Dynamic charging—meaning charging vehicles while they are in motion—is considered a promising technology for electric mobility and is currently being tested in various pilot projects. But the concept of dynamic charging isn’t all that new—research into charging vehicles while they are in motion was already underway in the 1980s. One of these projects is the “Santa Barbara Bus Charging Project,” which was conducted in 1987 at UC Berkeley under the direction of Prof. Steven Shladover.
Prof. Nejila Parspour met Prof. Shladover during her visit at the UC Berkeley in January 2026 and was able to discuss with him in person the technical challenges of such a project back then. At that time, the test track represented a significant step forward in the research on “Roadway Powered Electric Vehicle (RPEV) Technology” being conducted at the time. Power was transmitted at a frequency of 400 Hz, delivering 60 kW. Thanks to further developments in power electronics, significantly higher frequencies (85 kHz) are now common.
A heartfelt thank you to Prof. Shladover for his hospitality and the fascinating insights into his research!
