The world is in peril! Each and every second tons of greenhouse gases are released by cars and other transportation vehicles. But the Israeli company Better Place is trying to save the world.
Better Place was founded in October 29 2007 by Shai Agassi in Palo Alto, California. Shai Agassi was born in 1968 in Ramat Gan, Israel. At the age of 15 he began his BA in computer sciences in one of the most prestigious universities in Israel, the Technion. He graduated his BA with honors. Before founding Better Place, Agassi was next in line for CEO of SAP, a major German software company. Agassi turned down the opportunity in order to establish Better Place.
To realize the dream of making the world a better place, Better Place has created an alliance with Renault-Nissan. According to the alliance by 2011 Renault will provide fully electrical vehicles powered by interchangeable batteries and by the same year Better Place will create a full infrastructure network for these cars. Renault is currently testing two gasoline cars: the Renault Megane and the Nissan Rouge, whose gas tank and gasoline engine were replaced with their electrical counterparts, the battery and the electrical engine. However, Better Place’s job is much more complicated: Better Place must prepare the country’s infrastructure for the arrival of the electrical cars. Better Place must both install charging stations and switching stations. The charging stations must be numerous as the maximum range on a fully charged battery is 190 kilometers (120 miles). For long journeys, switching stations will be created to switch your depleted battery for a fully charged one in less than 5 minutes. Thus your journeys will be limited only by charging stations.
There are many pros in Better Place’s plan. As electricity can be produced without the release of greenhouse gases using hydro-electric plants or wind turbines, there is no pollution or destruction of the ozone layer. Unlike oil, electricity is endless: oil is found deep in the earth and its sources are limited. However, wind and water-current for electricity production will never end and will be limited only by the development of the infrastructure. Also, building battery switching station costs $500,000$, while building a gasoline station costs as much as $1,000,000. Furthermore, over 1 billion dollars are invested yearly in battery technologies that stimulate development of the technology. As a result, in the next several years the trend toward electric cars may increase.
Many countries, including Israel, Denmark, Australia, USA, and Japan have already signed agreements with Better Place in order to stimulate creation of the completely electric cars. Israel will be the first country where users will be able to use the electric car as widely and conveniently as the gasoline cars. The infrastructure in Israel is scheduled to be ready by 2011.
Better Place’s plan can save the world. Better Place’s support for implementation of electric vehicles will stop release of greenhouse gases which harm the ozone layer of the planet. Acknowledgment by the major development countries will make the company’s efforts real.
Better Place presentation (video from Already1have on youtube.com)
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