We all know that fossil fuels are pretty bad for everyone and thing on the planet. One of the biggest contributors to this issue is large fright haulage as the need for goods requires some heavy carbon-intensive machines. This freight is essential to everything we do, but the doesn’t mean their aren’t companies out there trying to reduce that footprint.

Siemens and Scania have come together to create the world’s first “electric highway” that would reduce the current carbon footprint of the large haulage vehicles on the road. The team has put together a 1.2 mile stretch of highway that has a network of wires overhead. These wires connect to a pantograph-equipped truck which can then switch off its gas engine and essentially coast down the road using electricity.

Once the truck finishes its stretch of track the normal gas engine kicks back on so that it can continue. The system has been tested and is a small step toward the future of fossil free transportation. At the very least it could have an impact if only installed over major highways, but like with anything price is going to dictate how/if this technology ever goes anywhere.