Shai Agassi is the kind of guy that makes you think of the famous Margaret Meed quote: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
In a really mind-blowing TED talk he talks about his vision to change transport in one big swoop to electric cars. He compellingly talks about figures having to be either infinite, 100% or 0%. No half measures. He says that Kennedy did not say the US will take man 20% of the way to the moon and then have a 20% chance of bringing him back. It was an absolute undertaking.
Similarly, in terms of environmental measures: Stop talking about half measures. Start talking in absolutes. Decide to solve it 100%. Make it infinitely scalable. Have 0% of the emissions we have today.
In the talk he explains his thinking that for electric cars to work (using today's technology) you have to think about the solution outside of just the car. So don't solve the problem inside the car only. Make the environment adopt the car. That means charging stations wherever a car can be parked. It also means replacement batteries at something that resembles a mix between a gas station and a car wash.
From the talk he has Nissan-Renault's backing, as well as Israel and Denmark as countries to do it in. Inspiring stuff!
It is worthwhile to listen to, and made me think: What lies ahead for insurance? What impact does this wholesale change to private transport in a country do for the car insurance industry in that country? Worthwhile to ponder.
Shai Agassi has been named by Time Magazine as one of the world's most influential people.
His business is appropriately called "Better Place".
The TED talk is on this link: TED
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