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Upper-level Nissan executives like Minoru Shinohara (pictured above right with the Pivo 2 concept), the senior vice president of the technology development department, have talked about wireless charging for Nissan's upcoming electric vehicles for almost a year now. A plug-free electric car is becoming more than just talk, though, as a new piece in the Guardian shows.

Inductive charging – which uses electromagnetic fields and coils that interact but never touch – is currently used for things like electric toothbrushes and artificial hearts. Nissan now says that it has successfully scaled the wireless charging system up for use in its Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) electric car. The ZEV can now charge in a special parking spot without needing any wires. Inductive charging is still less efficient than wired charging, but for easy, on-the-go recharging, inductive charging offers a lot of potential – and a lot of unanswered questions. Perhaps we'll learn more when Nissan shows off the ZEV in early August.

REPORT: Nissan bringing wireless charging to electric cars