The battery swap giant Better Place is ready to add another location to its world map – as this time it heads to China.
The company has signed a strategic agreement with China Southern Power Grid, the world’s eighth largest utility, and will focus on joint electric car and infrastructure projects to advance the vehicles and switchable batteries in China.
As part of the strategic agreement, the companies will open a battery switch station and joint education centre in Guangzhou before the end of the year and will formulate a joint venture partnership. The municipal government of Guangzhou will also assist Better Place in their efforts to create a supply chain hub and electric car network. It will encourage local manufacturers, including Guangzhou Automobile, to produce electric cars and switchable batteries.
According to China Southern Grid chairman, Zhao Jianguo, Better Place has conducted extensive research and testing on battery switch technology and it is believed that the battery switch model may become mainstream in China.
The joint education centre will be developed in phases to host government and industry delegations and educated Chinese consumers about the benefits of going electric. As the two develop their relationship, they will also look at a joint commercial operation based on a switchable battery, network operator model.
