Comments on: Better Place Unveils Battery Switching Station w/ Video

By: John

John — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 21:41:23 +0000

Made me laugh. A friend going to Wayne State many years ago and living downtown used to bring his battery in the house every night. After months and months of doing this one night he was too tired and left the battery in the car. Sure enough the next morning it was gone.

By: Better Place Unveils Battery Switching Station w/ Video | CARSREVIEW.CO.UK

Better Place Unveils Battery Switching Station w/ Video | CARSREVIEW.CO.UK — Mon, 18 May 2009 13:23:16 +0000

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By: Padraic

Padraic — Mon, 18 May 2009 08:52:55 +0000

Although raising valid points, most of you are missing the point, and I’m surprised that most of you are against the movement. In five years time we will see how effective the infrastructure works, and real concerns will be addressed. Even with a battery range of 300 miles+ swap-stations will be needed, and more effective, than if your battery only brought you 100 miles. Remember, your battery doesn’t need to be fully depleted for a swap, and you’ll only be charged for the energy you receive. Think of it as gas for your car which you can fill up at home, at work, and at a swap-station, except at a swap-station, your empty tank is replaced with a full one.
By the way, when lunched in Israel all the batteries will be owned by PBP, and will be the same. There will be no issues of the machine adapting to different plugs.
If hydrogen was the future, hydrogen would be here today, and it is for people who cannot think outside the box.

By: tBay

tBay — Sun, 17 May 2009 02:45:47 +0000

A mechanized battery swapping facility is not practical. It’s too complicated. People would rather fuel their EV’s like they fuel a traditional car; from a “pump”. This whole Better Place thing is a brilliant idea but it’s just not very realistic.

Could you really see these expensive battery swapping facilities popping up all over the country?

A rapid-charging infrastructure is way more appealing and practical. It doesn’t matter what car or battery you have. As long as it has the ability to charge from high power rapid-charge stations-which could be standardized-you’re good to go.

It’s much easier to visualize rapid charge stations across the country. They could built right into the existing fuel network. Imagine: Diesel, Low-Grade, Mid-Grade, Premium…and Electric. Depending on the amount of power the stations could deliver, cars could be charged in minutes (the same as gasoline cars).

By: Mark Wagner

Mark Wagner — Sat, 16 May 2009 15:22:17 +0000

I am very disappointed that GM is not working with Project Better Place.

I view EREVs (or PHEVs) as an interim solution until charging stations like these are around most major cities. While I am anxiously awaiting a Volt EREV, I hope to eventually own an all electric vehicle that will be more reliable, lighter, more efficient, and better performing than EREVs. However battery swapping stations or ultra fast recharging stations will be needed before EVs will be widely accepted.

GM is leading the pack in EREVs, just as they once led in EVs and I hope they don’t get left behind with a battery pack that is incompatable with battery swapping stations.