Honda Motor is preparing to test technology on a highway that can wirelessly charge electric vehicles, including large commercial trucks, while they are moving.
Honda R&D, the automaker's research and development subsidiary, developed the underlying technology with construction companies Taisei Corporation and Taisei Rotec Corporation, according to a Honda announcement Monday.
The system uses power-transmitting units embedded in the road and a receiver installed on the vehicle, allowing electricity to be transferred wirelessly while the vehicle is in motion.
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 putting the technology to practical use in the logistics and transportation sectors.
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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.
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 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.
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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.