Skip to main content

Charge as you drive on Electroad, coming soon to 11 miles of asphalt in Israel

While plenty of attention is focused on the growing popularity of electric cars, far too little is paid to the roads the cars themselves are actually driving on. Sure, we get to cover an innovative new surface material every now and then but for the most part, roads have not changed a whole lot in the past few decades.

A new collaboration between the Israeli government and a local company is aiming to change that, however. Working to address the electric car challenge of too few charging stations, the country is beginning work on a pilot scheme to install technology that will allow electric buses to charge while driving — by way of smart technology embedded in the road.

Recommended Videos

As part of the project, the Israeli startup Electroad received $120,000 from the Ministry of Transport and Road Safety to test its technology on a half-mile stretch of road in Tel Aviv, opening next year. Provided all goes to plan, 11 miles of the smart road will then be installed between the city of Eilat and the nearby Ramon International Airport.

“We are currently testing the durability of our under-the-road infrastructure,” Electroad CEO Oren Ezer told Digital Trends, pointing out that there is heavy traffic on this stretch of road and making sure it can stand up to the constant barrage of vehicles is therefore of utmost importance.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

“This is the first technology to offer cost effective and safe wireless on-the-go charging for electric vehicles,” Ezer continued. “It is exciting since it deals with the obstacles in the massive shift towards public electric transportation and thus has the potential to create a global transportation and energy revolution.”

Electroad’s technology works using electromagnets, with copper plates on the road which interact with similar copper plates under buses as they travel over them, thereby helping power the buses along.

While the first examples of this technology will be installed in Israel, though Ezer said it will not be limited to that country in the long run. “We are talking with France, Germany, Sweden, the U.S., Spain and few others,” he said. “The solution is generating great interest, and we are being approached by multiple players in the global public transport sector.”

Luke Dormehl
I'm a UK-based tech writer covering Cool Tech at Digital Trends. I've also written for Fast Company, Wired, the Guardian…
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more
Charlie Cox singles out his least favorite Daredevil: Born Again episode
Charlie Cox in Daredevil: Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 was largely reconceived after the 2023 actor and writer strikes. Dario Scardapane -- a veteran of The Punisher series on Netflix -- was brought in to be the new showrunner and he made a lot of changes to the series that were well-received. However, there's one episode that Scardapane didn't really change at all, and it happens to be the least favorite episode of Daredevil: Born Again's leading man, Charlie Cox.

During an appearance on The Playlist, Cox noted that he wasn't very fond of the season's fifth episode, "With Interest," which was a largely standalone episode that featured his character, Matt Murdock, in a bank during a hostage crisis.

Read more