VINCI GROUP AND ELONROAD JOIN FORCES IN A WORLD PREMIERE: PIONEERING AUTOMATIC DYNAMIC CHARGING ON HIGHWAYS AT THE FOREFRONT OF DECARBONIZING ROAD TRANSPORTATION

VINCI Group and the Swedish clean-tech company Elonroad demonstrate Gen 2 electric mobility with electric roads (ERS) on the A10 highway outside Paris.

VINCI Group, Europe's largest construction company and highway operator, has announced a groundbreaking world premiere showcasing Gen 2 electric mobility on the major A10 highway outside Paris. The Swedish company Elonroad, the manufacturer of charging solutions for all-electric vehicles, will be one of the suppliers of the electric road. Two cutting-edge technologies will be implemented, one induction-based system and the Elonroad technology, which utilizes a conductive rail embedded in the road. The project is scheduled to commence on September 1, 2023, and will span three years.

Gen 2 enables EVs to charge while in motion on electric road systems integrated into roads. Gen 2 eliminates the need for large, heavy, costly batteries and associated superchargers. With battery size reduced by 3 or 4, EV prices can be reduced by 25% or more, and gigafactories can serve 3 or 4 times more vehicles.

France made a thorough 360° analysis in 2021, showing that Gen 2 is, out of all alternatives, the best for society regarding CO2, the total cost of ownership (TCO), optimized material usage, and national sovereignty. Gen 2 will limit the European dependence on raw materials needed for battery manufacturing, such as lithium and cobalt, and will generate jobs and industrial activity in France, where most of the Elonroad components will be manufactured.

That led to a French 2030 ERS program to progress, test, and benchmark the major ERS technologies. ERS technologies are coming to an industrial maturity. They are the object of development in many countries, particularly Sweden, Germany, the USA, Israel, and Italy, but not yet on a highway open to general traffic.

This world premiere will showcase two groundbreaking achievements never seen before. Firstly, it will demonstrate the automatic dynamic charging of a 100% electric truck, achieving 350-400 kW charging capacity at 90 km/h on the A10 using the Elonroad rail. Charging will occur solely on the truck tractor, attached to a loaded trailer, resulting in a combined weight of 44 tons. Special attention will be given to energy efficiency and ensuring the absence of electromagnetic disturbances.

The world premiere will also feature simultaneous charging on the A10 of a truck at 90 km/h, a van, and two cars at 130 km/h.

These two significant milestones will confirm the unparalleled advantages of Electric Road Systems (ERS) and solidify Gen 2 electric mobility's exceptional capabilities.

Karin Ebbinghaus, CEO of Elonroad, expresses her enthusiasm: 'It is fantastic to see two of the lowest carbon electricity countries in the world, Sweden and France, joining forces to bring Electric Road Systems (ERS) to life. This partnership is a significant step towards realizing the true potential of Gen 2 electric mobility.' Her remarks highlight European cooperation's importance in driving sustainable transportation solutions.

Elnoroad’s technology is compatible with various vehicle types, including cars, vans, buses, auto cars, and trucks, and functions seamlessly in static and dynamic modes.

Louis du Pasquier, Decarbonization Director at VINCI Autoroutes, expresses gratitude on behalf of the consortium to the French government and BPIFrance for their generous financial support of the Charge As You Drive project. “We are excited to collaborate and actively contribute to the global deployment of Gen 2 electric mobility. This partnership is a crucial step in our shared vision for a sustainable and efficient future of road transportation."

The pilot site for the project will be located on the A10 motorway, heading from Paris to the provinces, upstream of the Saint-Arnoult-en-Yvelines toll gate. The site will feature 2 km of Elonroad electric road systems in one lane. Initial tests will be conducted on a closed CEREMA track in Rouen before dynamic charging systems are installed on the motorway. The evaluation of different stages and characteristics will be supported by eight expert laboratories from Gustave Eiffel University and Cerema.

Following these breakthroughs, these innovative technologies will be ready to equip longer stretches of motorways, marking their first commercial use. Gradual deployment is planned on all significant French roads, per the proposals outlined in the 2021 study published by the French Ministry of Transport. By 2030, nearly 5,000 km of road are expected to be equipped, with projections increasing to almost 9,000 km by 2035. Ultimately, unlocking the full benefits of these technologies could extend to approximately 16,000 km.

Furthermore, these advancements will have a far-reaching impact in France, the European market, and countries worldwide seeking to implement the best societal solutions for road transport and mobility.

Press Contacts

For Elonroad:

Karin Ebbinghaus, CEO +46 070 339 55 42 – karin@elonroad.com

For Gustave Eiffel University

Marc Fernandes – Media Relations Officer - 06 14 71 58 98 – marc.fernandes@univ-eiffel.fr

About Elonroad

Elonroad is revolutionizing the charging of electric vehicles. With its innovative conductive charging Elonroad makes electric vehicle charging more efficient, convenient and affordable. By seamlessly integrating rails on the ground or roads, Elonroad allows electric vehicles to charge automatically, at rest or while driving, eliminating the need for frequent stops at traditional charging stations and large batteries. Elonroad's solution is based on a network of IoT sensors integrated into the infrastructure. These sensors monitor road conditions and improve safety in real time. Elonroad optimizes energy charging and distribution through intelligent algorithms, improving the reliability and efficiency of the solution as well as planning, traffic management and infrastructure development. At the service of sustainable and connected companies and sites, cities and territories.

About Gustave Eiffel University

Gustave Eiffel University works in many fields of research (mobility, infrastructure, transport, etc.). In particular, it represents a quarter of French research on the cities of tomorrow and brings together multidisciplinary skills to conduct quality research (fundamental and applied) in the service of society and in collaboration with the socio-economic world. Gustave Eiffel University has a role in supporting public policies. She is also involved in expertise and standardization activities.

The vocation of the Université Gustave Eiffel is to play a role of evaluator of the ERS systems proposed by the industrial partners of the project and of contribution to the common good by comparing the various solutions of RHS with each other.