Electreon (TASE: ELWS), announced a new world record for the longest time and distance ever driven (non-stop) by a passenger Electric Vehicle (EV). During their 100-hour demonstration last week, a TOYOTA RAV4 covered an impressive 1,942 km (1,206 miles) using Electreon’s proprietary Wireless Electric Road technology. This milestone proves that Electreon’s wireless charging technology effectively addresses two key challenges in EV transition: range anxiety and battery size. It eliminates range anxiety enabling an endless drive, and demonstrates that even a compact 18 kWh battery size is no longer a limiting factor in EV adoption.
The Electreon team expected they would drive around 1,500 km (approximately 932 miles) in their 5-day driving rally. However, they successfully completed the demonstration with 33% more driven kilometers.
Mr. Reuven Rivlin, the tenth President of the State of Israel and honorary company President, stated, “The objective of this 100-hour non-stop driving rally was to demonstrate the unlimited technical potential of Wireless Electric Road technology to power EVs to drive indefinitely with a minimal battery. I am delighted to share that Electreon’s technology and the team behind it exceeded expectations. This is yet another clear signal that our Wireless Electric Road technology is ready for large-scale commercial projects globally.”
Over the 100-hour straight driving rally, 56 different drivers, 48 of which members of the Electreon team, and Israeli racing driver, Bar Baruch, participated in the effort to drive for 100-hours straight (over five successive days), only pausing momentarily to switch drivers (without switching off the engine), and never for dedicated charging downtime. The TOYOTA RAV4-PHEV is equipped with a lightweight 18 kWh battery that was never depleted (fully discharged), because the Electric Road continually charged the vehicle as it drove around the track.
By driving almost 2,000 km, the wireless EV charging technology increased the range at least 26 times more than the current vehicle real-world maximum range limits.[1] Israel’s Chief Transportation Scientist, Dr. Shai Soffer who spoke at the company’s celebratory event last week, said, “This industry-changing technology, coupled with ongoing government support, are a shining example of the importance of public-private cooperation for the benefit of all society; both here in the start-up nation and for the entire world.”
The company’s demo track, spanning 200 meters, showcases the remarkable potential of wireless charging.. Even with only 25% of the track electrified, the Wireless Electric Road provides endless range for any electric vehicle (EV). This shared charging platform supports multiple users simultaneously, accommodating small passenger vehicles and large e-trucks, and is battery-technology agnostic. By eliminating the necessity for large batteries, it not only reduces the total cost of EV ownership and environmental impacts but also offers the unparalleled advantage of extended, if not unlimited, range.
This is Electreon’s first public world record, but the company has been commercially operational for multiple years, with projects across Europe, the Middle East and North America. After setting this new world record for driving 1,942 km in 100 hours, the longest time and distance ever driven by a passenger EV, Electreon will be installing its award-winning technology in downtown Detroit, MI, US this summer. Indeed, Detroit made TIME’s ‘World’s Greatest Places’ list as it was selected as home of the USA’s first electric-vehicle charging road, solidifying its title once again as the Motor City—but for the modern age.