Bay Area Mayors Back Electric Car Infrastructure

by Erik Larson | November 21, 2008 at 04:41 pm

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Better Place, a privately-capitalized company has the backing of the mayors of San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose to build a smart electric car charging and battery-swap infrastructure to pave the way for mass conversion to electric cars. Consumers will also be be able to "subscribe" to vehicle use plans, "much the way telecoms distribute cell-phones." According to the article, "the mayors offered no money but committed to a nine-point plan that includes regional standards for expedited permitting and installation of charging outlets in homes, at businesses and in public parking spaces. It also offers incentives to companies that install electric-vehicle chargers, and sets unspecified goals for electric-vehicle purchases for government fleets."

A Palo Alto start-up with powerful backing on Thursday unveiled an ambitious $1 billion plan to help make the Bay Area the nation's electric-car capital.

Endorsed by all three of the Bay Area's big city mayors, the plan would provide the re-charging infrastructure that must be in place before most consumers would consider buying or leasing an electric car.

Better Place, headed by former high-tech executive Shai Agassi, plans to install about 250,000 charging ports, 200 battery-exchange stations and a control center to service Bay Area electric car drivers. The goal is to have most of the system in place by 2012.