Sweden inaugurates world’s first electric road

Sweden on 22 June 2016 inaugurated a test stretch of an electric road. With this, the country has become one of the first countries in the world to conduct tests with electric power for heavy transports on public roads.

The test was conducted on parts of road E16. It involved a current collector on the roof of the truck cab feeding the current down to a hybrid electric motor in the truck.

Key facts related to the test stretch of the road

• The tests will continue up through 2018.

• They will provide knowledge of how electric roads work in practice.

• It will offer a glimpse on whether the technology can be used in the future.

• The experiment is based on the government’s goal of energy efficiency and a fossil fuel-free vehicle fleet by 2030. It will also contribute to strengthening Sweden’s competitiveness.

Three government agencies are partially funding the project. They are:

• Swedish Transport Administration: It is a government agency responsible for long-term infrastructure planning for all kinds of transport, i.e. road, rail, shipping and aviation. It owns, constructs, operates and maintains all state-owned roads and railways and operates a large number of ferry services.

• Swedish Energy Agency: It works for the use of renewable energy.

• Vinnova: It is the Swedish government agency that administers state funding for research and development.

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