Can electric cars charge while in motion?

Regenerative braking: the current technology for charging while in motion

When it comes to charging while driving, regenerative braking is the first technology that springs to mind. It extends range by converting some of the energy used during braking or deceleration into electricity. This technology requires no additional infrastructure and is an integral part of the DNA of today’s electric vehicles.

What is regenerative braking?

Regenerative braking is based on a fairly simple but ingenious principle 💡. Usually, in a conventional internal combustion car, the kinetic energy generated by the movement is dissipated in the form of heat during braking. In contrast, this energy isn’t wasted with an electric vehicle; it is actually recovered and converted into electricity using an inverted electric motor. 

This electricity is then stored in the car’s battery, giving it a few more precious kilometres of range. This technology is particularly effective in town, where stopping and slowing down are frequent 🚦.

How much energy can be recovered while driving?

The amount of energy recovered through regenerative braking depends on several factors: the car model, the way it is driven and the traffic conditions. For example, a vehicle like the Audi e-tron can recover up to 30% of its range on a prolonged descent, thanks to this technology. 🚗⚡️

Vehicles such as the Tesla Model 3 optimise energy recovery according to driving conditions. Meanwhile, the Toyota Prius, the pioneer of hybrid vehicles, has been using regenerative braking since 1997 to combine an internal combustion engine and an electric motor to maximise energy efficiency. 

That said, even in optimal conditions, regenerative braking remains a complementary solution and does not replace charging stations. It recovers some of the energy (a few kilometres, sometimes dozens!), but that’s not enough to make the vehicle fully autonomous in this respect.

To avoid an unexpected battery failure, it is therefore essential to plan your journeys carefully and be aware of the options available to avoid unpleasant surprises. For more advice, consult our guide on: what to do if your battery is out of order?

How can I optimise the use of regenerative braking?

If you want to maximise the effectiveness of regenerative braking, drive as proactively and smoothly as possible. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of regenerative braking:

1. Release the accelerator gradually: by anticipating stops, you can maximise the energy recovered. There’s no need to accelerate just before braking.
2. Use regenerative driving modes: many vehicles offer driving modes that allow you to adjust the level of energy recovery. For example, models such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or the Audi Q4 e-tron allow you to brake and accelerate with a single pedal, maximising regeneration.
3. Optimise your journey: if you stop and start a lot, regenerative braking is particularly effective. Eco-driving is your best ally for extending your car’s range without too much effort! 🍃

Optimising regenerative braking is even more effective when combined with other eco-driving practices. For example, maintaining the correct tyre pressure and managing speed intelligently can reduce your vehicle’s overall energy consumption. Under-inflated tyres increase rolling resistance and can rapidly increase your energy consumption.

Similarly, driving at a moderate speed, especially on the motorway, helps to conserve battery range. By adopting a comprehensive approach, incorporating energy regeneration and rigorous EV maintenance, you can maximise range while reducing running costs 📉.

Technologies under development for charging while in motion

Regenerative braking is already a reality, but what about technologies that would charge cars continuously, such as induction charging or the use of integrated solar panels? A number of promising projects are currently under development, paving the way for future charging without charging stations.

Dynamic induction charging

Imagine a road capable of charging your car as you drive, without cables or plugs. That’s the concept of dynamic induction charging. This technology works a bit like wireless smartphone charging 📱. Under the pavement, coils create electromagnetic fields that cars equipped with specific receivers pick up and convert into electricity to charge their batteries. 🚗⚡

Pilot projects have already been launched in:

• Sweden with an electrified road on which vehicles can charge while in motion,
• Italy, where DWPT (Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer) technology is being tested on roads equipped with electromagnetic loops placed under the asphalt.
• France, Renault has tested dynamic induction charging on roads equipped with electromagnetic coils, making it possible to charge vehicles reaching speeds of up to 130km/h.

These tests in Europe show that the future of dynamic induction charging is being explored, although there is still some way to go before large-scale deployment. In fact, this solution is still expensive to implement. Equipping one kilometre of road with induction charging could cost several million euros 💶. For the time being, this limits its application to small experimental areas rather than large-scale implementation.

Solar panels integrated into cars

Another solution under development is the integration of solar panels directly onto vehicles. This would enable electric cars to generate electricity from solar energy throughout the day.

Solar panels are very effective in sunny regions such as southern Spain, where they can provide a significant amount of energy. However, in countries with cloudier climates such as Northern Europe, their output is much lower. This limits their ability to charge batteries sufficiently to make vehicles fully autonomous.

As well as adding a few kilometres of range, these panels help to reduce dependence on electric charging networks and limit the carbon footprint of vehicles 🌍. 

Manufacturers such as Lightyear and Hyundai have already begun testing this technology. The Lightyear One model, for example, is capable of generating around 70km of range per day thanks to its solar panels. The Hyundai Sonata with a solar roof, meanwhile, can recover around 1,300km per year. These solutions are perfect for short daily journeys, but they are not yet enough to make vehicles completely independent of charging stations.

The challenges of charging while in motion: what’s stopping it?

Even if induction charging and solar panel integration technologies offer interesting prospects, a number of challenges still need to be overcome before they become widespread.

Infrastructure and costs

The high cost of setting up the infrastructure is the main obstacle. Installing induction systems under roads is extremely expensive, especially if they are to be deployed on a large scale. In Sweden and Italy, where sections of road have been fitted with these systems, the costs run into millions of euros per kilometre 💸.

What’s more, only a few car models are currently compatible with dynamic induction charging, which limits interest for the time being. Equipping vehicles with this technology also means extra costs for consumers. According to Automobile Propre, around €2,500 needs to be added to the price of a vehicle to incorporate these wireless charging technologies.

Energy efficiency

In terms of energy efficiency, dynamic charging and solar panels have yet to rival traditional charging points. 

The latter are highly developed, particularly on the European continent! The Chargemap app and its interactive map already lists almost 900,000 charging points to help you on your journeys! 🚗🔋

What’s more, energy transfer rates are lower. It takes more time to recover sufficient range compared to rapid charging at a charging point. As a result, dynamic charging remains a complementary solution, but not yet a viable alternative.

Despite these obstacles, these innovations could become more commonplace in the future, complementing existing options.

In conclusion, arguably, an electric car can charge while in motion, but not yet in a totally autonomous way! Regenerative braking extends range, but it’s still a back-up solution. Innovations such as induction charging and solar panels are opening up interesting prospects.

However, a number of obstacles still need to be overcome before these technologies can be deployed on a large scale. A future electric car that charges to 100% while driving is promising, but a little patience is still required.

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