Frankfurt Car Show Goes Electric

Electric cars are the talk of this year’s Frankfurt Car Show. But it’s not just the carmakers who hope electric vehicles become a popular mode of transport.

California-based company Better Place is building a global network of charging stations for the electric vehicle industry.

It hopes to make a killing once drivers are weaned off their petrol dependency.

[Jens Moberg, CEO Better Place Denmark]:
„We have to build a quite extensive infrastructure. We have to make sure that people can charge at their home, so we will be putting up charge points at people’s homes. We will make sure that you can also charge at work — re-charge your battery when you arrive at your work place, also in public areas, at hotels, airports, restaurants, and so on.“

Fully charged electric vehicles can only travel around 160 kilometers.

Better Place says this covers most people’s daily travel needs.

But if you need to go further — and can’t spend three or four hours charging your car en route — Better Place have developed a battery switch system, which they say takes less time than filling a car with fuel.

[Jens Moberg, CEO Better Place Denmark]:
„You take your car and drive over an opening. First we’ll kind of wash the bottom of your car, then a plate will come and then it will tell your car please release your battery. Then the car will release the battery on the plate, the plate will go away and then in will come a plate with now a fully-loaded battery and will tell the car I’m ready for you, please take this battery. And the battery will go up into the car and the car will drive away.“

This may all sound quite idealistic. But Better Place are already co-operating with Renault. The French carmaker unveiled the Fluence in Frankfurt – the first electric vehicle with a switchable battery.

The Fluence will first drive the streets of Denmark and Israel — where Better Place and Renault want to have at least 100 000 electric cars by 2016. And Better Place want to expand their charging network to Australia, California and Canada.

(NTDTV)