As cars are required to be electrified for decarbonization, research on new systems such as a mechanism that can charge the battery of EV = electric vehicle while running is becoming active.
Of these, the system that the research team at the University of Tokyo is working on is a mechanism that generates magnetism on the road and reacts when a car with a coil passes through it to generate electricity.
In the current research, if you drive 30 meters on a magnetic road, you can charge enough to drive 350 meters.
From next year, we will start experiments on public roads in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, aiming for practical application in the mid-2030s.
Professor Hiroshi Fujimoto of the research team said, "In the case of EV, many people are worried about running out of battery, but it will be very convenient if it can be charged while driving."
In Fukushima Prefecture, local venture companies and others have started experimenting with charging stations that generate electricity from solar panels last month.
Since electricity can be supplied without connecting to the power grid, it can be used even if a power outage occurs in the event of a disaster.
In both cases, there are issues such as cost reduction and installation of dedicated equipment in the car, but it is expected that the spread of electric vehicles will gain momentum if they are put into practical use.