Honda Motor is preparing to test technology on a public highway that can wirelessly charge electric vehicles, including large commercial trucks, while they are in motion.
Honda R&D, the automaker’s research and development subsidiary, developed the underlying system in partnership with construction firms Taisei Corporation and Taisei Rotec Corporation, according to a company announcement Monday.
The system relies on power-transmitting units embedded in the roadway and a receiver mounted on the vehicle, enabling electricity to be transferred wirelessly as the vehicle travels.
Honda said the technology could reduce how frequently EV drivers need to stop at charging stations or charge at home. The automaker initially plans to focus on practical applications in the logistics and transportation sectors.
A Honda Motor Co. vehicle is displayed outside the company’s headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. (Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images)
The three companies have been jointly researching the wireless road system since 2025 and have already conducted testing on a private test roadway.
Their work has included developing pavement and embedded charging equipment capable of handling large commercial vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of approximately 20 tons.
A flag with the Honda logo is displayed on brand new Honda car. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Additional testing is expected to begin in late 2026 at a Taisei Group facility. Honda said the companies will evaluate durability, wireless power-transfer performance, and measures designed to address electromagnetic field leakage.
Future testing will also examine power output of up to 150 kilowatts for potential use with large commercial vehicles and the reliability of wireless power transfer to vehicles traveling at high speeds.
Honda, Taisei, and Taisei Rotec then plan to participate in a public-road demonstration beginning in Japan’s 2027 fiscal year, which starts April 1, 2027.
The logo of Honda seen at a dealership store. Honda is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturing company. (Photo by Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The test will be part of the “Tateyama Project,” an initiative by East Nippon Expressway Company on the Tateyama Expressway in Chiba, Japan.
Honda has been developing dynamic wireless power-transfer technology since 2021 as part of its broader effort to expand EV charging infrastructure.
The potential economics of installing wireless charging equipment in roads remain an open question. A Honda engineer declined to tell Reuters how its cost could compare with a conventional high-speed charging network, saying the economic viability of the technology would need to be assessed.
Reuters contributed to this report.
