A pioneering wireless charging system capable of powering electric vehicles while in motion is being created by academics at a UK university.
The initiative, named WattCrete, involves the design of specialised concrete capable of enhancing energy transfer to electric automobiles travelling across road surfaces.
The venture is overseen by Professor Ashraf Ashour and Dr Boğaçhan Başaran, both affiliated with the Engineering department at the University of Bradford.
Financial backing of £236,000 has been awarded through the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship programme.
Professor Ashour, who holds the chair in structural engineering at Bradford and serves as the venture’s principal investigator, indicated that widespread adoption of electric vehicles plays a critical role in cutting greenhouse gas emissions and meeting net zero targets.
He acknowledged that infrastructure limitations regarding charging capabilities represent a significant obstacle to broader implementation.
His comments suggested that road networks themselves could potentially form part of the solution rather than remaining passive surfaces.
The team aims to engineer novel concrete panels that facilitate improved wireless power transmission, with the goal of contributing to systems that become more efficient, environmentally sound and operationally viable for tomorrow’s transportation networks.
The concept unifies knowledge from structural engineering, material science and electrical disciplines to confront a practical problem with international significance.
Conventional wireless EV charging operates through power transmission from induction pads positioned beneath road surfaces to components mounted on vehicles.
Materials typically used in road construction, including standard concrete and asphalt, impede magnetic fields, leading to considerable energy wastage.
The Bradford group seeks to address this limitation through the creation of concrete panels exhibiting elevated magnetic permeability, thereby enabling greater energy delivery to vehicles.
Researchers suggest that modest gains in transmission effectiveness could lower implementation expenses and render extensive wireless charging networks more feasible.
The initiative will evaluate whether these purpose-designed panels can achieve superior performance without sacrificing practicality or cost-effectiveness for general road deployment.
Computational models assisting engineers in optimising road configurations for charging effectiveness will also be developed as part of the work.
The research team anticipates that successful implementation could benefit emerging electrified transport systems while decreasing energy waste and enhancing the environmental credentials of electric vehicle infrastructure.
WattCrete forms part of a wider institutional programme investigating sustainable construction methods, innovative materials and reduced-carbon technological solutions.
Should the technology prove viable, it could prove instrumental in facilitating uninterrupted charging for electric vehicles during travel, tackling a fundamental obstacle to mass uptake and establishing foundations for greener transportation networks.