Sweden opens new road that charges electric vehicles like real-life slot cars

    By Bianca Britton, CNN

    Updated 1037 GMT (1837 HKT) April 26, 2018

    Sweden has a goal of achieving a completely fossil fuel free vehicle fleet by 2030 and in order to achieve this, it has started trialling a series of projects to develop and test technologies that will enable the country to completely convert to electric vehicles.
    Photos: Sweden's new electrified road that charges vehicles like real-life slot cars
    Sweden has a goal of achieving a completely fossil fuel free vehicle fleet by 2030 and in order to achieve this, it has started trialling a series of projects to develop and test technologies that will enable the country to completely convert to electric vehicles.
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    One project includes the "eRoad" which charges electric vehicles during journeys via a rail. So far, it has cost €6.4 million ($7.7 million) to install but it's predicted that if it were implemented across the country it would eventually work out less than €1 million ($1.2 million) per kilometer to build.
    Photos: Sweden's new electrified road that charges vehicles like real-life slot cars
    One project includes the "eRoad" which charges electric vehicles during journeys via a rail. So far, it has cost €6.4 million ($7.7 million) to install but it's predicted that if it were implemented across the country it would eventually work out less than €1 million ($1.2 million) per kilometer to build.
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    The trial track built by eRoadArlanda stretches along two kilometers (1.2 miles) and has been installed on public road "893" just 30 minutes outside of Stockholm.
    Photos: Sweden's new electrified road that charges vehicles like real-life slot cars
    The trial track built by eRoadArlanda stretches along two kilometers (1.2 miles) and has been installed on public road "893" just 30 minutes outside of Stockholm.
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    Electricity is transferred to vehicles via a movable arm that attaches to a track in the middle of the road. While the system is designed with the capacity to feed heavier vehicles such as trucks, it's also developed to work for cars and buses.
    Photos: Sweden's new electrified road that charges vehicles like real-life slot cars
    Electricity is transferred to vehicles via a movable arm that attaches to a track in the middle of the road. While the system is designed with the capacity to feed heavier vehicles such as trucks, it's also developed to work for cars and buses.
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    When vehicles approach the track, a sensor from the car or truck detects the electrified rail and a movable arm from underneath the vehicle lowers and inserts into the rail.
    Photos: Sweden's new electrified road that charges vehicles like real-life slot cars
    When vehicles approach the track, a sensor from the car or truck detects the electrified rail and a movable arm from underneath the vehicle lowers and inserts into the rail.
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    eRoadArlanda says the road is an example of a sustainable and cost-effective solution to enable the electrification of existing commercial roads.
    Photos: Sweden's new electrified road that charges vehicles like real-life slot cars
    eRoadArlanda says the road is an example of a sustainable and cost-effective solution to enable the electrification of existing commercial roads.
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    For a heavy truck to be 100% electric, it would need a battery that weighs 40 tonnes, Hans Säll chairman of the eRoadArlanda says. But if technology like the eRoad was readily available, the truck's battery would be able to weigh as little as 600 kilograms because it wouldn't need to retain as much charge.
    Photos: Sweden's new electrified road that charges vehicles like real-life slot cars
    For a heavy truck to be 100% electric, it would need a battery that weighs 40 tonnes, Hans Säll chairman of the eRoadArlanda says. But if technology like the eRoad was readily available, the truck's battery would be able to weigh as little as 600 kilograms because it wouldn't need to retain as much charge.
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    The eRoad will be used for two years by a truck carrying freight in order to determine how well the innovation works under various weather conditions and in conjunction with normal road traffic.
    Photos: Sweden's new electrified road that charges vehicles like real-life slot cars
    The eRoad will be used for two years by a truck carrying freight in order to determine how well the innovation works under various weather conditions and in conjunction with normal road traffic.
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    But eRoadArlanda has said adverse weather such as rain, snow and ice should not cause any major issues. The project has successfully tested drainage of the water in the past and snow plows will be able to clear the road as usual.
    Photos: Sweden's new electrified road that charges vehicles like real-life slot cars
    But eRoadArlanda has said adverse weather such as rain, snow and ice should not cause any major issues. The project has successfully tested drainage of the water in the past and snow plows will be able to clear the road as usual.
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    The eRoad was opened to the public on April 11, 2018 by the director General of the Swedish Transport Administration Lena Erixon and the Swedish Minister for Infrastructure Tomas Eneroth.
    Photos: Sweden's new electrified road that charges vehicles like real-life slot cars
    The eRoad was opened to the public on April 11, 2018 by the director General of the Swedish Transport Administration Lena Erixon and the Swedish Minister for Infrastructure Tomas Eneroth.