BMW has designed an elevated road of the future that could be used exclusively by electric vehicles.
Developed at the BMW Group Technology Office China in Shanghai, the BMW Vision E³ Way project aims to offer a solution to congestion and air pollution in megacities. The ‘E³’ name stands for elevated, electric, and efficient.
With that in mind, the concept roadway is elevated above existing road infrastructure and would be modular in design, making it particularly economical to build.
If the E³ Way is ever turned into reality, which it probably won’t be, it would be connected to existing roads through ramps and sluice systems. It could also be connected to underground stations, shopping malls and other traffic hubs, all in an attempt to make daily commuting faster and safer. To reduce the risk of crashing, all cars using the roadway would be automatically limited to 25 km/h.
Unlike a traditional road, the E³ Way is largely covered by a roof and could, therefore, regulate temperatures through a cooling system with purified rainwater, doubling as a means to clean the road at night or during times of low use.
“Our goal is to link sustainable and efficient mobility with a high quality of living in cities. We use new technologies as well as our creativity in order to create innovative approaches as the BMW Vision E³ Way,” said senior vice president of research, new technologies and innovations at BMW, Dr. Gerd Schuster.
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