Honda is moving closer to a future where electric vehicles could charge their batteries without stopping. The automaker, working with Taisei Corporation and Taisei Rotec Corporation, has developed the underlying technology for a wireless charging road system designed to transfer electricity to EVs while they are in motion.
The companies plan to begin demonstration testing during Japan’s 2027 fiscal year, which starts April 1, 2027. The technology is initially being targeted at logistics and transportation applications, where continuously supplying power to electric vehicles could reduce charging stops and potentially enable smaller battery packs.
How Honda’s Wireless Charging Road Works
Honda has been researching Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer (DWPT) technology since 2021. The concept uses magnetic coupling to transfer electricity between equipment embedded in the road and a receiving unit installed on the vehicle.
The basic principle is relatively simple. Transmitter coils installed beneath the road surface create a magnetic field as an appropriately equipped vehicle passes over them. A receiver mounted on the vehicle captures the energy and transfers it to the battery.
Honda, Taisei and Taisei Rotec have combined their respective technologies to create a system intended for everything from passenger EVs to large commercial electric vehicles.
Honda is responsible for high-power-density power transmitter and receiver units compatible with DC power distribution. Taisei is developing the high-response DC power supply system, while Taisei Rotec is contributing technology for installing the charging equipment within road pavement.
Designed for Electric Trucks and Commercial Vehicles
One of the most significant aspects of Honda’s project is its focus on heavy commercial vehicles.
The companies have been testing whether the wireless charging equipment and surrounding pavement can withstand the loads generated by large vehicles weighing approximately 20 tons. The system also needs to provide high-power electricity reliably while vehicles travel at speed.
The road system uses three primary components: a DC power supply on the ground, ground assembly units containing the power transmitters, and a vehicle assembly containing the power receiver.
Honda and its partners have integrated the inverter and coil into a single DWPT ground assembly unit. The companies say the DC distribution approach can provide stable, responsive high-power wireless energy transfer while simplifying the electrical infrastructure embedded in the road.
The design is also intended to make installation easier. The ground assembly can be embedded into existing pavement using milling and embedding techniques, potentially allowing the system to be incorporated during road construction or future pavement renewal.
Testing Will Begin Before Public-Road Demonstrations
The next major stage will take place at the Future Technology Field for Taisei Group/Tamura, known as T-FIELD/TAMRA.
A dedicated test roadway is scheduled to be constructed starting in late 2026. Honda, Taisei and Taisei Rotec plan to conduct durability tests equivalent to approximately 1 million wheel loads, alongside wireless power-transfer testing and evaluations designed to address electromagnetic field leakage.
The companies will then continue developing the system with real-world operation in mind. Testing will include power transfer at output levels of up to 150 kW, particularly for potential use with large commercial EVs, as well as evaluating reliable wireless charging while vehicles travel at high speeds.
Honda Plans Public-Road Demonstrations in 2027
Honda and its partners are preparing to take the technology beyond controlled testing. Demonstration testing on public roads is planned from Japan’s 2027 fiscal year onward.
The companies also intend to participate in the Tateyama Project, a dynamic wireless power transfer demonstration project being conducted by East Nippon Expressway Company on the Tateyama Expressway in Chiba, Japan.
If successful, wireless charging roads could change how electric vehicles are designed and operated. Instead of relying exclusively on large batteries and stationary charging stations, EVs could potentially receive energy during regular journeys, particularly along heavily traveled logistics routes.
For electric trucks, this could be especially important. Long-distance commercial vehicles require substantial battery capacity, and charging downtime can have a direct impact on operating efficiency. A road capable of supplying electricity while a truck is moving could help address both challenges.
Honda’s system remains in the demonstration and development stage, so widespread deployment is still some way off. However, the planned 2027 public-road testing represents an important step toward making dynamic wireless EV charging a practical part of future transportation infrastructure.
