Reader question: Why not electrify the highways?

From the AutoblogGreen inbox:

I just have a question:
Why is nobody talking about loading electric cars while driving?
It's readily available for buses in cities via overhead lines, is readily available for my toy car race track with a wire in the street? Just put such system on highways, and all loading problems are solved?
thanks, B

B is right that hardwiring all the highways in the U.S. for electric cars is not a top priority for anyone, but there was the TriTrack idea we heard about last fall, which does allow for reloading EVs while on the move. Better Place's battery swap system is also designed to keep cars moving as soon as possible and doesn't require new roads or wires everywhere.

Overhead wires make sense for buses that move along a predetermined route because then you don't need to put wires on every street (I think that in some cities - San Francisco - the buses are able to drive on their own when there are no wires overhead). I can't think of a situation where it makes financial sense to string power lines above every street in the U.S., but let's open up the discussion here. Can anyone imagine a scenario where charging while driving not only makes sense to the driver but also to the automakers and those tasked with building the infrastructure? Are there any ideas we can take from slot cars and make work for EVs?

Photo by Ted Van Pelt. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.