THE MAN BEHIND BETTER PLACE

Shai Agassi: One man's mission to turn all cars electric
Anouk Lorie, April 19, 2010 (CNN)

"Shai Agassi is a man on a mission -- an ambitious one to wean the world off its oil addiction and turn everyone into electric car drivers…The Israeli businessman is developing a global network of charging spots and "battery switch stations," which will effectively work as gas stations for electric cars.

"With his California-based company, Better Place, Agassi has partnered with car maker Renault-Nissan to produce the first generation of emission-free [affordable] electric cars…Australia, Denmark, Hawaii, Ontario and California have announced plans to adopt the Better Place electric car networks…[O]n April 26, Better Place is preparing to unveil the first electric taxis with switchable batteries in Tokyo."

From btrplc via YouTube

"Agassi, 42, who was named one of the 100 most influential people of 2009 by Time magazine, is planning to install hundreds of thousands of charge spots at workplaces, public parking lots and along urban streets, in addition to at-home charge spots worldwide…Agassi has his sights set firmly on turning his homeland [of Israel] into the first country in the world to run solely on electric cars…Israel's first functional charging station opened in December 2008…[and there are] plans to introduce 100,000 of the [Nissan Fluence electric] cars into the country by January 2011…[Israel’s] president, Shimon Peres is an enthusiastic supporter of the project…

"The electric car's lithium-ion batteries are rated to last about 160 kilometers on a full charge. But the most audacious of Agassi's plans is the battery-swapping stations…At an estimated cost of $500,000 to build, the station has a robot that slips under the electric car and replaces the flat battery for a fully charged one, clicking it in and out of place in minutes…Agassi believes these stations will be key in changing the public perception of electric cars…"

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"To ensure a low cost per mile, Agassi's company Better Place says it has introduced a subscription model that will include a "mileage plan," similar to a cell phone plan…[D]rivers buy the car and then sign up for a separate mileage plan that will give them access to the batteries, the network of battery switch stations and the charge spots…

"…[Agassi] is convinced this is the model that will create worldwide mass adoption of the electric car in favor of the internal combustion engine…A 2008 report by Deutsche Bank analysts concluded that the company's approach could be a "paradigm shift" that causes "massive disruption" to the auto industry…[Agassi] has raised more than $700 million in investment for the project…[but there are critics who] have been quick to point out potential flaws in Agassi's plan…"