Train passengers will be able to use a charging do.
(photo credit: Debby Communications)
Israel Railways and Better Place signed an agreement
on Sunday to begin the development of electric car charging stations in
Israel Railway parking lots in the coming months.
The agreement, signed by Yitzhak Harel, director
-general of Israel Railways, and Moshe Kaplinsky, CEO of Better Place,
indicates that Better Place will submit a planning program for the
parking lot shortly.
The pilot program, which will begin in the upcoming months, is
anticipated to spread to approximately 220 charging locations at train
stations in Bat Galim, Central Haifa, Acre,
Beit Yehoshua, Herzliya,
Hod Hasharon,
Rosh Ha'ayin,
Petah Tikva Segula, Kiryat Arie Petah
Tikva, Bnei Brak, and Pe'atei Modi'in.
Israel Railways will erect signs to accompany the electric car charging stands, instructing people how to charge their vehicles.
The
new charging stations will allow the thousands of Israelis who park
their cars in Israel Railways parking lots everyday to charge their
vehicles while they ride the trains. Better Place will oversee the
charging docks' installation, as well as any necessary upkeep.
"The train works as an economic growth stimulator," said Harel,
"and it contributes to improving the quality of life by charging
thousands of cars that drive along Israel's roads and eliminating
airborne vehicle pollutants."
Regarding the charging docks' development,
Kaplinsky said on Sunday that the "clean transportation transition
requires preparation of all the transportation in Israel."
Better Place knows the importance of achieving public transport
solutions for existing transportation, integrating and operating most
of the electric vehicle, infrastructure, and public transport.
Combining hands with Israel Railways is natural, but will significantly
reduce the environmental damage."
In recent years, Israel Railways has recorded the fastest
growth in transport rates in the country, and from year to year it
continues to strengthen its position as Israel's leading transport
infrastructure. The approximate 128,000 passengers who have been using
the trains each day since the beginning of the year is expected to
total 35.8 million passengers by the end of December.
Established in October 2007 and co-owned by Shai Agassi and
Hahevrah L'Yisrael, Better Place seeks to provide worldwide electric
car services, fostering the conditions which will make electric
vehicles accessible worldwide in order to end the global dependence on
oil.
The company is working to establish a global network
infrastructure that uses electrical charging renewable energy.
Infrastructure will enable the mass use of electric vehicles, non-toxic
air pollution, significantly reducing the dependence on petroleum and
its products of countries self-propelling the "green" economy.
The company will work with partners to deploy the
infrastructure load in Israel, Denmark, Australia, California, and
Hawaii, beginning in 2010.