[Klathmon]

I think it might still be useful even if it's not enough to "increase" the charge of the car. Prolonging the driving distance by 50%+ on some highways would still be really beneficial.

Taking the thought to the extreme, it could also be used as a kind of traffic shaping/control system. Have some roads "energised" at specific times to provide an incentive to go a longer way to alleviate chokes or traffic jams.

That gives many people an incentive to take a longer path (whereas current systems/methods for this are kind of driver-hostile as the drivers going the longer route don't get any direct benefit)

[mikepurvis]

The issue isn't the efficiency from the car's perspective—it's what happens to the other 25% of the energy that doesn't go into the car. Hence the molten puddle road comment.

[organsnyder]

All the more reason to only run it at certain times of the day. Enable it at night, when electricity is cheaper, heat generation is less of an issue, and there's less congestion.

[wernercd]

How many millions... billions... would it cost to line all the roads? and then all the lost electricity due to inefficiency? All to give cars a little extra distance?

And then... when Road v2.0 comes out and it all has to get replaced? v3.0? Then flying cars and no one uses roads?