ElectReon Launches Electric Road Pilot For Public Transport In Tel Aviv

Israeli company ElectReon, the developer of a wireless electrification system to charge electric vehicles in full motion on smart roads, and the Tel Aviv Municipality announced the launch of a pilot on Monday to build electric roads for public transportation charging in the city. The pilot is being conducted with the Dan Bus Company which runs bus lines in Tel Aviv and some of the surrounding areas.

Founded in 2013, ElectReon developed a system to charge vehicles while in full motion using copper coils placed under the middle lane of the road. The coils would be covered by the pavement and powered by an underground system with charging performed by a receiver or multiple receivers installed under the car.

The pilot is the first of its kind in Israel and will be carried out between Tel Aviv University Railway Station and Klatzkin Terminal in Ramat Aviv – a two-kilometer route including 600 meters of electric road.

The Tel Aviv pilot project will enable specially-equipped electric buses, capable of being charged directly from under-road electric infrastructure, to travel on the route. Within two months following the completion of tests and integration of the technology, an electric bus will commence regular journeys on the route, serving passengers traveling to Tel Aviv University.

ElectReon has similar projects in Germany and Sweden.

“The construction of an electric road to charge public transportation vehicles will make Tel Aviv-Yafo the first city worldwide to roll out the technology for charging buses on a wide scale,” the city said in a statement. “In doing so, the city will evaluate the possibility of additional electric transportation, including public transportation, distribution trucks, and private and autonomous vehicles.

Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai said, “We are constantly working to reduce air pollution in the city, and our strategic action plan to prepare for climate change has placed the fight against pollution at the top of the municipality’s environmental agenda. If the pilot is successful, we will evaluate – together with the Ministry of Transportation – its expansion to additional locations in the city.”

“Electric transportation will assist municipal efforts to reduce air pollution and noise, and assist the transition to green modes of transport, which will contribute to improving the quality of life and the environment for residents and visitors to the city,” said Meital Lehavi, deputy mayor for Transportation at the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality. “We have no doubt that, if the wide-scale experiment is successful, it will not only benefit the public, but also save resources, improve the operational efficiency of public transportation, and maybe even a new world-class method of electrification will emanate from Tel Aviv-Yafo.”

“This is a very important step in the implementation of electric road technology, and we are delighted that the first electrified public route is being established in Tel Aviv – a global leader in the field of innovation and smart transportation,” added Oren Ezer, ElectReon CEO and founding partner. “We see this project as the first step of a fruitful collaboration with the municipality, Transportation Ministry, Dan and Pandan – the importer of Higer buses to Israel. We thank the Israel Innovation Authority and the Ministry of Energy for their support with this project.