Sustainability Talks #82 in summary: Charging the future
A summary from the podcast Sustainability talks and episode 82 with Karin Ebbinghaus, CEO, Elonroad.
Charging the Future: How Elonroad Is Powering a Cleaner, Smarter World
Imagine a world where electric vehicles never have to stop to charge where the road itself delivers power in motion. Where logistics, autonomy, and sustainability converge on a single strip of asphalt. This isn’t science fiction, it’s the bold vision of Elonroad, a Swedish startup that is redefining what’s possible in sustainable transportation.
In this Sustainability Talks episode, hosts Elin von Liven-Wistrand and Patrik Sandin sit down with Karin Ebbinghaus, CEO of Elonroad, to explore the company’s journey, its electric road technology, and the system-changing potential of building infrastructure for the vehicles – and cities- of tomorrow.
A Road to Reinvention
For Karin, the road to Elonroad began not in engineering but in law. A former commercial lawyer and investor, she pivoted to entrepreneurship in mid-career, driven by a desire to build something meaningful. With three children and a rising sense of climate urgency, she asked herself a fundamental question:
”What should I use my strengths for?”
That question led her to Elonroad, a company founded by Dan Zethraeus, a creative force formerly at SVT (Swedish Public Television), who built the first prototype out of LEGO. Dan, frustrated by the cold range anxiety of early electric vehicles and limited charging infrastructure, envisioned a solution inspired by slot car tracks: electric rails embedded in the road, delivering energy to vehicles in motion.
From this playful yet radical idea emerged a high-potential technology – conductive charging, not inductive -designed for efficiency, scalability, and real-world usability.
Electrifying the Road – Literally
Elonroad’s innovation is elegant: thin conductive rails installed flush with the road surface, capable of charging vehicles as they drive or stand still. The rails activate only under authorized vehicles, ensuring safety while maximizing power efficiency.
”We’ve built an upside-down tramway.”
Unlike traditional charging methods, which rely on large batteries and downtime, Elonroad enables continuous, low-impact charging. This dramatically reduces the need for oversized batteries, which are expensive, resource-intensive, and often underutilized.
From Idea to Impact: Scaling a System Solution
Electrifying vehicles is only one piece of the puzzle. Karin emphasizes the systemic nature of the transition:
”We want to create cheaper vehicles with a smaller climate footprint.”
By integrating charging into existing roadways, Elonroad solves three major challenges:
- Infrastructure Bottlenecks: No more long queues at fast-charging stations.
- Battery Bloat: Smaller batteries mean lower vehicle cost and carbon footprint.
- Downtime Losses: Especially for commercial fleets, every idle hour is a lost opportunity.
The solution is particularly compelling in environments like ports, airports, and urban delivery zones—places with high vehicle turnover and strict emissions targets. Elonroad is already active in Long Beach (USA), Paris (France), Belgium, and Sweden, with strong partnerships in Asia.
System Change – One meter at a time
At its core, Elonroad is about rethinking transportation infrastructure. Charging becomes a service not a stop. Energy is delivered on the go, in alignment with how goods and people actually move.
”It’s not a charging station—it’s an extended charging station.”
Each rail segment is embedded with sensors, data systems, and encryption protocols. Vehicles interact with the system in real time, enabling secure, vehicle-specific billing and energy delivery. Whether retrofitted into existing fleets or integrated into new vehicle designs, the system is modular, smart, and scalable.
Digital Vision – Physical Impact
We live in a world obsessed with digital transformation. But Karin reminds us that real change requires hardware too:
”We can’t forget that much of our software depends on real-world hardware.”
Just as Sweden’s broadband investment made its digital economy flourish, our electric future depends on physical infrastructure (roads, rails, and reliable networks).
In this view, Elonroad isn’t just an EV solution. It’s a strategic layer in tomorrow’s city. It’s the connective tissue between green energy, autonomous vehicles, and zero-emission mobility.
Why the time is now
The transportation sector is still in transition. EV adoption is rising, but logistics remain carbon-heavy. Many vehicle manufacturers have pulled back on electrification, betting instead on e-fuels or hydrogen. Meanwhile, grid capacity, battery costs, and range anxiety continue to slow progress. But the window for incrementalism is closing.
”It’s time to shift the system, not just the technology.”
Elonroad’s approach doesn’t fight the existing system—it enhances it. Cities can integrate charging infrastructure directly into the roads they already maintain. Fleets can run lighter, longer, and cleaner. And drivers can plug into a future that doesn’t stop to charge.
Markets, momentum, and the messy middle
Karin is refreshingly honest about the challenges of scaling. Investors often hesitate at the sight of hardware, CapEx, and regulation. Municipal procurement cycles can be slow, and vehicle manufacturers remain cautious.
Still, she’s undeterred: ”We’re not building battery factories. We’re building system change.”
Her team is global, diverse, and mission-driven, from engineers to software developers to interns. With installations from Sweden to California, Elonroad is proving that real-world innovation starts with grit and imagination.
The power of inclusive electrification
Perhaps the most visionary part of Elonroad’s mission is equity. In a world where EV adoption often hinges on home charging and affluence, Elonroad opens the door to shared infrastructure that works for everyone.
”Everyone should be able to drive electric—not just those with a garage.”
This democratized vision ensures that apartment dwellers, fleet operators, and urban residents can benefit from the electric transition. And by enabling smaller, cheaper batteries, the barrier to entry falls even lower.
A vision for the electrified society
So what does the world look like if Elonroad succeeds?
▶ Freight fleets run smaller batteries and higher utilization, reducing emissions and costs.
▶ Smart cities use road-embedded charging to eliminate noisy diesel vehicles.
▶ Highways become arteries of clean energy, available 24/7 without detours.
▶ Autonomous vehicles charge themselves in motion, without human intervention.
▶ Every driver, regardless of income or housing, accesses electric mobility.
It’s not just about vehicles. It’s about reimagining the relationship between infrastructure, energy, and people
Leadership Rooted in Purpose
Karin leads with both humility and conviction. She believes in the value of systems thinking, in the power of human curiosity, and in building companies that serve more than their shareholders.”We’re not just building sustainable tech we’re building a sustainable company.”
That’s evident in the way Elonroad hires, collaborates, and scales. It’s visible in the commitment to social inclusion, innovation, and integrity. It’s felt in every meter of road they electrify.
Key Takeaways for Sustainability Leaders
▶ Electrification needs infrastructure, not just innovation
Charging-as-a-road-service enables clean mobility without massive batteries or downtime.
▶ Shared systems unlock equity and access
Electric mobility must work for everyone—not just villa owners with private chargers.
▶ Smaller batteries = Bigger climate wins
With dynamic charging, vehicles can run lighter, cheaper, and greener.
▶ Infrastructure is the next frontier of the EV revolution
From ports to cities to highways, electric roads redefine how we think about power and motion.
▶ The future is not about faster charging—it’s about smarter movement
Charging shouldn’t be a destination. With Elonroad, it becomes part of the journey.
”When you can drive across Europe with a 200 km battery—then we’ve succeeded.”
That’s the future Karin and her team at Elonroad are building—one meter, one city, one partnership at a time.
Read more about Cordials sustainability work here
Authors: Elin von-Liewen Wiestrand & Patrik Sandin, both advisors at Cordial.
Transcription, translation and summary by ChatGPT.