GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has awarded a contract to build a public wireless in-road charging system to pilot on a 1-mile section of road in Detroit.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and MDOT announced the plan to build a public wireless in-road charging system in September of 2021 and began accepting applications for the contract shortly afterward.
MDOT announced its partnership with ElectReon to launch the pilot program on Tuesday. The public wireless in-road charging system will be the first of its kind in the United States. ElectReon has installed similar systems in Israel and Sweden and is currently working on projects in Germany and Italy.
"As we aim to lead the future of mobility and electrification by boosting electric vehicle production and lowering consumer costs, a wireless in-road charging system is the next piece to the puzzle for sustainability," said Gov. Whitmer on Tuesday. "I am happy to see Michigan lead and keep building on these ground-breaking initiatives creating new business opportunities and high-tech jobs. Together, we will continue growing our economy and putting Michiganders first."
ElectReon will lead the design, evaluation, iteration, testing, and implementation of the pilot program, which aims to be operational as of 2023. The pilot project will equip up to a 1-mile stretch of road in Detroit that will charge electric vehicles (EV) while in motion and stationary.
“We are proud and thankful to be selected by the Michigan Department of Transportation to lead and implement the first wireless electric road system in the United States," said Stefan Tongur, vice president of ElectReon. "We're excited to be transferring our success in wireless charging for a variety of electric fleets - from cars to buses and heavy-duty trucks - to this innovative project. There's important work ahead with our partners in Detroit to develop scalable, 'plug-free' charging that will future-proof the city's EV infrastructure.”
MDOT will provide $1.9 million in funding toward the pilot project, with ElectReon contributing the remainder.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
