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Powered Highways

09/13/2023 7:11 AM

Sweden is experimenting with electrified highways using an embedded slot to send power to a vehicle.I see lots of problems with this:How are they going to keep the slot free of debris,resist damage by snow plows,resist corrosion from salt and other ice melting chemicals?

It seems like a fools errand to me.

I proposed using embedded coils(primaries) in the highways,using resonant secondaries in the vehicles.Vehicles would be topped off as they travel,and the cost would be automatically billed to their account via wireless link.

The same method could be used at intersections when the vehicle stops for a traffic light, or especially bus stops for short trips between stops.

Sure it will require significant expense to implement,and vehicles made or modified to use the system,but it would be more efficient than the current battery charging schemes.

The vehicles' energy storage could also be used to trim peak utility loads,by taking a small amount of energy from each vehicle and giving credit for the amount taken.

Vehicles creeping along on the I5 parking lot for instance,require very little energy to move.This is likely to coincide with the most demand.

Comments or suggestions area always welcome.

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#1

Re: Powered Highways

09/13/2023 7:22 AM

Ah! The Scalextric approach!

<...How...to keep the slot free of debris, resist damage by snow plows, resist corrosion from salt and other ice melting chemicals?...>

Surely that's the purpose of experimentation (rhetorical question - NNTR)?

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#2

Re: Powered Highways

09/13/2023 12:51 PM
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#9
In reply to #2

Re: Powered Highways

09/14/2023 7:05 AM

No.I am talking about inductive coupling, not conductive coupling.

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#3

Re: Powered Highways

09/13/2023 9:03 PM

https://www.euronews.com/next/2023/05/09/sweden-is-building-the-worlds-first-permanent-electrified-road-for-evs-to-charge-while-dri

I guess you can do about anything if you throw enough money at it, but is it cost effective?

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#4

Re: Powered Highways

09/13/2023 10:21 PM

I don't think there is any 'one size fits all' type solution here, it's more what works here, and what works there type thing....The problem I see with most of these charging while driving systems is that they are confining, that they will only work on a limited basis in a certain place....and to give them the freedom necessary to be acceptable for general use, is going hybrid, which then adds cost and maintenance expenses, making them untenable...

I think we can get to a point where the batteries will hold enough juice to increase the range and charge fast enough to be practical, and not burst into flame when you look at them sideways...until then it seems the hybrid is as good as it gets....

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/advice/fuel-efficient-hybrid-cars?slide=2

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#5
In reply to #4

Re: Powered Highways

09/14/2023 12:30 AM

Or we could tax the hell out of private cars and use the money to provide really good public transit.

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#6
In reply to #5

Re: Powered Highways

09/14/2023 1:07 AM

WE already have public transport in large cities, which is the only place they make sense....and money spent is no guarantee of safety....

https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/23/us/new-york-subway-crime-adams-miller/index.html

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#7

Re: Powered Highways

09/14/2023 4:54 AM

This 2018 article (Review of static and dynamic wireless electric vehicle charging system) in wireless charging of EVs and its opportunities and challenges is quite interesting. Note that claimed efficiencies vary widely by measuring methodology, so cannot be taken at face value. Either way, we're adding a huge amount of complexity and cost with en-route charging, and the more complex, the more expensive the O&M costs and the higher the number of failure mechanisms.

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#8
In reply to #7

Re: Powered Highways

09/14/2023 7:03 AM

Thanks for the link!

This is exactly what I was referring to.

Onboard batteries\capacitors would be sufficient to traverse short cross streets in cities.

No need to modify all streets,only major thoroughfares.

On longer streets,an embedded coil at intersections could top off the batteries when the vehicle stops.

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#10

Re: Powered Highways

09/14/2023 10:15 AM

I've checked my crystal ball and see that most folks will charge at home inductively and bidirectionally. Designated parking spots at shopping centers and office parking will have inductive charging. EVs will have 1000 mile range. Today's public charging stations will disappear as no one needs to plug in. And electrified highways will never be a thing.

And we are in a transition to an all-EV fleet and robo-Ubers will greatly reduce the need of personal cars and the accidents due to human error.

Of course lots of politics will hinder the transition. If we could just replace Congress with 555 engineers...

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#11
In reply to #10

Re: Powered Highways

09/14/2023 12:31 PM

Nothing but engineers... Hmmnmnmm...

Aides, pages, handlers, office staff...all engineers.

I’d love to have the short sleeve white dress shirt concession at that utopian congress!

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#12
In reply to #11

Re: Powered Highways

09/14/2023 3:07 PM

..and the pocket pen protector concession!

And the staff...same as in Charlie Wilson's War.

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#13
In reply to #10

Re: Powered Highways

09/15/2023 6:43 AM

Whilst you're checking in there, any sign of this week's lottery numbers?

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#14

Re: Powered Highways

09/15/2023 6:47 AM

Slightly reminiscent of Brunel's Atmospheric Railway.

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#15

Re: Powered Highways

09/17/2023 11:31 AM

Ol' Scotty tells it like it is baby...

That's actually not bad looking...but what is it ?

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g26286098/best-hybrid-cars/

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#16

Re: Powered Highways

10/03/2023 2:17 AM

I've been pushing this idea for years now. It certainly makes sense--more than trying to use physical conductors. (How could a car dragging a contact in a slot change lanes?)

South Korea has been doing this for some of their buses for more than a few years with great success.

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