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There's something wonderfully appealing about the idea of wirelessly charging your electric vehicle (EV) on the very road that you're driving along. The technology could help ease range anxiety and save you time by reducing the need to stop and recharge on longer journeys. However, while these so-called "electric roads" actually already exist, it could be a very long time before we see them deployed on a meaningful scale, if ever. Plus, how do they even work?

The principle is actually pretty simple. Coils buried under the road surface generate an electromagnetic field that transfers electricity to a receiver fitted to the underside of a moving vehicle. This electricity can then charge the battery. Other systems exist, too, using conductive rails embedded in the road, and overhead wires for specially equipped trucks.…