9 replies to this topic

[Cheater]

Sweden's new electric highway works like a scaled-up slot car track

In a move that will probably delight anyone who raced slot cars as a kid (or an adult), the Swedish Transport Administration has just opened a 2-km (1.2-mi) stretch of electrified road that works the same way. The project, dubbed eRoadArlanda, involves embedding electric rails into the road surface to power electric vehicles through a contact arm hanging down from under the car.

Read the full sytory HERE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jencar17]

[Eddie Fleming]

The driver sits inside the car and uses a Parma Turbo controller.

[havlicek]

Kind of a major step backwards technologically, when "wireless" power/charging technologies exist and are being further developed/refined... induction being just one, Greg. It's kinda neat and besides the point at the same time!? There's also microwave transmission of power well in the works, and could even send power back to earth from geosynchronous-orbiting solar satellites. The highway "tech" is closer to how electric railways have been powered for a loooong time.

[old & gray]

Sounds great but I just wonder about snow. It's Sweden so they will figure it out.

 

I like the idea of reducing the time between needing charges.

[Samiam]

Is April 13 the Swedish April Fools Day? 

[eshorer]

I wonder if they'll make an aftermarket "guide" to put on my 1969 Saab to work on their new "track?"  

Eddie

[Tim Wilkins]

Eddie,

Check with Mike Swiss.     

Nice car, by the way. 

[A. J. Hoyt]

I like 1:1 performance and electric motors have it all over internal combustion engines (when efficiency within the vehicle is important) but it does require getting rid of big capacity batteries in order to be efficient (simply lugging too much mass around - gas tanks get lighter when energy is expended - batteries never do). 
 
Until then, do not make the mistake of parroting the "drinking the Kool Aid" chorus that electrics are currently "green" - it's just not there and still does not compete in lifelong cost and overall environmental impact (emissions and battery manufacture plus disposal) with gasoline-powered cars on a level playing field (and it has had a longer period of empirical time and huge investments to do so!).
 
An infrastructure that pulls power from the road is a big step in the right direction. You only need a smaller battery system to get from "juice zone to juice zone" (no need to put in-ground rails in the intersections or pedestrian crosswalks).
 
That's my take on it and it was confirmed in a two-day Physics of Fuel Economy course at the Fiat-Chrysler Engineering Center one year ago.
 
Please don't read any "politics" into this - I tried to do my best to just stick to the technology and economics that doesn't support battery storage electric cars yet - so please don't respond with any. Lets just let the science and actual planet-wide environmental impact lead the way. I'm hopeful it will win out over the court of public opinion.
 
Keep it in the slot - best way to get to the next corner.
 
AJ

[raisin27]

My only question is do you have to run sealed motors or can you build your own?