Better Place eyes $1 billion electric car network for Bay Area
Better Place aims to bring its electric-car charging network to the Bay Area, where plans are afoot to promote battery-powered vehicles.
(Credit: Better Place)
Better Place aims by 2012 to bring a $1 billion electric-car infrastructure system to the California Bay Area, whose leaders unveiled policies Thursday to fast-track the adoption of electric cars.
The Palo Alto, Calif., start-up will apply its unique business model, followed in Israel, Denmark, and Australia, of providing the public stations to charge vehicles and swap out leased batteries.
Shai Agassi, Better Place founder and CEO, said he hopes to wrap up permitting in the Bay Area within the next year, roll out the infrastructure in 2010, and fine-tune its technology over the next several years as more electric cars come to market.
"We need to stop the conversation of whether this is Detroit versus Silicon Valley, whether this is Michigan versus California, and we need to start talking about this as the next generation of the car," he said. "We hope that by the time we deploy, we'll see our friends from Renault and Nissan but also the three U.S. manufacturers developing cars that have a plug, and have the ability to drive around the city and charge as they go."
Mayors Gavin Newsom of San Francisco, Chuck Reed of San Jose, and Ron Dellums of Oakland joined Agassi at San Francisco City Hall, promising to launch policies in December to support companies and consumers adopting electric cars. (The event was broadcast online via Webcast.)
Among their plans are expedited permitting for car-charging outlets with incentives for businesses and garages installing them or providing battery-swapping. The mayors also pledged to standardize regulations across the region, working with clean-air and transit programs.
"I believe the big game changer is electric vehicles and plug-in technology," said Newsom, explaining that transportation accounts for 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in California and exceeds 54 percent in San Francisco.
Widespread usage of electric vehicles over two decades would save consumers $175 billion in fuel costs and bring a $120 billion boon for battery makers, according to early results of a study by the Venture Lab at the University of California at Berkeley.
"Look what happened when we built ARPANET in 1979," said Robert Kennedy Jr., describing the rise of the personal computer. "The reason for that is we created the infrastructure that made it easy for manufacturers and consumers to take advantage of the technology." Kennedy is partner and senior adviser of VantagePoint Venture Partners, the biggest investor in Better Place.
In statements, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi praised the electric vehicle announcements for the potential to boost the economy and reduce pollution.
[CNET editors' note: Prohibited material deleted.]
stations ??? my solution is more practical I think i 2 versions the firxst one is to put a belt to turn an alternator,just like in normal cars.the other version is to put two motors on the same shaft one side
is the motor to drive, the other the alternator to charge the battery.the only power needed is to move the
vehicle,when in motion the power out is compensared with the power in no need for barrery bank.
answer is greatly apprecieted and thank you louis
- by John_Reed_Perkasie February 11, 2009 3:16 AM PST
- ERA OF THE ELECTRIC CAR ? ENVIRONMENT AND GLOBAL WARMING
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(4 Comments)The era of the electric car is here. Detroit?s claims for electric cars indicate nearly immediate limited production with a rapid buildup. Other start-ups make similar claims. Promised mileage claims vary from a modest 40 mile range to rather exaggerated claims of over 250 miles. Both range and cost are battery dependent and battery development is an important and critical consideration. Presently batteries are expensive, heavy and require special handling for disposal. We can, however, expect to overcome these technological problems with diligent research and development.
Presently automobiles use fossil fuels for their propulsion system. Converting to electric cars will immediately shift the burden to the electric power grid. The power grid at present runs at near capacity during muchof the year. Summer heat and winter cold drive the system to critical conditions at times. At present the US uses more petroleum for fuel than all the coal used for electric generation. This will put a very severe burden on our electric power system if we convert our transportation to electric cars. In the foreseeable medium term future the only way to meet the power requirements for electric transportation is coal. Coal fired electricity generation plants can be built quicker and cheaper in the capacity required than other power sources. Other non-fossil fuel power sources can supply a fraction of the required power over time and will supply increasing proportions over time. But coal interests will prevail for some time if the conversion is attempted.
The purpose of the electric car is reducing our dependence on imported fuel and mitigation of global warming. Converting our transportation to fossil fuel generated electricity can meet one requirement, however coal produces considerably more carbon dioxide per unit energy than petroleum does. From the point of view of global warming we are worse off by considerable.
Coal interests and the power generation industry make strong claims for clean coal. Their definition of clean coal is removal of toxic products of combustion, not removal of carbon dioxide gas. No clean coal plants exist nor are likely to exist capable of supplying any reasonable share of power generation for the electric car era. Enhanced global warming will be the result.
LINK TO GLOBAL WARMING MITIGATION:
NEGATIVE FOOTPRINT