Google Tries Wireless EV Charging from PluglessPower

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Google is testing wireless recharging of electric cars at its headquarters in Mountain View, from Virginia-based Evatran, which has developed the memorably named PluglessPower – maybe they’ll drop the other name if PluglessPower takes off.

With great potential for easing the transition from the oil age, wireless electric vehicle recharging is new, but it is based on inductive technology, which has been used in electrical transformers for more than 100 years. An electrical transformer is “split” between the vehicle and charger. When the two come together, current flows and charges the EV’s battery.

Google already has multiple neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) that are used for low speed travel in an employee car share program. Initially it will try the PluglessPower technology on one of its retrofitted low speed vehicles for driving around campus.

Some much larger companies than Evatran are looking into wireless charging. We’ve covered GM’s foray into wireless charging for the Volt and bikes that can recharge your iPhone.

This will be the first public trial of their technology. If you use NEVs for your business, or your municipality, Evatran is now looking for additional field trial options for later this year.

Via Wired

• GM Bets on Powermat for Wireless Charging in Cars (gigaom.com)
• Google Is Trying Out Plugless Power For Their Electric Cars (Video) (crunchgear.com)
• Google experiments with plugless charging for electric vehicles (zdnet.com)