What country will be the next Better Place? We find out this week
Last week, Better Place CEO Shai Agassi gave a speech in San Francisco trying to sell his EV ideas. The Bay Area is one place that Agassi's battery-swapping electric vehicle company wants to make, well, better. So far, Israel and Denmark have officially signed up for the program, but SF can join the list of other areas where Better Place might set up shop (i.e., Japan). Should California install the Better Place system, Agassi said last week, the infrastructure would cost $1.5 billion. To do the entire U.S. would be $100 billion. This may seem like a lot, but compare this to how much the U.S. spends on importing oil: about $1.5 billion every two weeks, according to Agassi. The numbers look good for Israel and Denmark, and Agassi also dropped word that another "large" country has signed on to be a part of Better Place; he'll announce that country sometime this week. H/t to Arnold S. for the tip!
[Source: Earth2Tech]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Lad 2:29PM (10/22/2008)
Spain or France?
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wave54 2:38PM (10/22/2008)
I don't think the figure for oil imports is anywhere near correct. Even with oil prices down to roughly $80 a barrel, the US imports approximately 12 million barrels daily which equals 1 billion dollars a day.
Considering the insane amounts of cash that Washington is doling out to prop up this house of cards that we call an economy, the costs of infrastructure for EVs is pretty inconsequential.
We didn't have any debt to speak of in the US until domestic oil production peaked in the 70s. Once we began importing oil, we have progressively become a debtor nation while oil-rich nations have built huge sovereign wealth funds of hundreds of billions.
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Joe B. 3:50PM (10/22/2008)
So true. That's why I am so excited about California's investment in solar power. This film PV is going to be a game changer. It's going to make solar as competitive as coal for electricity production. Here's a toast to the guys and gals in Silicon Valley. They are making a global contribution to wean economies off of oil. It will happen.
Adelaide_John 6:51AM (10/23/2008)
its Australia
check out the link
http://www.caradvice.com.au/18036/electric-vehicle-infrastructure-to-be-built-in-australia/
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