Google.org has issued a request for proposals to the tune of $10 million in order to advance sustainable transportation solutions. The company says it needs catalytic investments to support technologies, products and services that are critical to accelerating plug-in vehicle commercialization.
In order to do that, Google has structured the RFP to offer investment dollars to for-profit companies to promote social and environmental change. Google has already made $1 million in grants to a group of non-profit organizations.
While the company acknowledges that $10 million is a fraction of the total investment needed to transform the transportation sector, it hopes that the RFP will help catalyze a broader response.
"We realize that this type of open call for proposals is not the usual model for investment, but we wanted to use a process that was open to new ideas and new entrants," the company said. "Part of our goal is to get as many people as possible to work on solutions to our vehicle emissions challenges. We welcome and expect to receive submissions from a wide variety of companies -? from cutting edge battery technologies to innovative service businesses -? and from companies of all sizes. We also encourage participants from all over the world to submit proposals."
Google says it will also continue to make grants as part of RechargeIT and other programs.