Google offers up $10 million for green car research

It's pretty safe to say that Google's green tech work isn't simply a marketing ploy.

Google's pet tech green project, RechargeIT, plans to give away up to $10 million in grants and funding to non-profits working on plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, electric vehicles and/or vehicle-to-grid technologies. The company issued a worldwide open call for ideas and proposals. It will give away between $500,000 and $2 million for qualified projects. Here's the RFP.

The deadline for submissions is Oct. 22.

Here's a video that explains the RechargeIT initiative, which was established early this summer, more generally. The RechargeIT organization is already testing a fleet of retrofitted Toyota Prius and Ford Escape cars so that it can gauge the performance of plug-in hybrids.

Definitely something to watch.