Evatran – developer of the Plugless Power plug-in vehicle inductive charging system – and Yazaki North America – a Tier 1 automotive supplier that specializes in electrical distribution systems and connectivity solutions – have signed a joint development agreement aimed at quickly commercializing Plugless Power technology.
Under terms of the agreement, Evatran and Yazaki will team up to complete the development of a hands-free charging system to be used in residential, commercial and industrial applications. As the Plugless Power name implies, this system will eliminate the need to plug in to recharge a vehicle’s battery. Evatran has chosen to team with a Tier 1 automotive supplier in hopes that it can pitch its Plugless Power technology to automakers as either a factory- or dealer-installed option.
The Plugless Power system utilizes induction technology to transfer 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 conductive (wired) chargers.
[Source: Yazaki North America | Image: Sebastian Blanco / AOL]
Joint Development Agreement signed to commercialize “hands-free” EV recharging technology
Wytheville, VIRGINIA – June 1, 2011 Evatran, the developer of the Plugless Power™ electric vehicle (EV) inductive recharging system, and Yazaki North America have signed a Joint Development Agreement to develop and market Plugless Power™ technology to automotive manufacturers as a factory or dealership option. With joint resources, Evatran and Yazaki are developing a hands-free charging system to be used in residential, commercial, and industrial applications, eliminating the need to “plug in” to recharge the vehicle’s battery.
Charging with the Plugless Power™ system is as simple as parking the EV above the floor-mounted parking pad. The solution utilizes proven, induction technology to create a convenient wireless charging system designed specifically for the high-power EV application. The Plugless Power™ technology transfers up to 3.3kW of power, the level required by most electric vehicle models, at efficiencies above 90 percent, ensuring that vehicles recharge as quickly as with traditional plug-in methods.
“This partnership guarantees that our technology will have the highest level of design reviews, performance testing, and vehicle integration engineering,” said Rebecca Hough, Executive Vice President of Sales and Product Development at Evatran. “Yazaki’s experience in the automotive industry will ensure our vision for a simple, convenient EV recharging solution comes to fruition.”
Jim Romine, Executive Vice President of Engineering at Yazaki North America said, “Yazaki is proud to be one of the first suppliers committed to assessing and commercializing new technologies for our customers, with a specific focus on sustainable initiatives and hybrid electric vehicles. We look forward to using our technical expertise in the automotive sector to bring this technology to the emerging electric vehicle market.”
Yazaki North America is a Tier 1 automotive supplier with headquarters in Canton, Mich., and is a subsidiary of Yazaki Corporation with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. As the world’s largest supplier of automotive electrical distribution systems (EDS), Yazaki has been at the forefront of the electric vehicle market since its inception with years of experience in high voltage system integration and development. Yazaki supplies products to vehicle manufacturers worldwide with a product portfolio that includes an SAE J1772™ compliant Charge Coupler and assembly along with electrical components for hybrid vehicles.
About Yazaki
Yazaki Corporation is a global leader in the research, development and delivery of vehicle power and data solutions for vehicle applications. Yazaki produces electrical distribution systems, Vehicle Information Products, solid-state power centers, connection systems and electronics. Worldwide, the company employs nearly 200,000 people in 39 countries. Yazaki has been committed to the preservation of the environment for over 70 years. The company continues this commitment today through the development of advanced electric components for hybrid electric vehicles, the promotion of recycling and the efficient use of resources. For more information about Yazaki North America, Inc. and its vision for a greener tomorrow, log onto www.yazaki-na.com.
About Evatran
Plugless Power™ (www.pluglesspower.com), manufactured by Evatran™, is the first electric vehicle (EV) charging system on the market to offer customers a simple way to charge their EVs with the ease of hands-free, automatic technology. Utilizing inductive technology, which has been used in electrical transformers for more than 100 years, Plugless Power streamlines the charging of electric vehicles by eliminating the nuisance of the cord and the plug. For more information, visit www.pluglesspower.com.
