In France, the A10 motorway in the Paris region will soon become a huge theater of experimentation. A consortium led by VINCI Autoroutes will set up a test protocol for two dynamic charging technologies for heavy goods vehicles: charging by induction or charging by rail, which will allow vehicles to charge while driving.
The fluidity of goods transport in France is largely based on the use of heavy goods vehicles. Big problem: it is now estimated that this sector is responsible for a third of greenhouse gas emissions nationwide. To remedy this problem, one of the promising avenues remains the electrification of trucks. However, one obstacle remains difficult to overcome if you take this path: that of the size of the lithium-ion batteries that heavy goods vehicles must carry. These are necessarily massive and require powerful charging infrastructures. This is why VINCI Autoroutes, which had already taken an interest in electric vehicles in the past, is now looking into the question of dynamic charging.
A potential solution for more reasonable batteries
While the Tesla Semi is finally a reality and should supposedly revolutionize electric heavy trucks, it is a physical reality that cannot be denied and to which Elon Musk does not seem sensitive. An electric semi-trailer battery can weigh up to 5 tons, which is clearly not viable in terms of production costs and consumption of scarce resources. This is where dynamic charging gets interesting. The truck will be able to recharge during its journey. This will drastically reduce the size of the batteries by taking advantage of the colossal kinetic energy developed during its movement.
Dynamic charging is already being tested in several European countries, including Germany and Italy. France, on the other hand, will be the first country to host such a large-scale test device. Two dynamic charging technologies will thus be put to the test: charging by induction and charging by conductive rail.
A testing ground in real conditions
This major experiment will take place upstream of the Saint-Arnoult toll. Two different sections will thus be used to test the two different charging technologies. Charging by induction works like that used by telephones, except that the magnetic coils responsible for transferring energy will be integrated under the bitumen. Driving over it will recharge the batteries of the tractors. Charging by conductive rail is based on the same principle, with the difference that the trucks will be physically connected to the road so that their batteries are maintained.
The tests will start in September 2023, first on a closed track. The installation of the two sections on the A10 will follow. This will make it possible to assess whether these charging technologies are efficient at high speed before VINCI can roll them out across the country, in several stages.
In total, the experiment will extend over three years and represents a total budget of 26 million euros. If the system works, VINCI said dynamic charging will allow a drastic reduction in CO emissions2 that no other solution has been able to provide for the moment. A big black spot remains all the same: the cost of the installations, between 4 and 5 million euros… per kilometre. Yes, decarbonization comes at a high price.
Sources: Clean Automotive, VINCI, Challenges
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