These electric buses can be charged while driving

Electric buses in Karlsruhe, Germany will use a special section of road to recharge their batteries a bit, all while driving. — ElectReon/AFP

A pilot section of inductive charging road for electric vehicles, just a few metres long, is being set up in Karlsruhe, Germany. The aim is to provide energy for electric buses operating on the local transport network, while they are driving.

Wireless inductive charging is nothing new. It allows the transfer of electrical energy to a vehicle battery via an electromagnetic field. Previously, it has been successfully used for stationary vehicles, in parking bays, or in tests on private roads. In the city of Karlsruhe, a real-world experiment on another scale is now seeking to benefit local public transport.