London Gets First Electrified Roads That Charge EV's Wirelessly

It's no secret that toxic, heavy, and expensive batteries are the Achilles' heel of electric vehicles. But that's all about to change.

Just yesterday we were talking about a super-lightweight car that draws its power from the road itself, but today we discover that it's not just a concept. The world's first commercially available wireless induction charging system is set to debut in London.

The HaloIPT system will charge electric vehicles via Inductive Power Transfer (IPT). On a consumer level, you will be able to purchase a 2 piece system including a power source with charging pad and a pickup pad with controller switch.

What this means is that your electric vehicle simply needs to be parked -- or even driven (more on that in a minute) -- over a charging pad and the battery begins charging automatically.

The IPT system can also be used to charge eBikes and heavy goods vehicles.

Inhabitat reports,

The company is planning to electrify parts of England’s M25 motorway by using magnetic induction, a principle that was first discovered in the 1800s. The Inductive Power Transfer system allows a car fitted with a simple integrated receiver pad to be charged automatically when parked or driven on roads with HaloIPT’s special charging pads beneath their surface. If major road routes such as the M25 are ‘electrified’, then it will greatly increase the range and the appeal of electric vehicles.

Do you think major metropolitan areas (where EV's are most prevalent) can successfully integrate these inductive charging pads into new and existing roadways?

How about using them in open highways and interstates to extend the travel range of EV's?