The one car that can interact with the company's innovative battery change stations isn't even out yet. But Better Place is adding more markets as it strives to become a global electric vehicle infrastructure company.
Electric vehicle infrastructure startup Better Place has a unique business model: Better Place and Ge-branded Ev charging stations let drivers power up both at home and at work. When drivers don't have hours to charge up, gas station-like battery switch stations that dot the highways allow them to take long trips with only quick stops for charging. The whole package is available for a monthly subscription fee.
But the whole package doesn't quite exist yet. So far, there is only one vehicle that is compatible with the switch stations--the Renault Fluence Z.E, which will go into limited release in Israel and Denmark next year. Better Place has, however, still been growing since its launch,...
Electric vehicle infrastructure startup Better Place has a unique business model: Better Place and Ge-branded Ev charging stations let drivers power up both at home and at work. When drivers don't have hours to charge up, gas station-like battery switch stations that dot the highways allow them to take long trips with only quick stops for charging. The whole package is available for a monthly subscription fee.
But the whole package doesn't quite exist yet. So far, there is only one vehicle that is compatible with the switch stations--the Renault Fluence Z.E, which will go into limited release in Israel and Denmark next year. Better Place has, however, still been growing since its launch,...
- 6/20/2011
- by Ariel Schwartz
- Fast Company
Electric vehicle infrastructure startup Better Place has been hard at work over the past few years promoting its unique business model. The thrust of the plan consists of Better Place and Ge-branded Ev charging stations that allow drivers to charge on the go as well as gas station-like battery switch stations that can swap out depleted Ev batteries for fresh ones in two minutes.
But there's a catch: the plan won't work unless automakers agree to make electric vehicles that are compatible with Better Place's robotic switch stations, or until the company makes its switch stations compatible with more varieties of battery packs. And judging by recent remarks from Sue Cischke, Ford's vice president for Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering, that may be unlikely.
It just doesn't make sense for Ford to commit to a common battery pack format, Cischke said this week at Ford's Dearborn, Michigan plant, because it...
But there's a catch: the plan won't work unless automakers agree to make electric vehicles that are compatible with Better Place's robotic switch stations, or until the company makes its switch stations compatible with more varieties of battery packs. And judging by recent remarks from Sue Cischke, Ford's vice president for Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering, that may be unlikely.
It just doesn't make sense for Ford to commit to a common battery pack format, Cischke said this week at Ford's Dearborn, Michigan plant, because it...
- 1/12/2011
- by Ariel Schwartz
- Fast Company
Electric car infrastructure company Better Place is bringing its battery swap stations to California's Bay Area in a $6.9 million, three-year project that will see San Francisco and San Jose receive four battery swap stations and 61 electric taxi cabs, all operated by local companies Yellow Cab and Yellow Checker Cab.
Better Place has been running a a pilot Ev taxi program in Tokyo since April. During the first 90 days of the trial, the three electric taxis traveled over 25,000 miles using Better Place's battery switch station--a car wash-like machine that switches out old Ev batteries for fresh ones in the time it would take to fill a tank of gas.
Now Better Place is bringing an expanded version of the program to the Bay Area, courtesy of a Department of Transportation grant. The program was selected for a grant, explains Better Place spokesperson Julie Mullins, because of the company's ability "to really...
Better Place has been running a a pilot Ev taxi program in Tokyo since April. During the first 90 days of the trial, the three electric taxis traveled over 25,000 miles using Better Place's battery switch station--a car wash-like machine that switches out old Ev batteries for fresh ones in the time it would take to fill a tank of gas.
Now Better Place is bringing an expanded version of the program to the Bay Area, courtesy of a Department of Transportation grant. The program was selected for a grant, explains Better Place spokesperson Julie Mullins, because of the company's ability "to really...
- 10/27/2010
- by Ariel Schwartz
- Fast Company
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