29: A Better Place?
Israel Story
Israel Story
4.8 • 1.2K Ratings
🗓️ 8 September 2017
⏱️ 52 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Not that long ago, an Israeli vehicle was about to change the world. But it didn’t. In today's episode, we find out why the Better Place electric car generated such excitement and inspired such devotion, and why its ultimate demise was so devastating.
In 2007, long before Tesla and Elon Musk became household names, a thirty-nine-year-old Israeli tech entrepreneur by the name of Shai Agassi came out with an announcement that rattled the world: He was going to revolutionize transportation, make countries oil-free by 2020, and curb the effects of climate change. Agassi hoped to put millions and millions of drivers, all around the globe, behind the wheel of an inexpensive electric car, with virtually unlimited range. And that, he told anyone who would listen, was going to make the world a “Better Place.”
The music in this episode includes original tracks composed and performed by David Peretz, as well as music by Blue Dot Sessions, Jason Shaw and Audionautix, Kevin MacLeod and Royal Free Sound, Bird Creek, Twin Musicom, Chris Zabriskie and Bensound. The final song, “Mechonit,” is by Mashina. The episode was edited by Julie Subrin and mixed by Sela Waisblum.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Attention at all passengers. You can now book your train tickets on Uber and get 10% back in Uber credits to spend on your next train journey. |
| 0:11.0 | So no excuses not to visit your in-laws this Christmas. |
| 0:16.5 | Trains now on Uber. T's and C's apply check the Uber app. Have you tuned in to |
| 0:25.0 | tuned in to the Hadassa on call podcast? |
| 0:30.0 | It's an inspiring and captivating glimpse behind the scenes of the remarkable work being done at Hadassa hospitals in Jerusalem. |
| 0:37.0 | From updates on the hospital's response efforts during the Israel-Hamass War, |
| 0:41.0 | to the medical pioneers who are creating life-changing treatments |
| 0:44.4 | and the oncologists discovering new ways to treat cancer. This podcast offers a unique |
| 0:49.6 | perspective from health care experts and their tips for staying healthy. |
| 0:54.0 | You'll also hear remarkable patient stories and why Newsweek has named the Hadassa Medical |
| 0:59.5 | Organization, a world leader in cardiology and oncology and for the use of smart technologies. Visit go dot hadassa dot org slash on call Israel that Israel. That's go. |
| 1:14.0 | H-A-S-A-A-H. |
| 1:18.0 | dot-O-O-S-A-S-A-S-A-S-A-S-A-O-O-O slash slash on-call Israel. Hey Brian. |
| 1:27.0 | Hey, Meishi, how you doing? |
| 1:29.8 | I'm doing great. |
| 1:31.1 | So where are we, Brian? We're standing in front of some nice |
| 1:33.9 | eucalyptus trees and in front of a car. Your car. My car yeah. |
| 1:41.9 | I see that it says better place 100% electric right on the driver's door. |
| 1:48.0 | Exactly so this is the car that the Israeli startup Better Place sold. |
| 1:55.0 | This is a 100% electric car. |
| 1:58.0 | That means that there's no gasoline engine in it at all. |
| 2:01.0 | There's just an electric engine in the front and a great big battery |
... |
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