Honda, together with construction industry giant Taisei Corporation and its division Taisei Rotec, has completed the development of a basic technology for a wireless power transfer system based on magnetic coupling. This innovative system makes it possible to charge electric vehicles, including heavy commercial trucks, directly while driving along the road — without stopping and without connecting to wires.
Joint research has been underway since 2025, but Honda began working on dynamic wireless power transfer (DWPT) technology as early as 2021. Each company contributed its own part: Honda is responsible for compact direct-current (DC) power receiving and transmitting units that are compatible with high-power systems and intended for both passenger cars and commercial transport. Taisei developed a high-speed DC power supply system that ensures stability and flexibility of connection. Taisei Rotec, in turn, created innovative methods for embedding the equipment directly into the asphalt surface without compromising its strength — the equipment is embedded into pre-cut strips of the existing road and can be installed during scheduled repairs of the roadway.
At Taisei's experimental site (T-FIELD/SATTE), the system's ability to withstand loads from vehicles weighing up to 20 tons has been confirmed. At the end of 2026, a new test track will be launched, where load tests equivalent to a million passes of a standard wheel will be conducted over a long period, simultaneously checking power transfer performance and measuring electromagnetic field leakage at power levels of up to 150 kW. This is critically important — the system must operate reliably and safely under real road traffic conditions.
The first public tests on the Tateyama Expressway (E14) in Chiba Prefecture are planned from April 2027 as part of the large-scale "Tateyama" project initiated by NEXCO East (East Nippon Expressway Company). On a section about 300 meters long near the "Kimitsu" rest area, the durability of the equipment, the peak transfer power of 150 kW, and reliability of operation at speeds typical of Japanese expressways (up to 120 km/h) will be tested. Notably, the same project involves a competing team of Toyota, Denso and Obayashi Corporation, which makes it possible to evaluate different approaches to the technology under real road network conditions.
The technology is aimed primarily at the logistics sector: trucks and vans will be able to replenish their energy supply on the move, which reduces forced downtime at conventional charging stations and increases time on the road. The system is built on an innovative principle: each power transfer unit in the road contains a built-in inverter and is connected to neighboring units by a single DC line, which simplifies installation and reduces the number of components under the asphalt compared with competing approaches.
Similar projects are being developed in the United States and France, but they often rely on existing infrastructure or separate sites. The French project "Charge as You Drive" by Electreon on the A10 motorway already demonstrates the possibility of transferring more than 200 kW of continuous power. However, the Japanese approach stands out for its comprehensive strategy: from the very beginning, it integrates the issues of power supply capacity, structural installation in the roadbed, and pavement durability. The participation of three industry-leading companies makes it possible to solve both engineering and practical problems of mass deployment at the same time.
If the tests are successful, the technology could become a key link in Japan's infrastructure strategy for expanding electric transport capabilities and reducing emissions. At the global level, success at Tateyama could accelerate the adoption of wireless charging on roads in other countries with developed expressway networks. The critical question remains the same: how economically justified and how fast will it be to scale up the embedding of equipment into existing highways around the world, given the costs of installation and maintenance.
