Better Place eRogue starts trials

The electric motoring project Better Place has announced a partnership with California and launched a new car (pictured). Yesterday Shai Agassi's company hooked up with the state to promote the use of EVs powered by renewable energy, starting with a focus on the San Fransisco Bay Area. It also added the Nissan eRogue, a new demo electric car based on the Renault-Nissan Rogue.

The eRogue is referred to as a 'crossover SUV', halfway between the size of a sedan and an SUV. It's certainly far larger than today's electric city cars, such as the TH!NK City, G-Wiz i and Mega City. There are no details on the eRogue's range and top speed, though don't expect the range to be huge -- the normal petrol version only does a measly 27mpg for highway driving. Check out a video of the eRogue here.

Better Place's fresh addition joins the existing test car, the Renault-Nissan eMegane.

Local mayors describe the partnership between Better Place and California as part of their bid to make the region the "EV capital of the US." Building the battery-swapping stations -- essentially electric versions of today's petrol filling stations -- is expected to cost $1 billion.

Californians desperate to try out an eRogue or eMegane will need to be patient, as mass market availability for the Better Place cars isn't expected until 2012.