In a big push towards making electric vehicles even more popular, China successfully tested a photovaltaic highway which can charge electric vehicles on the go. Already a noticeable player in the world electric car market, the country has committed itself to reducing dependence on fossil fuels for transportation due to rising pollution levels.
The photovaltaic highway may be a step in the right direction.
The special highway is built using solar panels with a thin sheet of concrete on top. The panels below the concrete charge vehicles moving on top wirelessly while an insulator at the bottom prevents moisture from seeping in. The test was conducted on a 1-kilometre stretch and Xinhua reports that the electricity generated from these panels would not just be used for electric vehicles but would also be transferred to China`s national power grid.
China is now only the second country in the world - after France - to have constructed a photovaltaic highway. The major advantages of this technology, if implimented on a bigger scale, would be a further push towards using electric cars. While local manufacturers already offer several varaints in this segment, Tesla too has been in China for some time and has been looking to ramp up operations.
