We’ve re-posted stories about Better Place on the CEIL website before, but we haven’t yet mentioned them on this blog.
Today, though, Better Place has jumped on our radar because of a news story we recently saw at cnet. It seems the company has opened its first retail recharging station in Europe, and now drivers in Copenhagen, Denmark will be able to swap their EV’s battery in just one minute, or charge it in 15-30 minutes. The opening of this newest location means Better Place now has three retail locations in as many countries: Japan, Israel and Denmark.
So, just how does a Better Place charging center work? We’ll let Better Place explain the process:
“At Better Place battery switch stations, drivers enter a lane and the station takes over from there. The car proceeds along a conveyor while the automated switch platform below the vehicle aligns under the battery, washes the underbody, initiates the battery release process and lowers the battery from the vehicle. The depleted battery is placed onto a storage rack for charging, monitoring and preparation for the another vehicle. A fully-charged battery is then lifted into the waiting car. The switch process takes less time than a stop at the gas station and the driver and passengers may remain in the car throughout.”
Looking to find out about Better Place at a location a little closer to home? The company is testing in North America – specifically in Hawaii, California and Canada. In fact, the California location will soon provide a group of all-electric taxis in the Bay Area with fresh batteries.
Photo via Better Place
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.