Better Place announces 19 "Vision Partners" (aka early buyers) in Israel

"Vision Partner" sure has a nice ring to it. So positive, so optimistic, and so perfect a name for Better Place's new partners in Israel. Better Place announced this week that it has agreements with 19 companies who want to support Better Place's plug-in vehicle/infrastructure project by being the first to buy the cars when they become commercially available in 2011. Better Place founder and CEO says that these agreements prove "that there is a real demand for electric cars powered by the Better Place network."

The Jerusalem Post lists 13 of the companies: Israel Corporation, Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries, Partner Communications, Pelephone Communications, Orange Communications, Matrix IT, Direct Insurance, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Netafim, Keter Plastics, Orbotech, Manpower Israel, and Glasshouse Technologies. Globes also names Jafora Tabori, SQlink, and Nike Israel as partners. We're trying to find the names of the other three.

[Source: Better Place, Globes, Jerusalem Post]

PRESS RELEASE:

Better Place Names First Vision Partners in Israel

Monday, 23 Feb 2009

19 Leading Israeli Firms At Top of Queue for Fleet Conversions and Network Installation
Tel Aviv (Feb 23, 2009) -- Better Place announced today that it has signed 19 leading Israeli companies to be the company's first corporate fleet customers for its Israel operation. The companies including TEVA, Israel Corp., Pelephone Communications Ltd., Orange Israel, Rafael, Matrix IT Ltd., have agreed to partner with Better Place as it designs, installs and tests its electric car charging network in Israel. Under the agreement, Better Place will give these fleet customers priority in purchasing Better Place electric cars when they are commercially available in 2011.

"Today marks an important signal to the market that there is a real demand for electric cars powered by the Better Place network," said Shai Agassi, Founder and CEO. "We expect to demonstrate increasing demand as we begin to name additional vision partners in Israel and in our other markets, which together represent a 50 million total addressable car market. We're seeing the tip of the iceberg for the demand that lies beneath the surface."

"These leaders of the Israeli economy understand the strategic importance of one of the greatest challenges facing our world today – our dependence on oil and the impact it has on our economy, our environment and our security," said Moshe Kaplinsky, CEO, Better Place Israel. "The Better Place Israel team will work closely with our vision partners as they review the roadmap that will enable them to switch to electric transportation, while providing them with significant environmental and economic advantages."

As part of the agreement, Better Place will partner closely with these fleet customers to design, plan and install an electric car charging network at corporate campuses and employee homes to create the most convenient and suitable deployment for drivers to use. Better Place will invite the companies' employees to participate in driver workshops and other seminars, which will inform them on the convenience, safety and experience of driving an electric car. As early adopters, Better Place will grant these vision partners first priority in test drives, use of demonstration vehicles and initial supply of commercially-ready vehicles.

Moshe Kaplinsky, CEO of Better Place Israel, concluded: "These companies are all recognized leaders in their own fields, and by taking part in the most significant change in the transportation arena in this century, they will take a huge step forward in our global march to reduce our dependence on oil. They will lend their voice by helping us to plan and develop the right solution to meet the needs of our society."

Better Place and The Renault-Nissan Alliance are working together to make electric cars widely available in markets including Israel, beginning in 2011.

About Better Place:
Better Place, the world's leading mobility operator, aims to end the world's dependence on oil for personal transportation by building a network for charging electric cars powered by renewable energy. Better Place enables markets to switch to a sustainable transportation model, reducing oil dependency and greenhouse gas emissions while fueling the "green" economy. With initial venture funding of $200 million, Better Place began deployment in Israel in 2008 and will begin operating the network of charge spots and battery switch stations in 2010. The company plans similar network deployments in Denmark, Australia, California, Hawaii and Ontario, Canada. With the network in place, Better Place buys batteries and clean electricity and sells miles/kilometers to provide drivers a convenient, affordable and sustainable alternative for mobility. More information is available at http://www.betterplace.com.