Project Better Place, a Silicon Valley alternative fuels initiative is moving out into the big world. Shai Agassi, an Israel born high-tech entrepreneur left the software field several years ago to do what he wanted to do: create electric driven cars and the new infrastructure needed to make them real alternatives to internal combustion. He’s just got Israel to sign on to helping create the network, and Denmark, with wind produced electricity, may soon follow suite.
Agassi said that because most rides are less than 100 miles, drivers can recharge batteries at home, at work or at thousands of charging points throughout Israel. On longer trips, they can exchange batteries in a five-minute operation at about 200 “swap stations.”
“We have a second battery for every driver in the swap stations. It’s waiting for you in case you need it. You don’t need to carry it with you in the trunk,” Agassi said.
Moreover, Nissan’s global product planning chief, Tom Lane, has said his firm will soon announce a battery breakthrough, one that could increase driving range to around 200 miles per charge while recharging in as little as 20 minutes.
Project Better Place has its own web site with photos of the cars as well as technical and business talk about the project.