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The Future of Roadway Electrification

William Attardi on January 26, 2026

In late 2025, a system designed by engineers at Purdue University delivered 190kW to a battery in a truck traveling 65-mph on a quarter-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 52 in West Lafayette, Ind. A Cummins prototype Class 8 electric semi-tractor was outfitted with a single receiver coil that took the charge from a web of transmitter coils installed below concrete highway pavement by the Indiana Department of Transportation. The successful test, Purdue says, is a milestone in dynamic charging research because it shows that it is conceivable to deliver the higher power levels required for charging the batteries of heavy-duty trucks as they move down the road. The power delivered by the Purdue system in the test far exceeds that delivered in other dynamic wireless charging tests that have focused on less demanding lighter-duty vehicles, opening the door to a future where heavy-duty trucks could be equipped with a single receiver coil and smaller, lighter batteries capable of being dynamically charged. Electrified Road Tests Dynamic Heavy Truck Charging | EC&M

Company Unveils Head-Turning EV Battery That Can Fully Charge in Under 20 Seconds — Here’s How It Could Impact the Future of Cars by Craig Gerard

William Attardi on July 16, 2025

Consumers are increasingly choosing electric vehicles for their next cars. In fact, some optimistic estimates forecast that electric cars could make up 50% of all vehicle sales in the United States by 2030.  There are many factors contributing to this massive surge in popularity, but rapidly developing technology is certainly helping. One such mind-blowing innovation was just announced in the field of electric car  A United Kingdom-based company, RML Group, just unveiled its VarEVolt battery pack, according to Interesting Engineering. Incredibly, the battery pack touts the ability to be fully charged in just 18 seconds. In even better news, the quickly charging battery pack also allows the cars to drive long ranges at high speeds. And this is only the latest incredible technological breakthrough in the field of electric vehicles and batteries. 24M Technologies recently unveiled a car battery that can provide 1,000 miles on a single charge. And researchers at the National University of Singapore are developing a battery that lasts 10 years longer than current ones. These types of technological innovations help take away some of the fears of switching to electric cars. Quick-charging batteries with long ranges operate just as good as traditional gas guzzlers without the negative effects.  Company unveils head-turning EV battery that can fully charge in under 20 seconds — here’s how it could impact the future of cars

The Statue of Liberty was made with copper but due to oxidation, it turned green.

When the “Lady in the Harbor” first arrived in New York in 1886, she didn’t look like the mint-green icon we know today. In fact, for the first twenty years of her life, she stood as a towering, metallic beacon of reddish-gold. Designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and engineered by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, the statue was a gift from France to America. To build her, Bartholdi chose copper for three practical reasons:

  • Malleability:It could be hammered into elaborate, thin sheets.
  • Weight:Copper is lighter than stone or bronze, making it easier to ship 350 individual pieces across the Atlantic.
  • Durability:It was strong enough to survive a 27-day ocean voyage and the harsh winds of the harbor.

When she was unveiled on October 28, 1886, her skin—made of 300 copper sheets roughly the thickness of two pennies—shone with a bright, metallic brown luster. The transformation from “penny-colored” to “patina-green” wasn’t planned. Bartholdi actually expected the statue to age into a deeper, darker red. However, the unique environment of New York Harbor—a mix of salt air, moisture, and industrial pollution—triggered a process called oxidation.

The Timeline of Change:

  1. 1886–1900:The bright copper dulled into a dark, muddy brown.
  2. 1903:The first hints of a light green crust, or “patina,” began to appear.
  3. 1906:The color change was so controversial that Congress nearly stepped in. They appropriated $62,000 to paint the statue back to its original color, but the public protested, calling the idea “sacrilege.”
  4. 1910–1920:The statue was a patchy mix of brown and green until 1920, when the oxidation was complete, leaving her entirely teal.

While we now view the green color as iconic, it actually serves a vital structural purpose. The layer of verdigris (the green patina) acts as a protective shield. It seals the copper underneath, preventing the metal from further corrosion and weathering.  By the time the color fully changed, a new generation of immigrants had arrived in America seeing a green statue.