Google experiments with plugless charging for electric vehicles

Yep, we all know that Google is pretty fanatical when it comes to green and clean technology research and development. So I wasn't surprised to hear last night that the giant Internet company is among the first to install a new wireless electric vehicle charging system from Plugless Power. The technology, which requires a retrofit of your electric vehicle, will be trialed at Google's headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. You car charges when you park it over the device (ala the photo to the right). Google uses a number of low-speed electric vehicles on its campus for short distance travel needs; right now, it uses plug-in charging stations.

This will be the first public pilot of the technology, which was developed by a company called Evatran. Plugless Power is actively seeking other potential partners for tests in the third quarter of 2011, from among both potential commercial and public sector clients. The technology is supposed to work with most electric vehicle models, but it DOES require a retrofit. The little promo video below provides a deeper illustration of how the technology works: