Helsingborg to unveil world’s first cord-free electric car pool

More space for the people in the urban sphere, and more options for them to choose sustainable transport

The Swedish city of Helsingborg is soon set to become the first place in the world to offer an electric car car-sharing service to its residents, where the vehicles will get power through a charging rail installed in the street.

Elonroad's electric rail charger can be installed on all roads and charges both when the vehicle is driving and standing still. The first piece of that network will become the Rektorsgatan Street in Slottshöjden district, which is set to become a truly sustainable mobility hub as part of the Street Moves initiative.

This will bring about a major improvement in convenience for electric mobility users, who always need to be mindful and make sure that the vehicles are charged before returning them. What’s more, electric charging stations for cars are bulky and take up space in the urban environment and the introduction of this innovation is sure to free up more pedestrian space.

Rektorsgatan – the street of the future?

“With the trial on Rektorsgatan, we test technology where charging takes place directly from a rail in the street, while we offer a car pool that can reduce the need for your own car. It is part of the work to explore the possibility of reduced car dependence and smart solutions that can be included in the streets of the future,” says Oscar Grönvall, traffic manager in the City of Helsingborg.

The Swedish city aims to present to the world a new model for a street, which could serve as a replicable solution in the future. Helsingborg already has a soft mobility hub (in Södra Storgatan), which includes bicycle parking, seating and greenery. Rektorsgatan, however, is an expansion of that concept to also include sustainable motorized transport options.

“By gathering different traffic alternatives for a mobility hub, we provide the best conditions for being able to choose the appropriate mode of transport for each individual journey,” concluded Mr Grönvall. The mobility hub also includes a bus stop.