Electreon, a startup working to create technology that would allow electrified vehicles to charge while they drive, claims it has set a world record for the longest electric journey completed without charging.
The company drove a modified Toyota RAV4 PHEV on a closed test loop featuring its technology for more than 100 hours. In the end, the vehicle traveled 1,207.05 miles (1,924.56 km) on electric power alone.
Although the vehicle did stop (55 drivers participated in the record attempt) it was neither refueled nor recharged by anything other than the portion of the road that was equipped with wireless charging technology. After 100 hours of driving, 241.69 kWh of electricity had been transferred.
Read: Wireless EV Charging On The Move Is Being Tested In Germany, Michigan Could Be Next
If the choice of vehicle, a plug-in hybrid with an 18 kWh battery, seems odd to you, there are a few reasons for the decision. Firstly, one of the major advantages of charging roads is that they reduce battery-size requirements, meaning that even a vehicle with a modest range can travel long distances on highways equipped with this technology.
More importantly, Electreon signed an agreement with Toyota and DENSO in March. Together, they plan to develop wireless charging technology for new vehicles, as well as an aftermarket kit to allow older vehicles to make use of charging roads.
“This partnership will make wireless charging accessible to a diverse and wide range of drivers, and will demonstrate the many benefits of wireless charging as a cost-effective clean solution for charging EVs as well as a catalyst in reducing EVs’ carbon footprint,” said Oren Ezer, Electreon’s CEO at the time.
Toyota and DENSO are far from Electreon’s only partners, though. The company has announced pilot projects for its technologies in Sweden, France and Belgium, reports The Times of Israel. It also has a €3.2 million ($3.4 million USD, at current exchange rates) deal to operate electric public buses in Germany that was announced in December 2022.