After Indiana researchers demonstrated earlier this month that wireless highway EV charging works, Florida confirms it’s breaking ground on another highway test in 2026.
In 2026, Florida will break ground on a highway that can wirelessly charge EVs at speed in a small-scale test that could have big implications for the future of mobility.
The highway is actually just a 3/4-mile portion of a larger construction project, the 4.4-mile State Road 516 (SR 516) Lake/Orange Expressway.
The Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) is building SR 516 in three segments. The first one, as shown on the map below, will feature wireless charging technology. The highway will be open to the public when it’s finished in 2029, but the charging system will only work on « specially equipped vehicles.for initial testing of the charging lane », CFX says.
It remains to be seen if the project will focus on charging trucks or passenger vehicles; recent tests elsewhere have focused on trucks. In October, France activated a highway that can wirelessly charge trucks in partnership with Electreon, Interesting Engineering reports.
