Honda is one of many organisations that have been researching the charging of EVs on the move. It has been doing so since 2021 and this month announced the development of the underlying technology.
Japanese civil engineering and building giant Taisei is working on the construction methods for embedding wireless power transfer equipment into road surfaces and developing roadside DC power supply units, while Honda's R&D division is developing compatible receivers and transmitters.
Honda says the combination of these technologies will achieve high-power wireless energy transfer and ease of installation to support a wide range of vehicles, right up to commercial trucks.
Honda's involvement in the project forms part of a strategy to improve convenience for electric car users, which also includes the rollout of Honda Charge, an EV charging network in Japan. Establishing a dynamic wireless power transfer (DWPT) system is expected to enhance that convenience still further, because being able to supply power to EVs while they're travelling would reduce the frequency of stops at public charging networks, or charging at home.
Although this is aimed at all EVs, Honda will initially focus on launching DWPT in the logistics and transportation sectors.
Experiments and validation testing will begin this year on a section of test roadway at Taisei's Future Technology Field in Satte.
The tests will aim to show that the charging technology, the pavement structures and the road construction methods are all feasible and prove the viability of upgrading ground-based systems and future road maintenance. They will also include measures to deal with electromagnetic field leakage from the system and verification of the system's performance at output levels of up to 150kW.
There are three major components: a DC power supply system located by the roadside; a DC distribution ground assembly connecting multiple power transmitter units embedded into the road and connected by a DC electrical system; and a power receiver unit installed in the vehicle.
To achieve the real-world implementation of the technology, the ground assembly units and pavement structures must be robust enough to withstand the pounding from commercial vehicles weighing up to 20 tonnes fully laden and must be capable of transferring high power to vehicles travelling at higher speeds.
Honda and Taisei will also be involved in the Tateyama Project, a demonstration of DWPT technology being conducted by the operator of the Tateyama Expressway in Chiba, beginning in 2027.