MTC Transformers adheres to the theory that there is nothing new under the sun. The 24-year-old Wytheville-based company is repurposing its transformer technology to create a convenient, hands-free charging system for electric cars.
The new product, known as Plugless Power, will be produced and marketed by Evatran LLC, a recently launched clean-technology subsidiary of MTC.
Tom Hough, the CEO of MTC and co-founder of Evatran, says that Plugless Power fills a critical need in the electric car market. “In order to charge up full-speed, highway-rated, fully electric cars in any kind of fast period of time, you’ve got to have a higher voltage and a higher current than is available on a regular, conventional plug,” he says. “To do that now, people have to use a big industrial-size plug, which are heavy, awkward and unsafe.”
A wired electric plug is a conductive connection, meaning the charge moves through a transmission medium. By contrast, Plugless Power relies on inductive technology, just like a transformer, which produces voltage across a conductor situated in a changing magnetic field. In other words, electrical current flowing into a primary source causes current to flow into a secondary source.
Here’s how the system works:
Charging stations, to be located at homes, stores, restaurants and parking garages, will contain half of what is essentially a transformer, while the other half will be mounted as an adapter on the front of the electric vehicle. When the car is parked near the charging station, the two halves work together to induce the electro-magnetic force that produces the electric current needed to charge the battery.
“It’s not wireless, but the word ‘wireless’ is often used to try to describe how the product works,” Hough say. “The important features that electric car buyers will be interested in are that it’s convenient, it’s safe and it’s universal. You don’t have to get out in the rain to plug in your car battery, and you don’t have to worry about finding the right plug connection for your vehicle. Our product will work with any electric car battery.”
Evatran is scheduled to finalize its product design this fall. Then it plans to conduct a field test, in which volunteers will drive electric cars around Wytheville and “refuel” them at local charging stations.
“By the first quarter of 2010, we’ll probably have an offering that’s ready to go on a nationwide basis,” Hough explains, noting that Evatran’s success will be fully contingent on the degree to which electric cars succeed over the next few years. “We could have the best idea in the world, but if people aren’t buying the car, there’s no market, so part of our effort will be promoting the electric car, along with our own product.”
If we’re talking about conventional electric cars that have to be plugged in, you have to consider how that electricity is being generated. The majority of power plants in this country are COAL-POWERED. If we all had electric cars, we wouldn’t have any exhaust coming out of the cars, but there would be a lot more coal being burned to generate the electricity to charge the cars’ batteries. So how does that reduce pollution?
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Oct. 7, 2009 at 06:16 AM
As electrical cars become more affordable and practical, this technology will become more essential. However, the reader above does make a valid point about if everyone were to charge their cars, power plants would be burning a lot more coal, however im sure studies have been done and they have found that overall, including all energy sources, electric cars are still more environmentally friendly.
--San Jose Auto Insurance of California
Nov. 23, 2009 at 03:16 PM
Electric cars with plugless power are the wave of the future. What I’m truly wondering is how will this technology affect car insurance rates? I know that certain carriers don’t allow for electric vehicle insurance. Does this mean it will make it more difficult to obtain affordable coverage? Perhaps the companies treat electric vehicle just as they do with <a href=“http://www.autoinsuranceadvantage.com/hybrid-vehicle-discounts.php”>hybrid auto insurance</a>. In that case, you receive a discount for auto insurance, according to the site, <a href=“http://www.autoinsuranceadvantage.com”>Auto Insurance Advantage</a>.
--Al of San Jose, California
May. 11, 2010 at 03:46 PM
The leap ahead with this technology should be a boon for local businesses. Thanks for highlighting this. I think every person should have access to clean energy alternatives, and this makes it easier for all involved.
--Auto Insurance of Fremont, California
May. 11, 2010 at 04:55 PM
A convenient, hands-free charging system for electric cars will be very nice. Good luck to this business on making it big time with their new product :D
-Matt
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