Plugless Power Wireless Charging Update

[Electric700]

Below is a link to an interview of one of the first people to install Plugless Power on a Tesla Model S. In short, the Tesla owner really likes his new wireless charging system.

There will also be a live interview on January 30th at 12:30 PM PT / 3:30 PM ET! To join, go to Plugless Power | Facebook.

Video:

 

[Maximapolak]

30A @208V ? Slooooowwww.

 

[PluglessSteve]

30A @208V ? Slooooowwww.

208V (because his installed at his shop with commercial power) - it's 240V 30-amp at home - which translates to 20 to 25 miles of charge per hour, which is PLENTY of charge for typical daily driving mileage and overnight and/or at work charging.

 

[JasonA-EV]

And what are the losses during the conversion? induction charging is not super efficient.

I remember during the Leaf's hay days and all the techy startups there were lots of wireless companies trying to get a jump on the market.

They were throwing products at us to test, etc. And one of the "tests" was called "COOK THE CAT"

Yeah, animals could crawl between the plate and car and fry

 

[WarpedOne]

And what are the losses during the conversion?

Similar to losses due to 22" performance tires as compered with more civil 19" LRR tires.

 

[JasonA-EV]

Any idea what those #'s are? If I suck 10Kwh out of the wall I wonder how much make it to the car? 8.5Kwh (85% efficient?)

I'm glad I have 19's

 

[ABC2D]

Yeah, animals could crawl between the plate and car and fry

Additional savings on Pest Control.

 

[PluglessSteve]

Any idea what those #'s are? If I suck 10Kwh out of the wall I wonder how much make it to the car? 8.5Kwh (85% efficient?)

I'm glad I have 19's

The difference in efficiency from corded charging is roughly 7% for level 1 charging and roughly 12% for corded level 2 charging. This translates to typically less than a dollar extra less per evening charge (obviously many factors go into this - daily driving mileage, electricity costs.

 

[WarpedOne]

The difference in efficiency from corded charging is roughly 7% for level 1 charging and roughly 12% for corded level 2 charging.

Efficiency difference between S90D and P90D is also 7% - 285 vs 265 miles of highway range

 

[PluglessSteve]

And what are the losses during the conversion? induction charging is not super efficient.

I remember during the Leaf's hay days and all the techy startups there were lots of wireless companies trying to get a jump on the market.

They were throwing products at us to test, etc. And one of the "tests" was called "COOK THE CAT"

Yeah, animals could crawl between the plate and car and fry

Great question. It's always about cats though - for the record our engineers like all animals including humans - safety is obviously extremely important to us. The scenario is simply not an issue - 1st inductive resonant charging just doesn't work that way (i.e. it's not a microwave for example) 2nd, in all the time we've been charging EVs wirelessly in the field - that's since 2011 with our Apollo Program field trials with Google, Hertz, LADWP, USDOE some Universities and other Power companies AND having sold and installed units across N. America since early 2014 (all told close to a million charge hours) and we've not had a single issue with any animal (feline, canine or humanoid).

But let's go with the hypothetical - Fluffy thinks to herself that the 4" gap between the Parking Pad and the Tesla is a good place to squeeze into - if she is wearing a collar with tags or other metal, the system would detect this and shut down. That's in theory of course, because we've not had a single report of such an instance happening. Let's argue that it's a feral cat, or let's say you are partial to mice. Any creature could pass over the pad and not be harmed - we have no evidence that animals are attracted to or have ever cozied up to the pad.

 

[Electric700]

Really good information, thanks PluglessSteve.

 

[PluglessSteve]

Really good information, thanks PluglessSteve.

No problem - any time.

 

[PluglessSteve]

We're doing a Plugless Live! on our Facebook page today at 1:30pt - 4:30et if anyone wants to see the components of our system - a show-n-tell with Plugless Advisors Ashley and Amanda - the "A-Team" - https://www.facebook.com/PluglessPower

 

[Electric700]

Sorry I missed it. May be next time!

 

[ACDriveMotor]

Does installing this void your vehicle or battery/drive-train warranty? Anyone ask their local SC about that?

 

[Electric700]

I don't think so, but someone from Plugless Power should confirm. If it did void any part of the warranty, I really don't think they would release it. Also I have had conversations with several people from Tesla about Plugless Power. They were already aware of it and haven't mentioned anything about negative warranty impacts.

I'm hoping that Plugless Power and Tesla will partner on new wireless charging projects. Who knows, may be they did already!

 

[PluglessSteve]

You rang? You are correct @Electric700. (Disclosures: I work for Plugless and we did not work with Tesla on this integration). We go to truly great lengths to design Plugless to be a fully reversible premium accessory that changes nothing about the EV (no drilling, cutting, breaking etc) - the Tesla thinks it is plugged in. In that way it is covered by the Magnuson-Moss warranty act which prohibits manufacturers from voiding a warranty just because a customer installed an non-OEM part. We want that as a society for innovation (the center console in Tesla's actually came from an after-market part- did you know) but also so the manufacturers don't have that kind of leverage.

BUT, we fully understand the Tesla is an amazing feat of engineering and Tesla owners might appreciate some assurances. So our warranty covers you (parts AND labor) for anything that is proven to be caused by Plugless. This is an easy thing for us to warranty. Why? We've been selling Plugless for coming up on three years and have provided nearly 1 million charge hours to our customers, integrated across 4 different EVs without such a warranty claim. Charge on!

 

[Electric700]

Yes, I was the one that rang your wireless doorbell

Thanks PluglessSteve.

 

[PluglessSteve]

No problem!

 

[ACDriveMotor]

How does the device connect into the charging harness on the Tesla? I wasn't able to find that detail on the website. You are doing more than just adding a non-OEM part if you cut into the electrical system. For example, we had been told that installing a Dash cam voided warranty because you were splicing into the electrical system. Maybe that was bad information. But in any case how is this different?