Comments on: An audacious plan for electric cars http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/04/28/an-audacious-plan-for-electric-cars/ This blog is about the impact of business on society. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:14:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: jg http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/04/28/an-audacious-plan-for-electric-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-50506 jg Thu, 08 May 2008 15:52:56 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=357#comment-50506 This is exciting, I am in the US and the big oil cvompanies have a strangle hold on us and also the car makers have their way with us. We desperatly need some electric technology in this country. This is exciting, I am in the US and the big oil cvompanies have a strangle hold on us and also the car makers have their way with us. We desperatly need some electric technology in this country.

]]> By: W.O'N http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/04/28/an-audacious-plan-for-electric-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-50063 W.O'N Wed, 07 May 2008 05:30:44 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=357#comment-50063 I'm interested to see if this works in Israel. I will admit that I don't know much about their society/culture but if they are anything like America I have reservations about how well this will work. First, as you mentioned in the article, cars are emotional purchases. Unless people are willing to sacrifice the numerous comforts they currently have at their disposal when choosing a car they will likely not be very enthusiastic about these cars. Also, I think a majority of Americans will not accept only being able to travel 100 miles before changing their batteries. Regardless of how far people are travelling they will undoubtedly feel like they are being inconvienced too often. I do want to say, however, that there is already a market in America that would be excited for this type of vehicle. This seems to be an even more sustainable vehicle than the increasingly popular hybrids such as the Prius. I’m interested to see if this works in Israel. I will admit that I don’t know much about their society/culture but if they are anything like America I have reservations about how well this will work. First, as you mentioned in the article, cars are emotional purchases. Unless people are willing to sacrifice the numerous comforts they currently have at their disposal when choosing a car they will likely not be very enthusiastic about these cars. Also, I think a majority of Americans will not accept only being able to travel 100 miles before changing their batteries. Regardless of how far people are travelling they will undoubtedly feel like they are being inconvienced too often.

I do want to say, however, that there is already a market in America that would be excited for this type of vehicle. This seems to be an even more sustainable vehicle than the increasingly popular hybrids such as the Prius.

]]> By: Marc http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/04/28/an-audacious-plan-for-electric-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-48750 Marc Thu, 01 May 2008 22:35:17 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=357#comment-48750 NK, Shai tells me that changing the battery won't take any more time than filling up a gas tank and checking the oil on a car during a long trip. We will see. His ideas are truly amazing--the challenge now will be to execute them. NK, Shai tells me that changing the battery won’t take any more time than filling up a gas tank and checking the oil on a car during a long trip. We will see. His ideas are truly amazing–the challenge now will be to execute them.

]]> By: nk http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/04/28/an-audacious-plan-for-electric-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-48742 nk Thu, 01 May 2008 22:08:14 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=357#comment-48742 To me this plan sounds amazing. A real, somewhat conceivable, business plan to decrease the worlds use of oil from cars. Yet, there seems to be a lot of uncertainty in his plan too. The whole idea of not being able to travel more than 100 miles without having to change a battery is worrisome. Especially, for someone like me that only really uses my car to travel and see family more than 100 miles away. Yet, I think the plan has promise if he finds away to have fueling stations that allow you to switch batteries. Also, did anyone else find it extremely interesting that Israel Corp., the Israeli holding and oil company, invested $100 million in the project. Obviously they see the future of oil declining and seem to have hope in this project. It will be interesting to see what happens with Mr. Agassi's project and if and when it would make its way to the U.S. To me this plan sounds amazing. A real, somewhat conceivable, business plan to decrease the worlds use of oil from cars. Yet, there seems to be a lot of uncertainty in his plan too. The whole idea of not being able to travel more than 100 miles without having to change a battery is worrisome. Especially, for someone like me that only really uses my car to travel and see family more than 100 miles away. Yet, I think the plan has promise if he finds away to have fueling stations that allow you to switch batteries.

Also, did anyone else find it extremely interesting that Israel Corp., the Israeli holding and oil company, invested $100 million in the project. Obviously they see the future of oil declining and seem to have hope in this project. It will be interesting to see what happens with Mr. Agassi’s project and if and when it would make its way to the U.S.

]]> By: BPT - MoneyChangesThings http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/04/28/an-audacious-plan-for-electric-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-48244 BPT - MoneyChangesThings Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:31:06 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=357#comment-48244 I have been following this story with great astonishment, and pride too, since having been in Israel last year at this time for the Arava bikeride (as a groupie - my husband was riding), and learning of the very sophisticated eco-techno that Israel is working on, I was mightily impressed and encouraged. Shai has a blog: http://shaiagassi.typepad.com/the_long_tailpipe/2008/03/denmark-launch.html His audacious personality comes through, and also you realize English really IS his second language. Since Israel has no natural resources beyond sun and brainpower, it is, as you say, extremely motivated to come up with workable solutions that don't depend on fossil fuel. I have been following this story with great astonishment, and pride too, since having been in Israel last year at this time for the Arava bikeride (as a groupie – my husband was riding), and learning of the very sophisticated eco-techno that Israel is working on, I was mightily impressed and encouraged.
Shai has a blog: http://shaiagassi.typepad.com/the_long_tailpipe/2008/03/denmark-launch.html
His audacious personality comes through, and also you realize English really IS his second language.
Since Israel has no natural resources beyond sun and brainpower, it is, as you say, extremely motivated to come up with workable solutions that don’t depend on fossil fuel.

]]> By: Who built the electric car? « The EcoLibertarian http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/04/28/an-audacious-plan-for-electric-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-48228 Who built the electric car? « The EcoLibertarian Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:05:24 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=357#comment-48228 [...] 29, 2008 · No Comments Marc Gunther updates entrepreneur Shai Agassi’s still-quite-plausible plan to bring electricvehicles to the masses: How does the business work? Essentially, by exploiting what Agassi argues are the cost advantages of electric cars over vehicles powered by gasoline and, yes, you read that right—he says it’s significantly cheaper to operate an electric car than a gas-powered one, particularly with oil priced at more than $110 a barrel. (The economics work with much cheaper oil, too, he says.) The low-cost advantage for electric cars is even greater in Europe, he says, where gas prices are the equivalent of $7 to $9 a gallon. [...] [...] 29, 2008 · No Comments Marc Gunther updates entrepreneur Shai Agassi’s still-quite-plausible plan to bring electricvehicles to the masses: How does the business work? Essentially, by exploiting what Agassi argues are the cost advantages of electric cars over vehicles powered by gasoline and, yes, you read that right—he says it’s significantly cheaper to operate an electric car than a gas-powered one, particularly with oil priced at more than $110 a barrel. (The economics work with much cheaper oil, too, he says.) The low-cost advantage for electric cars is even greater in Europe, he says, where gas prices are the equivalent of $7 to $9 a gallon. [...]

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