Bad news for fans of the Better Place plan - maybe. According to a report on an Israeli business website, Renault executives at a conference in Geneva have said that the electric car bound for Israel, to be franchised by Shai Agassi's Better Place, will be delayed by a year. However, the website also states 2011 as the new launch date which is basically when Renault has originally said it would happen. Perhaps it is just a matter of it happening at year's end rather than the beginning. No reason for the delay was mentioned but, if real, it could have something to do with newly-announced cost-cutting measures that will see the departure of 6,000 Renault employees. Of course, it might just be that the company already has its hands full preparing the six different liquid-fueled Megane III models it says will be available. Based on a slightly lengthened 2010 Megane III (pictured above), the electric version of the car was to be sold in other countries as well. Hopefully the French automaker won't wait too long to deliver on its earlier promise. Israel is a relatively small market and there are other electric car competitors getting ready to grab up precious market share.
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