Wytheville, Va., company Evatran is leading the way in developing an electronic vehicle (EV) wireless recharging system. Governor Bob McDonnell hosted the company’s launch event for its Apollo Program at the state capitol in Richmond, Va., last Thursday.

Google, Duke Energy, Hertz, Clemson University and the Commonwealth of Virginia have already signed on for Phase I of the Apollo Program. These partners have agreed to test the company’s wireless charging technology over the next three months and provide feedback to the company.

Evatran has been on the fast-track since June 2010 when Governor McDonnell announced the company would invest $3.5 million to establish a new manufacturing operation in Wytheville, Va., bringing 84 new jobs to the area. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Wythe County, the Joint Industrial Development Authority of Wythe County, Wytheville, Rural Retreat and Virginia’s aCorridor to successfully compete against North Carolina and Ohio for the project.

Evatran’s Plugless Power system is unique — as its name suggests it does not require the EV to be plugged in to recharge. Through inductive power transfer, the user simply has to park the vehicle over a specialized pad which uses magnetic fields to transfer energy from the pad’s coils to the receiving coils within the vehicle adapter. The energy is only converted to electricity once inside the vehicle, ensuring a safe transfer.

Evatran hopes the convenience of its technology will aid in the early adoption of EVs as a standard mode of transportation, helping to ease the global energy crisis.

As a green energy pioneer, the company illustrates the strength of Virginia’s entrepreneurs in both the technology and energy sectors. To learn more about the Commonwealth’s unique offering for technology and energy companies click here.