BatterySwap
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France wants to make its own cheap electric car
The world's politicians are currently huddled in Paris arguing over how much effort they're prepared to make to stop the seas from boiling. As such, France has decided to throw down a well-tailored gauntlet to its partners by announcing a competition to build an electric car that costs under $7,000. The country's ecology minister, Ségoléne Royal (pictured), revealed that she'll launch a project that'll encourage private companies to build an environmentally-friendly ride for the population. How will they be able to keep the costs that low, you ask? By ditching the built-in battery in favor of a country-wide network of stations that'll let people swap cells during their journeys.
Tesla won't build more battery swap stations
If you've ever taken your Tesla to a battery swap station then, according to Elon Musk, you're in a minority. At the company's shareholders meeting, the CEO revealed that the uptake on the service has been miniscule. Musk said that, by this point, every Model S owner in California had been invited to book an appointment, but only a handful took them up on the offer. As such, it's highly unlikely that the company will persist with the plans, instead focusing its time, money and resources on building out its popular supercharger network.
Tesla's first Model S battery swap station opens next week
Tesla's automated battery swap stations that boost cars with a fully charged power pack instead of a slow charge are finally becoming a reality. First shown off over a year ago, the company announced today that it's ready to start a pilot program for invited Model S owners along the San Francisco to LA route, at a facility across the street from its Supercharger station in Harris Ranch, CA. Right now Tesla says the whole process can be done in under three minutes, but with changes to the vehicle design, it says cars could be ready to go in less than a minute (a video of the process being done in 90 seconds is embedded after the break). While charging the company's flagship EV on its Supercharger network is free, for now the by-appointment-only swaps are promised to cost "slightly less than a tank of gas." When they were introduced, the suggestion was a $60 - $80 price range, but even with the price of gas falling, that may have changed too. The point of the pilot program? To figure out if the demand for battery swaps that cost money vs free charging is high enough for the idea (and the $500,000 facilities that make it work) to make sense. [AFP/Getty Images]
Tesla's battery-swap stations will finally arrive in December
Tesla has just told SlashGear that its much-hyped battery stations will finally arrive in California by December. Elon Musk and crew first flaunted the system to a large crowd over a year ago, showing how the Model S's battery can be changed in half the time it takes to gas up a regular car. Since then, Tesla has missed several of its own deadlines to install the fully automatic, robotic systems. Musk said his company has been "preoccupied with a few other issues," which no doubt include gearing up its battery-producing Gigafactory in Nevada and installing a network of supercharger stations.
EV outfit Better Place calls it quits, set to undergo liquidation
Better Place's plan for electric cars with swappable batteries is coming to an end. Despite a change in leadership and a streamlining effort over the past six months, the Israeli EV maker has filed a court motion for liquidation, citing insufficient cash to continue operations and a failure to raise the necessary funds. According to Israel Corporation, the firm's controlling shareholder, other investors willing to pitch in the vast amount of money needed couldn't be found. With approximately $812 million lost in operations and deploying battery exchange stations since 2007, and $454 million of that within 2012 alone, it's estimated that just recouping those loses would take $500 million and four years. "Unfortunately, after a year's commercial operation, it was clear to us that despite many satisfied customers, the wider public take up would not be sufficient and that the support from the car producers was not forthcoming," said Better Place CEO Dan Cohen. Sure, it might be curtains for the company, but the existing battery network looks like it might live on, as the liquidator is being asked to "maintain the functioning of the network." [Thanks, Michael]
Better Place founder Shai Agassi steps down from CEO post
Shai Agassi has guided Better Place's vision of swap-and-go battery stations for electric cars since it was founded five years ago, but now he's stepped down as the firm's CEO. Evan Thornley, who helmed the organization's Australian efforts, has taken up the mantle of global chief executive officer, while Agassi will continue his role as a board member. As the Wall Street Journal notes, the changing of the guard comes at a time when the company has been spending cash faster than it's generating revenue thanks to the construction of battery swap stations. Idan Ofer, Chairman of the Better Place Board of Directors sees this as "a natural point in the company's evolution to realign for its second chapter and for the challenges and opportunities ahead." Something tells us they wouldn't mind if future chapters are filled with more swappable batteries than Superchargers.
Tesla's 'Supercharger Network' of electric vehicle power stations will be revealed September 24th
For Tesla owners looking at taking their electric vehicles out for some long haul driving, a plan to line the highways and/or byways with fast chargers should be welcome news. After mentioning the Supercharger Network as early as January, company founder Elon Musk tweeted tonight that it would officially be unveiled September 24th. So, what will it actually look like? Musk claims it will "feel like alien spaceships landed at highway rest stops," where owners may be able to enjoy amenities like charging that takes their batteries from ten to 90 percent in just 45 minutes or fast battery swaps. We've marked our calendars, check out AutoblogGreen for more speculation on just what Supercharging may entail, including the potential that the stations themselves will be solar powered.
Denmark lands Europe's first Better Place EV battery swapping station
Better Place continued on its quest of global EV-battery-switching domination, Tuesday, bringing its special drop-and-swap charging solution to the fine folks of Gladsaxe, Denmark. An automated robot arm ceremoniously traded out the battery in a Renault Fluence Z.E., marking the beginning of a nine-month roll out across the country. The aptly titled Battery Switch station is the first of its kind in Europe and the first of 20 to be installed in Denmark. It was a monumental occasion, to be sure, one that could have only benefited from a performance of Michael Jackson's Heal the World as sung by Danish humanoid (and ladies' man) Geminoid-DK. Full PR after the break. [Thanks, Tesoo]
China joins Better Place on the battery-swapping bandwagon
EV's are great for getting around in a green-conscious way, but plug-in people must practice patience while waiting hours to juice up their ride. Better Place's battery swapping stations offer much faster EV refueling, which is why China Southern Power Grid Co. (CSG) is betting big on the technology. The Chinese utility giant has teamed up with Guangzhou's municipal government and Better Place to build a power pack exchange depot and an EV education center. With exhibits, meeting rooms, and EVs to test drive, the education center aims to help persuade administrative officials, captains of industry, and the general populace to jump on the electric car bandwagon. In addition, Ghuangzhou's government will "encourage local car manufacturers" to create autos with switchable batteries and "promote" EV adoption in taxis and state vehicles -- all of which seems likely to happen post-haste, 'cause what the Chinese government wants, the Chinese government gets.
Israel gets its first EV battery swap station, makes charging stations obsolete
Don't get us wrong, we think electric vehicles are totally rad and all, but there's still the whole recharging thing that makes us a little wary. That's why we're stoked to hear that Better Place's first battery swap station for EVs (and not just special Japanese cabbies) has officially opened its doors in Israel... for owners of the Renault Fluence Z.E. All it takes is an RFID card to enter the carwash-esque structure, and robots from below swap out your empty battery for a fully charged alternative while you occupy yourself for three minutes. No word on how much it'll cost for the opportunity, but we've got an inkling it won't be cheap. Fortunately, we've got apps and "get you home" guarantees for that additional peace of mind, but we do hope the concept eventually makes its way over to our shores. Of course, we're also still waiting for eternal battery life in all of our electronics, but until that day comes invisible robots changing batteries for us will suffice.
US Cellular's battery swap program puts a new charge in your handset, for free
Ever dreamt of keeping a phone so long that the original battery went kaput? And, during that same dream, did your loving, compassionate carrier decide to bless you with a second battery for free? No need to keep dozing, as regional operator US Cellular has decided to show up the big boys by introducing its Battery Swap program. Launching tomorrow, the initiative enables customers to come into any US Cellular store and "change out a dead or dying battery for a fully-charged one, for free." Needless to say, the firm is pretty stoked about being the only wireless carrier in America to offer such a service, though you should know that only phones which have been purchased within the last 18 months are eligible. Sounds fair enough to us -- so, when's everyone else jumping on this bandwagon? Bueller...?[Thanks, Kristofer]
