Evatran’s Plugless Power wireless/proximity charging system continues to evolve. In the photo gallery below, you can see that the new circular sensor is quite different from the large rectangle that was on display at the Plug-In 2010 Conference. It’s not only the shape that’s changing. From the wall to the car, Plugless Power’s system is around 90-91 percent efficient, and the efficiency across the gap is an astonishing 97 percent. A year ago, the overall efficiency was just 80 percent.
Co-Founder and CEO Tom Hough told AutoblogGreen at the Plug-In 2011 Conference that the new system is even easier to use than it was. Once a plug-in car has been upgraded with the charge receiver, the driver just needs to be close to the sending unit to get power. The discs can be a half-radius off and still charge. Hough told us that, “even the die-hards said plugging in was a pain the rear.” If you’re not sold on the convenience angle, then how about the idea that there is nothing mechanical to break with this system? In the old model, a part inside the rectangle moved back and forth to find the in-car receiver. It worked, but it wasn’t as elegant as the new device.
Things aren’t done quite yet. To get the product from the testing phase into customer hands, a trial phase is now starting, and the company is looking for 8-12 fleet Chevy Volts to have their cars converted by the end of the year. This will expand to 20-30 more units in January with the target for production units some time later in 2012.
autoblog
