The Register® — Biting the hand that feeds IT

Agassi drives 'lectric car empire across Pacific

Hawaii captured

Tune into our application security webcast, click here

After conquering San Francisco, Shai Agassi has bounded across the Pacific, expanding his electric car empire onto the islands of Hawaii.

Yesterday, the Better Place CEO joined Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle in claiming that the company's mobile-phone inspired 'leccy-vehicle network would be up and running in the fiftieth state within 18 months.

Better Place is already prepping charging spots and battery-swap stations in Australia, Denmark, and Israel as well as the San Francisco Bay Area. During an interview with The Reg at San Francisco City Hall last month, Agassi said Israel will see 1,000 juice-your-car parking spots by this spring.

The former SAP wunderkind likes to call his company "Vodacar." The idea is that Better Place will supply your car with juice in much the same way wireless operators supply your phone with cell access. You'll pay a monthly fee to use the company's network of charging spots and battery swap stations.

Agassi even talks of subsidizing cars. But at the moment, this seems little more than talk. Speaking with The Reg, he said Better Place will spring for your car's battery — "in essence." A significant expense, to be sure. But it's unclear exactly how this will work.

Presumably, Hawaii has agreed to grease permitting for the Better Place network — and provide tax breaks for 'leccy-car owners. But it appears the specifics have yet to be ironed out. Calls to multiple Hawaiian officials went unanswered.

Better Place expects to begin permitting within the next year and open the network to the masses by 2012. ®

See what The Register's experts have to say on application security

Don’t Miss

Win a Samsung C6625!

Reg Lucky Draw Windows Mobile handsets up for grabs

Palm_Pre_001_SMIs your cameraphone an oxymoron?

Pic Review iPhone 3G v iPhone 3GS v Palm Pre

Reg black vulture logoReg Mobile and Wireless newsletter is go! go! go!

Site news Email-tasm

Sign up, sign up for The Register IT security newsletter

Narrowcasting for the email classes