Iveco Tests Groundbreaking Wireless Charging for Electric Vans on Italian Highway

Iveco has begun testing wireless charging technology for electric vehicles on the Autostrada A35 Brebemi highway in Italy. The tests involve the Iveco eDaily electric van, capable of receiving energy both while stationary and on the move.

What's Known

The technology is called Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer (DWPT). It transfers energy from coils embedded in the road surface to a receiver in the vehicle. The purpose of the tests is to determine how suitable such a system is for real-world use.

The tests take place on the route between Brescia and Milan. The road is operated by Brebemi, which is part of the Aleatica infrastructure group.

The project features an Iveco eDaily in the 42C Crew Van version with a double cab and six seats. The vehicle is based on a production model but is additionally equipped with an inductive charging system adapted to the test site's infrastructure. The van will be operated on the highway for 36 months under a lease contract and will be part of the Argentea service vehicle fleet that supports the highway's infrastructure.

The new tests continue the Arena del Futuro project, created on this same route several years ago. A special section of road was built there where electric vehicles can receive energy from coils in the asphalt while driving. A startup called VoltAire was also created as part of this initiative.

Similar experiments are taking place in other countries. Pilot projects for dynamic wireless charging have already been launched in France and the USA, including tests on roads in the state of Florida.

The main task of the current tests is to understand how these systems work in real conditions. Developers are analyzing the efficiency of energy transfer, system stability, and infrastructure maintenance requirements. In the future, the technology may complement traditional charging stations and help reduce the size of electric vehicle batteries.

Source: Iveco