Challenge

Creating the first electric road for charging electric vehicles. Such roads could help reduce the number and size of electric vehicle batteries, making additional positive impact on the climate.

Solution

Develop the first electric road with a ground-level feeding method designed to increase knowledge about electric roads as part of a future fossil-free transport system using SOLIDWORKS® design and the 3DEXPERIENCE® Works portfolio—including Collaborative Designer for SOLIDWORKS, Collaborative Industry Innovator, and Collaborative Business Innovator—on the cloud-based 3DEXPERIENCE platform.

Results

  • Reduced time of entire development process
  • Streamlines the entire process for drawing approvals and file tracking with PDM
  • Communicate ideas in an effective and extremely efficient way
  • Growth of supply chain to deliver larger projects

Electric roads may one day enable “range happiness” instead of “range anxiety” for electric vehicle drivers. In addition to charging electric vehicles, such roads may help reduce the number and size of electric vehicle batteries, making additional positive impact on the climate.

The first electric road with a ground-level feeding method is being installed and tested in the city of Lund, in southern Sweden. The Swedish Transport Administration is pioneering a test and demonstration site for a unique electric road system, which is designed to increase knowledge about electric roads as part of a future fossil-free transport system.

 

Elonroad contacts with the road

 

Elonroad, a key partner in the project, was conceived by company founder Dan Zethraeus while driving home from work one day. “Why not an electric road?” thought Zethraeus. “I can charge my electric car [while driving], use less batteries, and the car will likely be much cheaper to make so I can actually afford to drive an electric car.”

A charging infrastructure contained on the road is a new approach for electric vehicles. The Elonroad electric road system works for all electric vehicles—cars, taxis, buses, and trucks—regardless of manufacturer. Cars are especially relevant because they account for 60% of CO2 emissions from transportation.

Related Resources

Plug-free Electric Vehicle Charging

“The whole idea behind the company is that we are providing a solution in which electric vehicles can get charged on the go,” says Mechanical Design Engineer, Farrukh Kamran. In other words, once the Elonroad electric road system infrastructure is installed, electric vehicles will be charged while driving. The roads will have sensors, so data, along with electricity, will stream throughout the road, ensuring immediate vehicle identification and notification of accidents or even animals on the road. The road will also be able to identify, hence bill vehicles for electricity.

 

View over the shoulder of designer using 3DEXPERIENCE to design part of Elonroad.

 

SOLIDWORKS was essential to the development of the innovative technology. The company experimented with a lot of different designs, and SOLIDWORKS helped facilitate an efficient process. “Without SOLIDWORKS, I don't think we would have been able to make so much progress,” continues Kamran.

Elonroad’s concept involves a conductive rail laid on top of a road. It has inclined sides so changing lanes does not include traversing a bump. The rail is 5 cm high and 30 cm wide; it can be installed either on top of asphalt or integrated into the road. The Elonroad system can also be used in charging stations and parking spots.

 

Man walking by the Elonroad charging strips

 

Connected Team Propels Productivity

With SOLIDWORKS connected to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, Elonroad teams can collaborate with ease, communicating ideas in an effective and extremely efficient way. Elonroad also leverages PDM for drawing approvals and file tracking, which streamlines the whole process. “The 3DEXPERIENCE platform has helped us to come into a scale-up mode,” says COO Anna Wieslander. “We are now going from concept and technology development into product development.”

The 3DEXPERIENCE platform has helped us to come into a scale-up mode. We are now going from concept and technology development into product development.

Anna Wieslander
Chief Operating Officer
Workers installing Elonroad charging strips onto the road

 

Planning for Expansion

Within the Elonroad system, all electric vehicles will have batteries that supply energy for driving on non-electric roads. The electric road is a charging infrastructure placed only on major roads and highways. Electric vehicle batteries automatically take over at exits and roundabouts.

Elonroad is also growing its supply chain so it can deliver larger projects. “We see that we will be able to grow with the 3DEXPERIENCE platform with our suppliers,” says Wieslander. Elonroad sees its future as being an important piece of the puzzle in the decarbonization of the transport sector and providing charging infrastructure as a service to its customers. “Together with our partners…we want to make a difference in how we transport people and goods. We want to make it safer, smarter, and more energy efficient,” concludes Wieslander.

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