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Looks like Sweden will be the first to build full sized slot car track inspired roads for charging electric powered vehicles while on the road. No Track Calls or turn marshals needed (hopefully!)
It’s only a test right now, but soon all roads in the country could be like this.
What would roads be like if they were life-sized Scalextric tracks? We’ve all thought it, but now the Swedes have actually gone and done it.
Yes, in Sweden there is a stretch of road that is actually a real-world slot car road. It has been built to test a system whereby cars and commercial vehicles can charge while driving – using a rail in the road and metal contact points much like the age-old Christmas favorite. It works by having an extendable arm come out of the vehicle to connect with the rail automatically.
Weather, as you’d imagine, would be a concern. Thankfully they’ve thought of that, too. The road has been tested in rain and snow and neither have caused any significant problems. A drainage system rids the track of rain, while the arm move excess dirt and gravel out of the way too. As for the groove hampering motorbikes, that’s a non-issue too. It’s too narrow to have any impact. What we don’t know is if the Swedish Transport Administration has thought about the possibility of cars and truck sliding off the road and hitting skirting boards.
Eventually the system could takeover all of Sweden’s 12,427 miles of roads. The cost won’t be massive either, at just over £800,000 (about $1.1 million) for a kilometer (0.62 miles). It’ll be a huge step forward for electric mobility and all but do away with range anxiety which is still a big turn off for potential electric car buyers right now.
Read original article here: Swedes Build Slot-Car-Inspired Road For Real Vehicles
