This has been talked about before and other's have added the link but I feel watching this video is so important that I decided to make another thread.

Please watch the video:
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/18/video-shai-agassis-amazing-speech-on-the-future-of-electric-ca/


I knew about Project Better Place before but was not sure about the swap out stations and how they would deal with the payments. After listening to Shai Agassi I have to admit his idea is amazing. It's true that the ownership of the battery is going to be a problem for many years (decades).

I just have one design change to make to satisfy us independent minded Americans. I think there should be two distinct compartments for batteries (conceptually). I now really like the idea of the swap-out station (heck 10MW going into a device is a lot to deal with - even though I think we can still figure out a way to do it safely). However!!! I also want the option to run off my own battery if I want. Let's say I don't want to make a 6 year commitment to the electricity company. I want to just charge my battery from the solar panels on my house and be totally free (must be the American in me). Sometimes I would like to use the swap-out station when I'm going on vacation. If there were two compartments then I could have the best of both worlds. I could rent the power company's battery and have the fast-swap option or use my own supercell battery and power station. Perhaps a combination of both. Anyway, yeah, what Shai said but give me the option to buy my own vehicle and battery while still being able to use the rental battery when conditions are right. Is that too much to ask? Anyway, I

This version is easier to understand. ;)

http://www.tomrafteryit.net/shai-agassis-better-place-project-explained/


After seeing this video the concept makes more sense but I feel a little more stupid. Like, duh, why are we not doing this today? I think future generations will look back at us and just shake their heads.

The "American" in me also wonders if we weren't giving so much money to Israel and propping up their govt, if we wouldn't already have this over here? But anyways, I like the idea, but would also like to be able to purchase my own battery. Maybe you do something like the propane swap programs around the nation. IE the batteries are standardized and you own it. The electric company keeps a number of standard ones available. If you are running out on a long trip, you pull up to a swap station, swap for a comparable battery and keep it, you just pay a small premium for not charging it your self.

I don't believe this will ever happend. Range extenders and batteries that can be charge in minutes are easier to do, with less storage, less liability.

I don't believe this will ever happend. Range extenders and batteries that can be charge in minutes are easier to do, with less storage, less liability.

But if you want to get completely off of oil, your country is small and isolated and quick charging at the speeds they are talking about would exceed 10MW what are the options? Hydrogen? Maybe in 25 years if ever. Gen 2 biofuels? Not yet. Isreal is like the perfect test market for this type of system. They have so much solar energy it isn't funny. Plus, they have almost no fossil fuel resources. Thus, take in that sun, store it in batteries, slow charge while parking and quick charge with a swap. Sounds resonable to me. They could wait for another 10 years for the technology or get going today. If a great battery comes out later they can replace the swap stations with high energy quick charge stations. Anyway, I would love to see this plan happen. A great pilot program for the rest of the world.

Officially official: Better Place Denmark is born

Denmark is now the second country to sign up with Project Better Place. This is only 2 months after Isreal signed. Wow! I think this is going to spread like a wild fire. Should the US look into signing up? Maybe in LA for example. Perhaps a Better Place NY that uses a PHEV design? Thoughts or comments?

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/27/officially-official-better-place-denmark-is-born/

http://shaiagassi.typepad.com/

Think about for a second. We know the battery in the Volt is about as high tech as it gets right now. We know it will power the car for about 40 miles maybe a bit more. We know it weighs 400 LBS! So does that really make sense to be swapping out 400 lb batteries with intricate cooling every 40 miles or so? A trip from San Francisco to LA, like I take frequently, would be absolutely rediculus!

The world is brainstorming right now. That's a good thing, but think the ideas all the way through before you resort to using little kids to sell a half baked idea.

Half-baked? They have 200 million dollars in the bank and two countries signed up. I think it's a little past half-baked. Besides, even if they fail miserably they will be far ahead on the next generation. They will be patenting like crazy, building automobile electrification infrastructure, building an organization that is trained in EVs - their policies - practices, etc. It's usually the first one in the pool that gets to the other side the quickest. This pilot project will be beneficial for the whole world. I think most people (including very smart people) just sit around and knock down ideas but rarely have the courage and temerity it takes to bring a new idea through to fruition. I raise my beer to them and wish them God's speed.