Holden to partner with Better Place

Holden has locked in a key piece of infrastructure support for its Volt extended-range electric vehicle. As we predicted in an earlier report, The company has formed an alliance with Better Place to enhance the ownership experience for Volt buyers.

Better Place is committed to providing Volt owners with such service options as a 'Charge Spot' unit at home or in the workplace. As with any service offered by Better Place, it's backed by renewable energy, which the company claims is fully certified by the federal government.

“The Volt is unique among electric cars as it can charge from a regular household outlet, but we know from overseas’ experience that Volt customers are likely to also look for faster charging options,” explained Richard Marshall, Holden's Energy and Environment Director. “And while the Volt is not restricted in range compared to other standard electric vehicles, we do expect that drivers will prefer to drive on battery only wherever possible.”

According to Mr Marshall, the Charge Spot will reduce recharge times from six hours (for a standard 240V 10A domestic power outlet) to four hours. Fleet owners are the Volt buyers most likely to take up such an option, particularly for those vehicles bound to spend long hours on the road each day.

“This option is likely to be popular with fleets who want to run their Volts predominantly on the initial battery charge,” Mr Marshall said. The range for the Volt on electric (battery) power alone is up to 87km, according to Holden. Drawing on power supplied from the car's internal-combustion engine, the Volt can cover a distance of up to 600km between a refill (of the fuel tank) or recharging the on-board battery pack. The Better Place support is primarily aimed at companies or private buyers that want to reduce their fossil fuel reliance to the absolute minimum. Ben Keneally, Better Place Head of Strategy and Marketing, echoes Holden's corporate line, that the Volt is an electric car, first and foremost — not a plug-in hybrid.

“The partnership between Better Place and Holden means Volt drivers can choose an all-inclusive service that delivers complete peace of mind and makes driving an electric car easy, convenient and reliable,” Mr Keneally was quoted as saying. “We look after everything a Volt driver needs – including installing personal charging spots at home or work, delivering shorter charging times, and providing ongoing management, maintenance, and 24-hour customer care.”

Priced just below $60,000 — at $59,990 — the Volt is a relatively steep investment for private buyers and fleets alike, and the question remains open: will buyers be satisfied having the car reside in the garage for up to six hours a day while it recharges when it could or should be out on the road? For those buyers planning to use the Volt for more than just the once-a-day trip to the shops and picking up the kids from school, the Better Place Charge Points might be the solution.

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