AutoblogGreen

1. Does anyone else feel that Israel and Renalt/Nissan may actually be able to pull this off with the government support? For obvious economic-political reasons, wouldn't that be a coup?

I hope they tell OPEC to shove off.

Posted at 5:18PM on May 11th 2008 by Dave B

2. will it look good??

Posted at 8:10PM on May 11th 2008 by Kevin Nugent

3. If I get to drive on the cheap, I dont care if it looks like the Aztek

Posted at 8:59PM on May 11th 2008 by Ping

4. The controller (controlling of an electric vehicle's electronics) shown in the prototype looks exactly like the controller in AC Propulsion's eBox.

I wonder if the two companies are working with eachother.

Posted at 9:12PM on May 11th 2008 by Joseph

5. To Ping:

Define "cheap". The Project Better Place business model is to lease the car, batteries and provide the electricity for a set number of miles, much like cellphone contracts.

An excerpt from a PBP forum (Deutsche Bank analysis):

--------------------
We finally found out the bottom line of the PBP business model.

According to three DB experts, a $550 a month fee for 18000 miles traveled makes the PBP's business model a viable one. This means $0.35/mile.

Included in this fee is the cost of the car (a free car will be delivered by PBP), battery leasing and the cost of electricity.
------------------------

Fuel is much more expensive in Israel and the European nations, so this may be a heck of a deal for them, environmental benefits aside.

Posted at 11:05PM on May 11th 2008 by Wave54

6. A couple of things:
One disadvantage of PHEVs is the extra weight of the ICE engine and it's associated components. The ideal BEV would be a car that carries just the amount of batteries to complete the transportation task plus a prudent surplus. Otherwise, you are transporting the additional weight of batteries you don't use. For example, if you commute 40 miles a day, you could reduce the Project Better Place battery weight by at least half.

Also because of the BEV's shortened range, we in the U.S. may need to rethink the family vacation lifestyle and plan to rent a car with a longer range for vacations. Or use another form of transportation other than a car for vacations. Wouldn't it be great if we had low-cost high-speed rail service that would transport the family car along with the family to distance vacation locations. Then you could simply drive your BEV and family off the train at or near your vacation destination. But alas! I dream!

Posted at 2:41AM on May 12th 2008 by Lad

7. Lad - I think that point you make (about carrying no more battery weight than needed) is an excellent one.

I imagine that one of the advantages of this particular project is that, when calling at the network of battery-swap stations, drivers will be able to load whatever pack size is needed for the intended journey - and will be able to lease smaller packs when ony intending to drive locally.

Posted at 5:29AM on May 12th 2008 by David Wright

8. Look, this is impressive. There are a lot of people who almost never travel more than 125 miles in a day. Therefore, the limitations aren't that severe for someone who has a garage and can charge the battery each night in the garage.

If you need to take a longer trip, then you rent a car that isn't limited for that purpose.

Is this the technology of the future? Possibly! Its not clear that this will beat out hydrogen or compressed natural gas.

But guess what! The vehicles are already viable.

Posted at 1:12PM on May 12th 2008 by David Engel

9. Is this a Logan that has been converted to an EV, or a purpose built EV?

Posted at 1:25PM on May 12th 2008 by Throwback

10. I'd like to ask some advice. I live in Israel and definitely want to have an EV someday. Until recently I had a decent ICE vehicle, but it was in an accident and was totaled. My insurance payback plus savings will allow me to buy a new car, but what to do? If I buy a new car now (normally my first choice), will it even be re-salable when the electric cars start hitting the road here? Who would want to buy it? But I'm leery of buying a used car - too many problems. Plus, as a new immigrant, I get a tax break if I buy a new car (but can't resell it for 5 years). How seriously should I take Shai Agassai's claim to have those EV's on the road by 2010?

Thanks for your input, readers.

Posted at 3:30PM on May 12th 2008 by Laura

11. I find this a very interesting business model along the lines of how cell phones are sold today. It's being pioneered in Israel which is also interesting since I am sure they would love to be free from Arab oil. And they understand the market will require a dedicated "infrastructure" to succeed.

I believe that the U.S. Government should be looking at similar models here, and would hope to see one of the three stooges currently campaigning to be President start talking about Energy solutions instead of vague promises like "windfall profit taxes".

Posted at 3:38PM on May 12th 2008 by Don Harmon