Evatran: Plugless Charging Systems Compatible With 80% Of EVs By 2017

The electric vehicle wireless charging solutions firm Evatran has revealed that it expects to offer wireless charging systems compatible with 80% of the electric vehicles currently on the roads of North America by the end of 2017, according to recent reports.

As a reminder, Evatran sells its wireless charging systems under the Plugless brand name. The company currently offers products that work with a range of different models, including the Tesla Model S, Nissan LEAF, and Chevy Volt.

Green Car Reports provides more: “The Evatran wireless system uses inductive charging, in which a magnetic field is created by running electricity through a coil. As with other similar systems, one coil is placed on the ground, and another is mounted to the vehicle’s underside. Evatran claims the receiving coil that attaches to the vehicle is just 1.0 inch thick, ensuring that clearance won’t be an issue.”

Continuing: “The second coil that sits on the ground (and must be connected to a power source) is weatherproofed for outdoor use. Plugless will initially be available in two specifications: a 7.2-kilowatt version for the Model S, and a 3.6-kW version for the second-generation Chevrolet Volt…The company also hopes to offer wireless charging systems for the Tesla Model X, along with the Model 3, when that car enters production. A third, 6.6-kW version of the Plugless will cover electric cars from other manufacturers, potentially including the Nissan Leaf.”

Those interested in wirelessly charging their Tesla EVs will likely have to stick with the Plugless brand for the foreseeable future, as there aren’t other options out there and Tesla itself seems uninterested in the technology. As we’ve reported previously, Tesla seems to think that “robotic snake arm chargers” is the way to go rather than wireless ones. We’ll see, and report.

The only auto company to reveal plans to offer first-party models to date is Mercedes-Benz — which plans to offer it as an option for an upcoming S550e PHEV sedan.

All images via Plugless