Better Place launches Dutch electric taxis

The electric car venture has set up an electric taxi project at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport with EU funding.

3 September 12 15:45, Dubi Ben-Gedalyahu

Better Place Inc. today launched an electric taxi project at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. The Dutch electric taxi project is the first green venture financed by the EU's Ten-T decarbonization infrastructure program.

Better Place built the battery replacement station at Schiphol Airport that will initially serve 10 Renault Fluence ZE electric taxis operated by three leading Dutch taxi companies. Better Place added that it will build a second battery replacement station in Amsterdam to increase the range of the taxi service for the first group of electric cabs.

Better Place also announced the appointment of Paul Harms as CEO of Better Place Netherlands.

Netherlands Ambassador to Israel Caspar Veldkamp said that Better Place met the challenge and deadline set by the Dutch government and EU for the first stage in establishing an electric car network in the Netherlands and Europe.

Better Place CEO Shai Agassi said, “We’re grateful for the support of the European Commission, the Dutch and Danish governments, Schiphol, Renault, and all of our partners in making this project happen in less than 18 months. We’re determined to demonstrate to Europe that electric cars can drive any distance in any country and aren’t just limited to short-distance driving."

Better Place said the Schiphol-Amsterdam corridor was one of the most demanding routes in the world with more than 700,000 taxi trips originating from Schiphol each year. Applying battery switch technology to electric taxis allows them to operate virtually around the clock without the need to stop, plug in, and charge. The project showcases that with the right solution, high usage vehicles such as taxis can make the switch to electric cars.

Better Place added that, on average, Dutch consumers drive around 15,000 kilometers each year, with a large segment of business users that drive around 30,000 kilometers on average, making the Netherlands one of the most attractive markets for electric cars in Europe.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on September 3, 2012

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