In a groundbreaking leap for electric mobility, France has become the first country in the world to activate a wireless EV-charging highway, enabling electric vehicles to charge while driving. Located outside Paris near the A10 motorway, the 1.5-km experimental stretch marks a major milestone in the future of transportation infrastructure.
Validated by the Gustave Eiffel University laboratories, the on-the-go charging road can deliver 200 kW continuous power, peaking at 300 kW — rivalling ultra-fast chargers like the Tesla V3 Supercharger.
How the Smart Road Works
The charging system, developed by Electreon, uses copper coils embedded under asphalt to transmit power magnetically to EVs equipped with special receivers.
This mechanism is similar to smartphone wireless charging, scaled up for vehicles.
Key Technical Highlights:
- Magnetic induction charging beneath the road surface
- Works in snow, rain, and ice
- No moving parts, ensuring durability and low maintenance
- Simultaneous charging for cars, buses, and trucks
- Adds significant range within minutes of driving
Fixing Range Anxiety & Reducing Battery Size
Beyond convenience, the technology could reshape EV engineering. With continuous power on highways:
- EVs may need smaller, lighter, and cheaper batteries
- Long-distance trips may require fewer charging stops
- Logistics fleets could operate with reduced charging downtime
ArenaEV reports that test vehicles gained substantial range within minutes — highlighting its potential to eliminate one of the biggest hurdles in EV adoption: range anxiety.
France’s Ambitious Roadmap
This project aligns with the French Ministry of Transport’s vision to deploy 9,000 km of electrified roads by 2035, positioning France as a pioneer in scalable clean-mobility infrastructure.
As EV charging evolves from plug-in stations to in-motion power transfer, France’s innovation may spark a global movement, redefining how countries build roads and how vehicles power themselves in the future.
