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Better Place Electric Car visitor centre opens

Better Place have opened a visitor centre in Israel to demonstrate their battery swap technology for electric cars Last October we wrote about a start-up company in Israel – Better Place – that had a new way forward for electric cars by taking the purchase of battery packs out of the equation, and was developing a system for ‘Battery Swap’ stations where electric car owners could drive in and swap their battery pack for a fully-charged one in a few minutes. That story first brought to our attention our favourite quote of last year – by Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn – who said “A hybrid is like a mermaid: if you want a fish, you get a woman; if you want a woman, you get a fish.” Which probably explained why Nissan – and its partner Renault – got involved with Better Place. Better Place aims to address the main concerns of electric car drivers by making the battery packs in electric cars ‘swappable’.

VW Sharan MPV (2010) at Geneva motor show

This is the new Volkswagen Sharan, and it’s about time too - the original was launched in 1995. In the time it’s taken VW to replace the Sharan, Ford has ditched its Sharan-based Galaxy, launched a new version using S-Max and Mondeo parts, and facelifted it. We’ve all laughed at the geriatric Saab 9-5, but for the mighty Volkswagen Group this seems like a serious oversight.

Lamborghini Aventador Roadster to get carbon fibre Targa roof

Lamborghini Aventador Roadster to get carbon fibre targa top The Italian Motoring press are reporting that the new Lamborghini Aventador Roadster will get a carbon fibre Targa roof. Lamborghini has always had a slightly cavalier attitude to the roadster roofs they put on their cars. Even the range-topping Murcielago Roadster had an origami canvas top on a frame made of old coat hangers that took longer to put up than the passing shower you were trying to shelter from.