Subway systems around the world use a “third rail” system to power their electric carriages. Two of the rails support the vehicles, while the other one carries the electrical current. An appendage attached to the side of the subway cars rides along the third rail and conducts electricity to the motor. Sweden has converted a short portion of highway near Stockholm to a similar system that recharges electric vehicles while they drive.<\/p>\n
The 2-kilometer-long highway runs between the Arlanda airport and a logistical support facility nearby. A movable arm connects to a track embedded below the pavement surface to recharge the battery while a vehicle is in motion. The track is divided into 50-meter-long sections. Power is only applied to each section when needed. The system is able to identify the owner of each vehicle and bill electronically for the amount of electricity consumed.\u00a0 If the vehicle departs from the electrified travel lane for any reason, the arm disengages automatically. No power is supplied if the the vehicle is not moving.<\/p>\n
Hans S\u00e4ll, CEO for eRoadArlanda, the consortium that designed and built the electric highway, tells The Guardian<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>that\u00a0existing vehicles and roadways can be adapted to take advantage of the technology. He said both current vehicles and roadways could be adapted to take advantage of the technology, and noted that Sweden only has 20,000 kilometers of highways. \u201cThe distance between two highways is never more than 45 kilometers and electric cars can already travel that distance without needing to be recharged. Some believe it would be enough to electrify 5,000 kilometers.\u201d<\/p>\n