Israeli wireless EV charging solution company Electreon has managed to wirelessly charge a 50-ton electric truck on a stationary pad and a ‘Wireless Electric Road’ segment in Sweden. The truck in question was a converted DAF XF from Dutch specialist GINAF, but Electreon says other e-trucks can also be equipped.

GINAF specializes in converting DAF and Mercedes trucks into electric vehicles and simply converting trucks for niche operations like mining or heavy-duty transport. The Dutch company usually sticks to trucks up to 24 tons, but for this showcase, a 50-ton GINAF GE2121 50-ton electric truck was used, based on the previous-gen DAF XF.

Static and dynamic wireless charging

The GINAF GE2121 was equipped with an Electreon wireless charging system and subsequently tested on both a stationary charging pad and the Smartroad Gotland in Sweden. It managed to charge in both static and dynamic conditions, although there was no word from Electreon as to exactly how fast it was charging.

This provides some perspective for electric goods transportation on the road, as most manufacturers don’t have a long-range battery solution yet, except for Tesla and Daimler Truck – although the eActros 600 only manages 500 km.

Keeping battery sizes lower

Furthermore, not every rest stop or destination will have megawatt charging, which limits the use of these EV trucks for long-haul transport in the short term. Wireless charging roads could provide a solution and keep the battery sizes and, therefore, purchasing prices lower.

But, of course, these roads won’t be built in a day. Electreon is currently operating test projects in Sweden and Germany. Still, it might take a while for these charging roads to be incorporated – and then, the question of payment remains.