The promise was fulfilled: the world’s first electric highway is now operational in France. On a 1.5-kilometer stretch of the A10 highway, near Saint-Arnoult-en-Yveline, electric vehicles can recharge while driving thanks to an innovative technology of inductive charging.
The system works on the same principle as wireless charging for mobile phones. Coils installed under the asphalt transmit electrical energy to vehicles equipped with special receivers, allowing the batteries to recharge without stopping.
The project, developed by the start-up Electreon along with Vinci Autoroutes, Hutchinson and the Gustave Eiffel University, aims to demonstrate that this technology can be integrated on a large scale into existing road infrastructure.
Currently, 900 coils powered by a transformer are buried about ten centimeters deep. The charging power reaches 300 kilowatts, although the ideal performance is around 200.
Towards a national network of electric roads
For now, the experimental stretch offers modest recharging —around 1% of energy for a truck in 1.5 km—, but the results are promising. The next goal is to extend the infrastructure to a 100-kilometer route by 2030, with the intention of covering 80% of the 9,000 km of French highways by 2035.
This initiative is part of France’s commitment to decarbonizing road transport, a sector responsible for 15% of national CO₂ emissions. It also responds to European policies that prohibit thermal engines from 2035 in cars and 2040 in trucks.
The massive implementation of this technology could drastically reduce emissions from heavy transport, which accounts for almost half of the traffic on highways. By allowing charging on the move, trucks could operate with smaller and lighter batteries, reducing the consumption of rare metals and manufacturing costs.
The ecological and social benefits of electric mobility
Electric mobility not only transforms the way we travel but also redefines the relationship between energy, industry, and the environment. Its expansion represents a decisive step towards cleaner cities, with less noise and air free of pollutant particles.
By replacing fossil fuels with renewable electricity, dependence on oil is reduced and the carbon footprint of transport is decreased, one of the most challenging sectors to decarbonize. Additionally, dynamic charging allows for optimizing the energy infrastructure, avoiding consumption peaks at fixed charging points.
Benefits that also reach the pocket
Economically, electric mobility drives technological innovation, the creation of green jobs, and the development of new industries associated with recycling and clean energies.
Finally, by being able to use smaller batteries, electric vehicles become more accessible and sustainable, facilitating a fair transition to a transport model that benefits both people and the planet.
Overall, the French electric highway is not only a world first but a sign of the path that the mobility of the future must follow: efficient, renewable, and respectful of the environment.
