Bollore, a French giant in developing electric batteries and ‘smart’ electrical systems, is planning to bring 500 electric vehicles and 1,200 charging stations to Indianapolis as part of the most highly anticipated and valued car racing events in the U.S. next year- Indianapolis 500.
The decision was made after the electric car share program that Bellore runs, proved to be a huge success in Paris. The idea behind the program is that people are able to transport themselves across the city without having to own the electric vehicle they drive.
The program is based on short car rentals. Once the destination is reached, a GPS system directs drivers to the nearest parking spot with a charging station.
The ultimate goal of Bollore is to completely transform the habits of car ownership, while minimizing pollution and traffic congestion and the city of Indianapolis seem to be the most suitable place for testing the program outside French boarders.
The city has a wide business community and thousands of students, who might be willing to give up their personal cars given they have the right incentive. The program will be available to everyone, meaning that individuals and governmental officials will have equal access to the shared electric cars.
Bollore plans to allow owners of private electric vehicles to make use of the charging stations as well. In collaboration with the city mayor Greg Ballard, Bollore aims to transform Indianapolis into the most electrified city in the U.S.. If the program is successful, the company is planning to expand the idea to other major cities in the country.
The Indianapolis 500, or Indy 500, will take place in May, 2014, providing pure entertainment to all race fans and challenging drivers, teams and equipment manufacturers through diverse racing venues, culminating in the crowning of world-class driver, team and manufacturer champions.
