Stellantis says, his test of the Fiat New 500 EV has been able to travel at normal highway speeds using DWPT, without using any of the energy stored in its battery. Those are the results found after months of testing, which seem quite encouraging.
Both the electric Fiat and the IVECO electric bus have so far been involved in the test. No motorcycles have been involved yet, although the project looks like it could also benefit electric motorcycles. During the recent Arena del Futuro event in Chiari, Italy, the team announced that Maserati would be joining the project in the future, and featured Folgore Grecale who will soon be part of testing at the Arena. It will also collect detailed data for performance analysis.
Now, of course, we will be more interested once the motorcycle is included in the test. (How about a Vespa Elettrica or Energica? Of course, experience has the furthest reach claim of any Energica, but think about how much longer it can last with this kind of power access.) Still, it’s encouraging to see regular reports on how a project like this is progressing. We look forward to seeing how this develops into the future.
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