New Florida highway will charge electric vehicles on the go

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Electric car owners will eventually be able to charge their cars while driving on a new Florida highway.

The Central Florida Expressway Authority, CFX, is building a 4.4-mile expressway that will connect Lake and Orange counties.

State Road 516 will “serve as a revolutionary testbed for electric in-vehicle charging.”

Brian Hutchings, CFX’s manager of community engagement, told NBC affiliate WESH that the roadway will be equipped with coils that can charge electric vehicles as they travel over them. “Think about with your smartphone you put on a charging pad. It’s very similar technology to that, only on a grander scale,” Hutchings said.

WESH reported that the charging system will only work for a fleet of test electric vehicles when it opens. However, Hutchings told the news station that the goal is for the expressway to charge all types of EVs.

“It’s going to be a tremendous evolution when you have vehicles and trucks that are electrified, that can travel over roads and never have to plug in,” said Hutchings. “It’s exciting times, definitely.”

The $534 million project will also include a wildlife underpass and pathways for runners, walkers and bikers.

Construction is set to begin next spring. It is expected to be completed by 2027.