First highway segment in U.S. wirelessly charges electric heavy-duty truck while driving

Research in Indiana lays groundwork for highways that recharge EVs of all sizes across the nation

Purdue University By Kayla Albert Dec 3, 2025

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — For the first time in the U.S., a roadway has wirelessly charged an electric heavy-duty truck driving at highway speeds, demonstrating key technology that could help lower the costs of building electrified highways for all electric vehicles to use.

The experimental highway segment tests a patent-pending system designed by Purdue University engineers. The segment, built by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), is a quarter-mile stretch on U.S. Highway 52/U.S. Highway 231 in West Lafayette. Purdue researchers demonstrated the wireless charging system this fall using an electric semitractor provided by Cummins.

The team also partnered with AECOM; White Construction, Inc.; and PC Krause and Associates, Inc. on developing and implementing various parts of the system.

“With this breakthrough system, Purdue has shown that powering large commercial vehicles wirelessly is not just technically feasible but could be a practical and scalable solution for real-world highway transportation,” said Nadia Gkritza, a Purdue professor of civil and construction engineering and agricultural and biological engineering.

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