GM Working on Wireless Charging with Powermat

Charging cables for phones and iPods cluttering the inside of our cars could be a thing of the past for future GM models. The Detroit auto giant announced today it partnered with pioneering wireless charging expert Powermat in order to eliminate the need for charging cords for phones and other personal electronic devices in many future Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac cars beginning in mid-2012.

The commercial agreement was made between Powermat and GM Ventures, the company’s venture capital subsidiary, which will invest $5 million (€3.8 million) into the start-up company, in order to accelerate the system’s development.

“Imagine a mat or shelf where you could put your iPhone, your Droid or other personal device and charge it automatically while you commute to work, run errands or as you’re driving on a family vacation. The Chevy Volt will be one of the first applications, but we intend to expand it across our vehicle portfolio,” said Micky Bly, GM’s lead electronics executive, including infotainment, hybrids and battery electric vehicles.

Naturally, the car that was created from the start to be the company’s technological showcase, the Chevy Volt, should be the first model to be fitted with Powermat’s technology. The system will allows a multitude of electric devices, including smart phones, MP3 players and gaming devices, to be juiced without a charging cable. GM hopes the technology will revolutionize how electronic devices are charged in a car.

“GM is among the rarest of giants in today’s business climate: a forward-thinking innovator with the courage and good sense to care about the well-being of the consumer and the well-being of our planet,” stated Powermat CEO Ran Poliakine.