Evatran, the company that claims to have developed the world’s first wireless EV charging system, has partnered with Yazaki North America, a Tier 1 automotive supplier to commercialize their Plugless Power technology. Back in March, Google tested out the plugless chargers at the Googleplex in California for their short-range EVs that employees use to get around campus. The EVs had to be refitted to use the plugless chargers, and any EVs that qualify for the technology would have to be refitted.
Evatran hopes that with Yazaki, they can market the technology to manufacturers as a factory or dealership option, which would make it easier for EV users to adopt the technology. It’s not like you could stroll into any mechanic shop and ask them to retrofit the car, but even without the manufacturer installation option, maybe Evatran could set up something similar to Tesla’s Mobile Service Rangers where they come to your home and install the system.
The Plugless Power system transfers up to 3.3 kilowatts of power at efficiencies of up to 90 percent, allowing plug-in vehicles to recharge as quickly as they would with some Level 2 wired chargers. To use it, you would just park over the floor-mounted charging pad, which would alleviate fears of forgetting to plug in the car and finding the battery completely zapped in the morning. Not to mention that if companies installed these things in their parking garages, EVs could get charged during the long work day. Evatran hopes to see the wireless technology in mass-marketed EVs by 2012.
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