Detroit’s First Wireless EV Charging Road Shows Promise After Two-Year Trial
The wireless charging road in Detroit has proven its worth through two years of testing. Built on 14th Street near Newlab at Michigan Central, this first-in-nation system sends power to…
The wireless charging road in Detroit has proven its worth through two years of testing. Built on 14th Street near Newlab at Michigan Central, this first-in-nation system sends power to vehicles as they move.
"We can see that it's been highly and usually successful," said Stefan Tongur, vice president for business development at Electreon, according to Crain's Detroit Business.
The system works through hidden coils under the street. Ford E-Transit vans tested the tech, which kept working despite winter storms, icy conditions, and street repairs. The results stunned skeptics.
Michigan's road planners want more. By spring 2026, they'll add charging strips on Michigan Avenue—a three-quarter-mile stretch between 17th Street and Brooklyn Avenue. Both directions will get the upgrade.
The tech isn't just in Detroit. Streets in Sweden buzz with power. Germany's roads light up with energy. Norway, Italy, France, and China have jumped on board. Utah State's ASPIRE lab started tests in September. UCLA got $20 million to wire up California's first electric road by 2028.
Cars need an Electreon part to tap the power. Some makers build it in at the factory. Others can buy kits to add it later. It's like giving your car a secret superpower.
The Michigan Avenue project will cost $70 million. The plan includes special zones for robot cars and raised paths for bikes. This fits into Detroit's big dream—a tech corridor from downtown to the highway.
Money talks tell a mixed story. Early 2025 brought in 2.3 million Israeli shekels—about $689,000. That's down from last year's 9 million shekels, or $2.7 million.
Delivery trucks could change everything. UPS and Xos Inc. signed up to try wireless power. Their trucks will juice up during stops on Michigan Avenue's new system.
"That's the only way this will work — through partnerships — because it crosses public spaces, private fleets and regulation. We all need to work together," Tongur said, as reported by Crain's Detroit Business.
