An online electric vehicle (OLEV) developed by KAIST replaces a trackless combustion-engine train running inside the park.

* On March 9, 2010, Seoul City and KAIST celebrated the completion of an online electric vehicle (OLEV) that picks up electricity from power cables buried underground through a non-contact magnetic charging method.

* The power pickup equipment installed underneath OLEV collects electricity from a roadway and distributes the power either to operate the vehicle or for battery storage. Whether running or stopped, OLEV constantly receives electric power through the underground cables. As a result, OLEV mitigates the burden of equipping electric automobiles with heavy, bulky batteries-OLEV's battery size is one-fifth of the batteries installed in electric vehicles currently on the market.

* There is no need to establish massive charging stations or to set aside much time for recharging. If the OLEV charging method is applied to the public bus system in South Korea, the underground power lines need to be installed on only 20% of the total bus route at places like bus stops, parking lots, and intersections.

* The non-contact charging of vehicles while running, idling, or parking is an important and practical technology necessary for the development of commercialized electric vehicles. This technology solves many of the issues related to the current batteries of electric vehicles, including size, expense, and maintenance. In addition, non-contact charging is safer because it prevents potential electrical hazards, such as electric shock, that result from direct contact with power sources. Furthermore, it is more convenient to drive vehicles without overhead wires directly connected to power lines, as is necessary for streetcars and trams.

* A road embedded with underground recharging strips is divided into several segments so that, when a car drives on a certain segment, a sensor in the segment is turned on, and the car above the segment picks up electricity. A selective provision of power to vehicles with the pickup equipment relieves safety concerns about electromagnetic radiation exposure to pedestrians or other conventional vehicles. EMF test results for OLEV are well below the 1998 the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guideline, 62.5mG at 20khz.

OLEV at Seoul Grand Park

-In terms of power system transmission efficiency, KAIST's research team achieved a maximum pick-up capacity of 62kw/h, 74% with an airgap height of 13cm from the road to the bottom of the vehicle?2cm airgap is required for practical vehicle application in accordance with South Korean law.
-Composed of one engine and three passenger cars, OLEV travels along a total length of 2.2km. There are four sections of power supply infrastructure on the route (Sections 1, 2, and 3: 122.5 meters long each, and Section 4: 5 meters long). The power supply cables were installed under the road surface for a total of 372.5 meters, 16% of the total distance of the 2,200 meter route.
-The city government of Seoul and KAIST signed a Memorandum of Understating (MOU) on the development of the online electric vehicle in August 2009. Against the backdrop of the public's increased awareness of environmental pollution and the depletion of fossil fuels, the two organizations agreed to introduce eco-friendly vehicles to the city's public transportation system, beginning with a bus route in Seoul.

* KAIST's OLEV research team is made up of experts from a variety of fields, including electrical and electronics engineering, computer sciences, civil engineering, information technology, and mechanical engineering. OLEV's success at Seoul Grand Park is a result of KAIST's innovative initiatives on convergence research, and KAIST has submitted more than 120 applications for patent rights in connection with the development of OLEV.

* KAIST has successfully demonstrated the pilot application of an OLEV system in Seoul Grand Park. KAIST has set up a roadmap for research and development that will lead to the commercialization of OLEV:


- Development of core technology for the power supply and collection system (2009)
- Development of test prototype for OLEV and common core technology of electric bus 
   (2010)
- Development of practical prototype technology for OLEV (2011)
- Development of standard prototype technology for OLEV (2012)
- Introduction of commercial product to market (2013 and beyond)