World's first electrified road for charging vehicles opens in Sweden

The world’s first electrified road that recharges the batteries of cars and trucks driving on it has been opened in Sweden.

Just over a mile of electric rail has been embedded in a public road near Stockholm, and the government’s roads agency already has plans future expansion.

The technology solves the issu of electric vehicles charged as energy is transferred from two tracks of rail in the road via a movable arm attached to the bottom of a vehicle. The design is similar to that of a Scalextric track, although should the vehicle overtake, the arm is automatically disconnected.

The electrified road is divided into 50m sections, with an individual section powered only when a vehicle is above it.

The system is able to calculate the vehicle’s energy consumption, which enables electricity costs to be debited per vehicle and user.

The “dynamic charging” – as opposed to the use of roadside charging posts – means the vehicle’s batteries can be smaller, along with their manufacturing costs.

Säll said: “There is no electricity on the surface. There are two tracks, just like an outlet in the wall. Five or six centimetres down is where the electricity is. But if you flood the road with salt water then we have found that the electricity level at the surface is just one volt. You could walk on it barefoot.”

Photograph: Joakim Kröger/eRoadArlanda

Please read the full article at The Guardian

Driver who sped at 101mph after wife went into labour could be fined £2,500

A father clocked speeding at 101mph on the M5 motorway after his pregnant wife went into labour on the passenger seat has been threatened with a fine of up to £2,500.

Louis Baker wrote to West Mercia Police appealing for leniency over the “life or death” situation after being caught by a speed camera on the M5 in Worcestershire on April 14. They told him he will have to appear in court at a later date.

Mr Baker rushed his wife Laura and their unborn child to hospital amid complications surrounding the pregnancy, meaning she needed to be given antibiotics for four hours before giving birth. They were also worried because their previous child was born four years ago after an 11-minute labour.

The baby was born at Worcestershire Royal Hospital two hours after the alleged offence, 

Mr Baker said: “I have been driving for 10 years and I have never had a speeding ticket or a motoring offence in my life.

“When I first got the fine I spoke to a lady at West Mercia Police and she was very supportive and said to write a letter of appeal.

“I appealed but they rejected it and said due to excessive speed the fine could not be waived

“I would say that if it was your wife and child at risk in the same situation, anyone would do exactly the same thing.

“I have spoken to a solicitor but until I get a court date there is not much I can do.”
Laura, a trainee pharmacy technician, told the Birmingham Mail scans had shown her baby had stopped growing from 36 weeks.

The 26-year-old said: “Louis drove at 70mph for most of the journey but towards the end, because of the intensity of the contractions, I really thought the baby was coming.

“Louis wasn’t concentrating on his speed at that point, he was trying to stay safe on the road and get me to hospital as quickly as possible.”

A police spokesman said: “Due to the speed involved this case is being referred directly to the Magistrates Court.

“The independent magistrates will take into account any mitigation presented when determining their decision on the matter.”