19 leading Israeli firms sign up with Better PlaceMore of Israel’s leading companies have joined electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure developer Project Better Place. 19 companies – among them Teva, Nike, Pelephone, Orange, Orbotech, Matrix, Direct Insurance, RAFAEL, Netafim, Keter, Manpower Israel, Jaf-Ora, Glasshouse and SQLink – announced they have signed agreements of cooperation with Better Place, stating that they understand the importance of weaning away from fossil fuels, and promising to adapt their company car fleets to EVs. Better Place will install EV charging stations both at company parking lots and employees’ homes and will coordinate with each company in determining optimal positioning of the stations. Workers will also attend seminars on environmental issues and green transport, and will be first in line to test drive and lease new EVs. Better Place and partner Renault-Nisssan plan to enable massive use of EVs around the world by 2011.