Transport
16:29, 28-Dec-2017
World's first 'solar expressway' recharges your electric car while driving
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If the lack of battery charging stations is the main reason you haven’t bought that electric car yet, there’s now a solution: make the road a giant wireless charger.
The Chinese are realizing this futuristic tech in the eastern city of Jinan, where engineers have implemented solar panels into the surface of a city expressway so that it can generate electricity and eventually charge electric cars while driving over it.
A better material
The solar panels are covered by a clear, glass-like material designed to handle the weight of traffic while letting light through at the same time.
But the material can do much more.
CCTV Photo
CCTV Photo
"The surface is made of what the builders call 'transparent concrete'," a CCTV reporter said on site earlier this month, adding that the surface provides greater traction than typical concrete, meaning drivers can better control their cars.
Another interesting feature is that the panels can emit heat, which will help when snow accumulates on the road during Jinan’s winters.
Still experimental?
The concept of integrating solar panels into a pathway dates back to 2014 when the Netherlands built a solar-powered bike path that generates electricity for the power grid. It’s only 70 meters long and costs 3.5 million Euro.
Meanwhile, the Jinan solar expressway stretches for 2 kilometers.
This is the first solar expressway and the second solar roadway project in Jinan.
It's still unknown how much electricity the road can generate, but the builders have a lofty vision.
"I think it's a tech for the future," said Xu Chunfu, president of Qilu Transportation Development Group. "It will be a necessary infrastructure for the smart city projects, because we have left much space to install more sensors."
Click here to watch the live rebroadcast of CCTV reporters experiencing the road!