Imagine a world where your electric car can charge its battery the same way some military planes do: on the go. That’s exactly what France just made a reality for some EV owners. Along a 1.5-kilometer (0.9-mile) stretch of the A10 highway, EVs can charge while driving via wireless technology embedded in the road.

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And not just any kind of charging, but the kind that nearly matches Tesla’s latest V4 Superchargers at 325 kW and even surpasses the V3’s 250 kW, completely cable-free, while traveling at full highway speed. That’s quite an impressive achievement.

Charging On The Move

The project is called “Charge as you Drive” and it’s led by VINCI Autoroutes, France’s largest toll road operator, in partnership with Electreon and others. The nation wants to build some 9,000 km, or nearly 6,000 miles, of electric roads by 2035, and this is the very first publicly accessible step toward that goal.

During the initial public trial, four modified electric vehicles, including a large semi-truck, a van, a passenger car, and a bus, all successfully managed to charge dynamically while traveling at highway speeds.

How Does It Work?

The inductive charging system transfers energy from coils buried under the asphalt to receivers mounted beneath each vehicle. Independent tests conducted by the Gustave Eiffel University confirmed that the system consistently delivered more than 200 kW of average power, with peaks above 300 kW.

In practical terms, that’s enough to keep a fully loaded heavy-duty truck moving at highway speeds twice over.

“This marks a pivotal moment in the global development of wireless roads,” said Electreon CEO Oren Ezer. “Our technology is the only one capable of delivering high-power, reliable dynamic charging. It not only meets but exceeds all the targets set by the French government.”

For freight operators, the implications could be enormous. Charging downtime remains one of the biggest headaches in electric transport, particularly for long-haul fleets. A system that allows continuous charging on the move could eliminate lengthy refueling stops altogether.

VINCI Autoroutes CEO Nicolas Notebaert said that the technology will “reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the freight and logistics sector” which currently accounts for more than 16 percent of France’s total emissions.

Where Else Is It Happening?

Electreon is developing similar projects in nine other countries, including the U.S., Israel and several European countries. As of this writing, there are already electric roads in Michigan and Utah here in the States.

In Tel Aviv, Electreon showcased high-speed wireless charging for city buses. The trial confirmed several key benefits: shorter service downtime for charging, increased operational uptime, and a dramatic cut in battery size thanks to on-route charging, from 400 kWh down to just 42 kWh, a reduction of nearly 90 percent.

More: Wireless EV Charging On The Move Is Being Tested In Germany, Michigan Next

In Sweden, Smartroad Gotland is converting a 1.6-kilometer (1-mile) stretch near Visby into a wireless charging test road. Led by Electreon, it will charge electric buses and trucks while moving to assess the viability of electrified highways.

If this technology works out, the complaints many have about charging times and infrastructure could be calmed down significantly, if not altogether nullified.