Germany has recently inaugurated its first stretch of a highway near Frankfurt that will allow hybrid trucks to draw electricity from overhead cables as they drive.

The system, which was designed by German company Siemens AG, began testing its first 3.1-mile stretch between the major cities of Frankfurt and Darmstadt last week.

Hybrid trucks will be able to charge themselves on this portion of the A5 highway and may drive up to 90 kilometers per hour (55 MPH) to get charged.

The stretch will continue to be tested through 2022.

Siemens started the project in 2010 with a test track outside of Berlin, before taking the project for testing in Sweden in 2016 and also in California.

The German Environment Ministry has invested 15 million euros ($16 million) into the initiative, German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) reported.

The highway could attract German logistics companies to move towards hybrid transportation, as their trucks would be able to run longer without stopping to refuel or recharge.

DW reported that Germany could be planning to convert 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) of its 13,000 (8,077) Autobahn highway system into electric highways for hybrid trucks.

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