Better Place Partners with GE

As the competition on the electric vehicle infrastructure segment is increasing, more an more companies decide to pursuit any given goal by partnering complementary businesses. Better Place, one of the soon to be big names of the electric vehicles charging solution providers, decided to tie the knot with energy giant GE in an attempt to “accelerate the global deployment of electric vehicle infrastructure.”

The two new partners will be working towards four clearly defined goals, whose completion will usher the new era in personal transportation: standards-based technology development, battery financing, joint fleet electrification programs and consumer awareness.

The first goal, standards-based technology development, will be embodied by the GE WattStation, a charging solution compatible with the Better Place service network.

Battery financing will be supported by GE and Better Place with investments in a pilot project which will see 10,000 batteries being manufactured in Israel and Denmark, the two primary markets for Better Place.

Both companies will be targeting, as main customers, fleet operators, in a bold attempt to transform their current fleets into electric ones in the years to come.

As for consumer awareness, this goal will be reached by creating educational programs for current vehicle buyers.

"Almost three years ago, Better Place identified the transformation from oil to electricity as the last massive ‘digitization’ of energy, and a significant economic opportunity globally,” said Shai Agassi, Better Place CEO.

“Our collaboration with GE is another significant step forward for Better Place as we seek to assemble a formidable ecosystem of industry leaders including Renault, HSBC and now GE that can help us scale our model globally."