Researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) are studying how electric vehicles (EVs) could be charged while in motion, addressing concerns like “range anxiety” and the growing demand for EV infrastructure. Their work, published in the journal IEEE Access, focuses on Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer (DWPT) roadways, which use transmitter pads embedded in road surfaces to charge EVs as they drive.
Credit: ASPIRE
An electric semi-truck charges while driving on a test dynamic wireless power transfer (DWPT) roadway at Utah State University.
“The field of electrified transportation is evolving, and modeling the load demand on our electrical grid is a very significant part of the work,” said Paras Mandal, Ph.D., professor of electrical and computer engineering at UTEP and the study’s principal investigator. “Our research will allow for a comprehensive understanding of new EV charging methods to ensure sustainable use of our transportation infrastructure coupled with power utilities.”
Currently, most EVs rely on public charging stations or household outlets, which can be slow, inefficient, or inaccessible. These limitations contribute to range anxiety and may slow EV adoption, which could otherwise reduce fuel consumption, emissions, and noise pollution while improving air quality.
DWPT technology is still in development, but its implementation requires a clear understanding of how it will impact the electrical grid. Mandal’s team developed a novel method called modified Toeplitz convolution (mCONV) to model load demand, accounting for factors like vehicle size, road length, and traffic flow. “The next steps in this research will be to understand how DWPT will affect power system stability and reliability,” Mandal said.
Kenith Meissner, Ph.D., dean of UTEP’s College of Engineering, noted the broader implications of the research: “Dr. Mandal’s team is doing innovative work at the frontier of our transportation system. This new model will help local and state authorities as well as utilities understand what’s involved in implementing DWPT roadways and literally paving the way for more widespread adoption of electric vehicles.”
The study is part of the ASPIRE initiative, an NSF Engineering Research Center focused on Advancing Sustainability through Powered Infrastructure for Roadway Electrification. ASPIRE includes researchers from Utah State University, Purdue University, the University of Colorado Boulder, and the University of Auckland, New Zealand.
As EV adoption grows — with annual sales projected to reach 7.2 million by 2030 — innovations like DWPT could play a key role in shaping the future of sustainable transportation.
