Shai Agassi: Zero-Emissions for Zero-Dollars

[Dandaniels1978]

The Jews do it yet again

[Already1have]

Even if the Nissan LEAF fails because of less than 100 miles range (although priced at $20.000 w/CA tax breaks)

Even if the Chevy Volt fails because its priced among BMW, Lexus etc. (still using gasoline)

Better Place with Renault Fluence ZE will never fail, Business model rock solid. Driving range UNLIMITED!!

[smilerandy9]

The Tesla Roadster is a fantastic car. the one problem is the cost. The model S is also expensive.

Shai Agassi will bring in affordable cars.

[d1oftwins]

I think the a good chunk of the costs comes from the batteries. Better Place has solved that problem by not selling the batteries but borrowing it to you. That way you don't have to worry about battery life time or wearing. So you don't pay for the batteries but for kilometeres or miles. That way the EVs get more affordable.

[fergus247]

While Shai Agassi is busy talking with government offials, politians and the like the world is busy turning to a better place without these.

Tesla Moters already have a neat 100% electric car in production. The Tesla Roadster. Looks good, goes from 0-60 in less than 4 seconds. They never relied on government for their products, and its happening right now as i speak.

[d1oftwins]

Better place is mostly about establishing electric infrastructure for EVs, less building EVs. Renault will build EVs with exchangeable batteries for the exchange system Better Place has developed. It is a project as a whole to establish EVs NOT just another car manufacturer.

[Already1have]

@fergus247

Better Place with Renault Fluence ZE. Driving range UNLIMITED. Try that with The Tesla Roadster.

[fergus247]

@Already1have I dont understand

[Already1have]

Better Place battery swap process is cleaner and faster than filling a tank with gasoline and the driver remains in the car the entire time. Electric cars with a contract with Better Place will have a virtually unlimited range because of battery swapping. Just look at the following picture and think of going through California with 60 second battery swaps:

betterplaceDOTcom

/uploads/ckfinder/images/Calif­orniaDeployment290x301.png

[SINSSTER]

@Already1have But is getting out of your car and refeulling it really that hard? Going on about not having to get out of the car, 60 second stops anyone would think taking a few minutes to pump gas is a horrible experience.

[royjones90210]

I have an Idea! Let's get the entire world to move their automotive energy away from oil, that comes in big part from arab countries, and build an entire infrastructure thus diminishing the oil revenue from antagonist arab states; I supose this is easier than learning to get along with your neighbors. Brilliant!!! I love being informed...

[biodcel]

This is another idea planned by a guy who wants to CORNER the market for (EV) power. This is just like the oil companies taking over the trolleys in California decades ago to sell more OIL. This is such a BullCrap Idea I can't believe people are buying into this. EV's allow you to charge on your own, this does not allow that. You are at the MERCY of Better Place, when they raise the rates, you are SCREWED! Wake Up World! It Ain't A Better Place

[fergus247]

There is truth to what your saying.

[danndan6]

israel is a world leader on making a more environmentally friendly world

[baggysmells1975555]

Why are Americans so scared of Nuclear power? Or Solar or wind? I am Canadian and the power I use is Nuclear and I am looking to install a grid-tie solar system. Every time electric cars are brought up the same 2 arguments are made. 1. Range and 2. The transfer of CO2 from the tailpipe to the power plant. Americans are so scared of change They say "No" to any idea that has not been fed to them by a corporation.

[FancyPantsElitist]

Nuclear is not really clean. The process of mining and refining uranium is exceedingly filthy, witness now that the Colorado River, a primary source of water for LA and the Southwest, is now threatened by uranium mining that will now be allowed under the relaxation of regulatory control in the US. (They will be mining near the GC). Nuke is not safe in terms of national security, either, to say nothing of no place to put the waste. Go clean renewables.

[Merany1]

Israel and Denmark are both very small countries were people do not need to drive

that far.

90% of Israelis drive less than 70km per day and the largest cities are only 150km apart. This is why it can work there.

But when large countries such as the USA are considered that is when there is a problem.

[thepen1]

that's why there was a battery swap option.

[FancyPantsElitist]

90% of all Americans travel less than 50 miles a day. And there will be battery swap out places. And now, thankfully, on the west coast, we will have a bullet train.

[JohnDeBunkTest]

This is a great plan.

After 5 years car duty, the batteries can have a second life storing renewable wind/solar energy for the grid, and let you take renewable grid energy from 20% to 100% ...

Clean cars, & Clean Grid = clean air.

[ShannonArvizu]

You're right. PBP has the ultimate goal of having zero-emission transportation by connecting vehicles to a grid that is powered by non-carbon emitting sources. We have to remember that sustainability is a process. We will eventually get to "net-zero" energy, hopefully sooner rather than later.

[peebeebaynut]

Zero-Emissions? How about Emissions-Moved-From-Tailpipe-­To-Generator-Station instead? It's way more reality-based as 60% of the electricity in the US comes from burning coal, natural gas and oil while solar is used to make less than 1%.  Where is the zero-emissions in that? Hydrogen is produced either from electricity (which implies burning fossil fuels) or reprocessing fossil fuels in ways that release carbon dioxide.

[ShannonArvizu]

Thanks for replying...you've brought up a common misconception about electric cars and I'd like to clarify the issues briefly. First, burning oil from your car causes far more carbon emissions than plugging in your car to a coal-based power plant. Second, electric cars go hand-in-hand with putting more renewable energy on the grid. Project Better Place is in the process of facilitating substantial solar power in places where they do business.

[peebeebaynut]

Please define the word "zero" in your own terms for me. Thanks.

In my world zero-emissions is not the same as "fewer emissions." If someone stole a few thousand dollars from you, would you be calling it a "zero dollar" theft? Why should "zero emissions" mean "only some emissions"?

[FancyPantsElitist]

Thanks for pointing that out too, about BetterPlace helping to facilitate more solar power into the grid. Any clue as to if the battery replacement stations might be solar powered as well?

[FancyPantsElitist]

0-emissions refers to the CARS, not to the sources of fuels at the power plant. Even if you must rely on carbon based power plants, until we change the infrastructure, the total of carbon emissions will be 50% less than if you used gasoline. This is a good transition way to allow the grid to go completely to clean renewables, and anything that reduces CO2 is a good thing. It changes thinking about power, to, and thus changes the paradigm.

[peebeebaynut]

Oh, we will change the infrastructure alright. From petroleum to animal labor since we are so very together. To replace the amount of oil that the US currently (not future growth) imports we merely have to increase the amount of solar and wind 200000%.

[krispyII]

Sounds visionary, it will be interested to see if Project Better Place can live up to the expectations in Israel & Denmark.