Infineon enhances Electreon’s electric road charging with high-power silicon carbide technology
Infineon will supply customised silicon carbide (SiC) power modules to Electreon for its dynamic in-road charging technology. This wireless electric road system (wERS) lets EVs charge wirelessly using inductive charging. Copper coils embedded beneath the road surface transfer power to buses, trucks and other EVs as they travel. The system connects to the power grid, activating vehicles when they’re above the coils. Infineon’s customised SiC modules are at the heart of the application and efficiently convert the energy that comes from the power grid for seamless wireless battery charging. Electreon’s system leverages these modules to maximize performance, reliability and energy efficiency. This technology is especially beneficial on highways, toll roads and in other high-traffic areas like ports and critical mobility hubs such as airports.
The system’s power transfer is boosted to an average of 200 kW, with peaks exceeding 300 kW, using EasyPACK 3B CoolSiC 2000 V modules from Infineon that were specifically developed to meet Electreon’s requirements. This performance was confirmed in a milestone achieved recently on France’s A10 highway, the world’s first highway to wirelessly charge heavy and medium-duty trucks, buses, vans and passenger cars in motion. Continuous on-route charging keeps the battery topped up, allowing vehicles to travel farther and use much smaller battery packs. This cuts upfront vehicle costs and reduces vehicle weight, freeing up more capacity for cargo. Electreon has already incorporated Infineon’s customised EasyPACK 3B CoolSiC 2000 V modules in test tracks in the U.S., Germany, France, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Italy, Israel and Japan. There are current plans to integrate the technology into upcoming longer-distance projects.
“Electreon’s wireless charging system is a real game changer on the road to reducing carbon emissions in transportation,” said Dominik Bilo, Executive Vice President and Chief Sales Officer Industrial & Infrastructure at Infineon Technologies. “We’re proud to contribute to this groundbreaking innovation with our customised SiC power modules, which efficiently convert electrical energy to charge vehicles on the go, tailored to meet Electreon’s specific needs. The solution fits perfectly with our goal to contribute to a climate-neutral future, further driving decarbonisation and digitalisation.”
“Wireless EV charging is already happening today, and Electreon is at the forefront of this transformation. We’re using Infineon’s advanced silicon carbide technology to make in-road charging even more powerful and efficient, allowing electric buses and trucks to operate continuously without relying on traditional charging stations. This breakthrough reduces operational costs, lowers emissions and expedites EV adoption on a global scale. The world is embracing wireless charging, and we are proud to lead the way,” said Electreon CEO Oren Ezer.
SiC-based semiconductors have revolutionised high-power applications like EV charging by switching electricity at higher frequencies with lower energy loss, enabling more compact designs. These semiconductors also demonstrate high reliability and robustness in extreme conditions and dissipate heat more effectively than silicon does.
