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Calif. startup's facility has EV test track for visitors.
Company expects tens of thousands of visitors this year.
The modern facility is located inside a former oil tank.

By Danny King, Contributor


Better Place, the California startup that last month obtained $350 million in funding to help launch a network of battery-switching stations for electric vehicles in Israel and Denmark starting next year, will open a demonstration center in Israel this week that gives visitors a chance to see how battery-switching stations work and to test drive electric cars around a one-mile track.


Better Place, which promotes the idea battery swapping as a solution to EV-range issues, also said Motorola and Computer Associates are among a group of 92 companies that will exchange a portion of their Israeli gas-powered corporate fleets for Renault EVs starting next year.


Better Place also plans to deploy switching stations at Dor Alon gas stations in Israel, the company said in a statement late last week.


Better Place, founded by Silicon Valley entrepreneur Shai Agassi, promotes the idea that owners of plug-in electric vehicles should be able to lease charged batteries so they don't have to purchase the costly battery packs that propel their vehicles. Such packs can cost tens of thousands of dollars apiece.



Like cell-phone buyers who buy minutes of air time in prepaid monthly or annual packages tailored to fit their individual needs, Better Place customers would buy an electric-drive car and then purchase miles, in the form of kilowatt-hours of energy stored in battery packs that Better Place would supply.


The company got a big boost last month when it raised $350 million in a funding round that was led by London-based investment banker HSBC and included Lazard Asset Management and Morgan Stanley Investment Management.
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Tags: Alternative Fuels, Batteries, Emissions, Legislation, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Renault, Better Place, Israel, Israeli EV Program, Plug-in Electric Vehicle, Renault Fluence ZE, Shai Agassi

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Battery-Swap Proponent Better Place Opens EV Demonstration Center in Israel was originally published by Green Car Advisor. Read the full story by clicking here.