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Explained: What are electric roads and how will they work?

Learn about electric roads and how they work.

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Explained: What are electric roads and how will they work?
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    Electric roads are becoming an increasingly discussed topic, but what exactly are they? Electric roads are a potential solution to the limited range and charging time problems of electric vehicles, especially for long-distance travel. They have caught the attention of the Indian government and many companies around the world, including Volkswagen and Volvo.

    The Union Road Transport and Highways Minister, Nitin Gadkari, is known for implementing new experiments and has contributed to the discussion of electric roads in India. He has talked about electric roads on several occasions and is currently in talks with some companies, including Tata, about the possibility of electric roads. Many believe that electric roads can provide a better option for transportation.

    The main reason why electric vehicles are gaining popularity worldwide is due to their eco-friendly nature. The biggest problem with conventional vehicles that run on petrol or diesel is that they contribute to air pollution. The world is emphasizing the need to reduce carbon emissions due to problems like global warming. Governments are promoting electric vehicles because they do not emit any smoke at all.

    Cost is also a major factor in the adoption of electric vehicles. In India, the government spends a significant amount of money on crude oil, with over 80% of the consumption of diesel and petrol being met by imported crude oil. Reducing this expenditure will decrease India's dependence on other countries and save valuable foreign exchange reserves. Additionally, the cost of running electric vehicles is significantly less than that of running petrol or diesel vehicles, as the cost of charging the batteries is marginal in comparison to the cost of filling petrol or diesel. Furthermore, the servicing cost of electric vehicles is also very low.

    However, despite the advancements in technology, electric vehicles have their own limitations. The biggest drawback is the limited range of the battery and the time it takes to charge. Good electric vehicles are currently giving a range of 500-700 km, which means that if you need to travel long distances, you will have to stop and charge the battery several times. This is particularly problematic for commercial vehicles, such as trucks, that often travel long distances. The second problem is the use of lithium in the battery, which like crude oil, is also imported. This means that although the problem of carbon emissions has been reduced, the dependence on imports remains.

    This is where electric roads come in as a potential solution. Many companies around the world are working on electric roads, including Volkswagen and Volvo. Electric roads have been built experimentally in Stockholm, Sweden and Detroit, USA. The Swedish government is preparing to build a 3000 km-long electric highway.

    There are two concepts for electric roads. The first concept is based on an overhead electric wire, similar to that used by trains or metros. Volkswagen's concept is based on this and involves running hybrid vehicles. The vehicles will run on electricity where there are overhead wires and will run on battery or petrol-diesel where there are no overhead wires. The second concept involves transmitting electricity to the engine of the vehicles through the tires. Volvo's model is designed to avoid overhead wires and make the roads safer, especially in cities.

    Read more: Explained: How 65 cyber thugs caught in Nuh, cheated 28,000 people of staggering Rs 100 crore

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