There is an old saying that I really like. It might actually date back to Chaucer’s time. From a little acorn, doth grow the mighty oak. This applies with respect to the really big ideas throughout history. They all had modest beginnings and a flash of inspiration that altered the future.

Former software guru and now automotive entrepreneur, Shai Agassi, has a plan to alter energy usage that is receiving a good deal of media attention. He is working to introduce a pilot program in Israel, with plans for California as well. The concept is beautifully simple.

It has been proven that electric cars are viable. So far, however, they have had a limited driving range before requiring a recharge. The amount of charge that a battery can hold appears to have bumped up against a technological barrier. There may be a relatively simple way around this.

This is what is being proposed. In the future, when you drive into a service station, rather than pumping gas, you will replace the battery in your car. This system would be similar to the exchange program currently in place for propane tanks used in barbecues.

There are still plenty of hurdles to be overcome. An extensive network of change stations will have to be set up. The act of replacing a battery will have to be made a lot simpler. There will have to be a standardization of batteries and a means for the driver to monitor the battery’s charge.

But these problems don’t seem insurmountable. Is this the next big idea? You never know. From a little acorn…

Alex Carrick

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