Plugless EV Charging Getting Real-World Test

Evatran, the Virginia-based company behind the Plugless Power wireless car charging system, says it has agreements with five commercial participants to outfit Chevrolet Volts and Nissan Leafs with pre-production Plugless Power wireless charging systems.

Evatran says its under-car system removes the traditional charging hassles of plug-in cars. The company hopes its trial, termed the Apollo Launch Program, will help to establish the United States as the electric vehicles (EV) market leader—and, of course, boost its product.

image via Evatran

The Apollo Launch Program comes on the heels of Evatran’s deal with Sears, in which Sears agreed to act as in-home installation agent for the Plugless Power system. Under the new Apollo Launch Program, Evatran is setting up trials of its system to charge electric vehicles for Google, the International Center for Automotive Research at Clemson University, Duke Energy, the state of Virginia and Hertz. The car rental company has agreed to test the Plugless Power system at its headquarters in Park Ridge, N.J.

Evatran’s technology is based on electromagnetic induction, a process by which voltage is created by a conductor moving through a magnetic field. It’s a familiar concept in the world of electricity. In fact, all electric motors are based around it but Evatran has tweaked it to work as a new EV charging technology.  The company says the process is as simple as pulling up to a fixed charging station. From there, the vehicle charging begins automatically. There’s no cord and no plug to deal with, a convenience that Evatran thinks “is needed for the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.”

[source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Earthtechling/~3/-RVMcusVboQ/]