Google.org gives electric cars a push, with investments in Aptera and ActaCell

Chris Morrison | July 23rd, 2008

Two companies have been tapped as the first recipients of an investment from a program called RechargeIT, run by Google’s philanthropic arm: Aptera Motors, a Carlsbad, Calif. company that is gearing up to sell a futuristic three-wheeled car; and ActaCell, a battery company that hopes to help make electric cars both cheap and safe.

Each company is receiving $2.75 million from Google.org (although ActaCell also has other new investors). The announcement comes as RechargeIT is releasing the results of a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) test showing that a modified Prius can get over 90 miles per gallon.

The 230+ miles-per-gallon Aptera has received plenty of attention over the past few months, and a post here on VentureBeat asking whether readers would drive the odd-looking vehicle continues to get responses indicating that yes, quite a few people are interested in the $30,000 car. The Google investment is also only part of a total $24 million round that should bring the company closer to its production goals.

However, ActaCell is appearing for the first time with this investment. The company, spun out of the University of Texas at Austin and based in the same city, is working on a lithium-ion battery technology that it thinks might be able to change the dynamics of the electric car market. At the moment, li-ion is by far the preferable battery type in terms of performance, but it is also far more expensive than competing technologies like nickel-metal hydride (NiMH).

Outside of the funding details, CEO Bill Ott didn’t want to say much about the technology when I spoke to him. However, he was willing to admit that there are a few broad problems that ActaCell wants to tackle. One of the top priorities is safety — li-ion batteries are famous for exploding or catching on fire in laptops. Cars, obviously, need to operate without either of those things happening.

Just as important is the cost. Ott suggested that a major component of cost is in the materials that go into li-ion batteries, which often include “precious commodities” like cobalt and nickel. “If you want to build a successful company,” he told me, “you have to have a low-cost material.” Also important is extending the life of the battery so that it needs to be replaced less often.

The company plans on releasing the details of initial tests of its batteries later this year, and Ott says that they should be commercializing the technology by 2010, around the time they’ll need another round of funding.

Major competitors to a technology like ActaCell include A123, a li-ion maker that is loaded with cash and appears to be contemplating an IPO, and secretive EEStor, a maker of so-called “hypercapacitors” that entered a partnership with defense giant Lockheed Martin this year. EEStor, by the way, hates talking to press, but a new mystery blogger has been talking about the company; if you’re curious about their progress, try checking it out.

The total investment taken by ActaCell was for $5.85 million. The round was actually led by DFJ Mercury, with participation from Google.org, Applied Ventures, and Good Energies.

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  1. July 23rd, 2008
    12:36 pm

    Aptera Update: Google.org Now In The Passenger Seat | SMASHgods ~ breaking down the best bits of propriety ~ [www.smashgods.com] said:

    [...] [Via VentureBeat] [...]

  2. July 24th, 2008
    12:00 am

    EV News Summary, July 23, 2008 said:

    [...] Google.org gives electric cars a push, with investments in Aptera and ActaCell Google.org is Google’s not-exactly-charity arm of their operations. Since Google believes in not being evil I suppose they want to use Google.org to do some good things for the world. [...]

  3. July 24th, 2008
    1:35 am

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    [...] pilot found this at venturebeat.com from Yahoo Buzz: Two companies have been tapped as the first recipients of an investment from a [...]

  4. July 24th, 2008
    8:19 am

    Lidless Dot Net » Blog Archive » Google.org invests $2.75M in Aptera Motors said:

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  5. July 24th, 2008
    8:30 am

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  6. July 24th, 2008
    8:49 am

    Your Gadget Guide » Blog Archive » Google.org invests $2.75M in Aptera Motors said:

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  7. July 24th, 2008
    9:02 am

    Google.org invests $2.75M in Aptera Motors | Techteam.gr said:

    [...] from ascension intercommunicate costs and concerns… and our demand of a firm ride.[Via SMASHgods]Read | Permalink | Email [...]

  8. July 24th, 2008
    9:04 am

    engadget » Google.org invests $2.75M in Aptera Motors said:

    [...] a welcome relief from rising fuel costs and concerns… and our lack of a fresh ride.[Via SMASHgods]Read | Permalink | Email [...]

  9. July 24th, 2008
    9:04 am

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  10. July 24th, 2008
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  11. July 24th, 2008
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  12. July 24th, 2008
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  13. July 24th, 2008
    9:05 am

    ZEITGEIST / Google.org invests $2.75M in Aptera Motors said:

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  14. July 24th, 2008
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  15. July 24th, 2008
    9:06 am

    Arifia » Google.org invests $2.75M in Aptera Motors said:

    [...] a welcome relief from rising fuel costs and concerns… and our lack of a fresh ride.[Via SMASHgods]Read | Permalink | Email [...]

  16. July 24th, 2008
    9:07 am

    Google.org invests $2.75M in Aptera Motors | Technology Update News said:

    [...] a welcome relief from rising fuel costs and concerns… and our lack of a fresh ride.[Via SMASHgods]Read | Permalink | Email [...]

  17. July 24th, 2008
    9:08 am

    Mac Evangelism » Google.org invests $2.75M in Aptera Motors said:

    [...] a welcome relief from rising fuel costs and concerns… and our lack of a fresh ride.[Via SMASHgods]Read | Permalink | Email [...]

  18. July 24th, 2008
    9:09 am

    Google.org invests $2.75M in Aptera Motors | TECHTODAY GET LATEST NEWS OF MOBILES COMPUTERS EVERYTHING said:

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  19. July 24th, 2008
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  20. July 24th, 2008
    9:11 am

    Google.org invests $2.75M in Aptera Motors at Electronics Review And Update said:

    [...] a welcome relief from rising fuel costs and concerns… and our lack of a fresh ride.[Via SMASHgods]Read | Permalink | Email [...]

  21. July 24th, 2008
    9:14 am

    Google.org invests $2.75M in Aptera Motors » Developages - Development and Technology Blog said:

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  22. July 24th, 2008
    9:20 am

    Google.org invests $2.75M in Aptera Motors at The Right Guy’s Blog said:

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  23. July 24th, 2008
    9:20 am

    Google.org invests $2.75M in Aptera Motors | bitbucket.kylewelsh.com said:

    [...] a welcome relief from rising fuel costs and concerns… and our lack of a fresh ride.[Via SMASHgods]Read | Permalink | Email [...]

  24. July 24th, 2008
    9:23 am

    Google.org invests $2.75M in Aptera Motors : rare online articles said:

    [...] a welcome relief from rising fuel costs and concerns… and our lack of a fresh ride.[Via SMASHgods]Read | Permalink | Email [...]

  25. July 24th, 2008
    9:37 am

    Google.org gives electric cars a push, with investments in Aptera and ActaCell » Viewgadget.com said:

    [...] Two companies have been tapped as the first recipients of an investment from a program called RechargeIT, run by Google’s philanthropic arm: Aptera Motors, a Carlsbad, Calif. company that is gearing up to sell a futuristic three-wheeled car; and ActaCell, a battery company that hopes to help make electric cars both cheap and safe. [Read More..] [...]

  26. July 24th, 2008
    9:38 am

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  27. July 24th, 2008
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  28. July 24th, 2008
    10:25 am

    Evsion Lab » Blog Archive » Google.org invests $2.75M in Aptera Motors said:

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  29. July 24th, 2008
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  30. July 24th, 2008
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  31. July 24th, 2008
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  32. July 24th, 2008
    1:42 pm

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  33. July 24th, 2008
    1:59 pm

    meneame.net said:

    Google.org invierte 2,75 millones de dólares en Aptera Motors (ING)…

    Google.org, el brazo filantrópico del buscador, acaba de invertir en un nuevo proyecto ecológico al inyectar una importante suma de capital en el visionario fabricante de coches Aptera Motors. Haciendo piña con ActaCell (empresa dedicada a la produc…

  34. July 24th, 2008
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  35. July 24th, 2008
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  36. July 24th, 2008
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  37. July 25th, 2008
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  38. July 25th, 2008
    6:59 am

    Google.org invests $2.75M in Aptera Motors | Joxx.net said:

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  39. July 25th, 2008
    8:39 am

    Aptera and ActaCell Get $2.75 Million Each : : CARazed said:

    [...] for 2010 for full production release of their battery technology. Photo credit Aptera. Also see VentureBeat for more [...]

  40. July 26th, 2008
    10:17 pm

    司马渡 | SimaDu.com said:

    [...] 图片中这个看起来极具后现代气息的三轮式异形汽车，正是Aptera公司开发中的Typ-1型汽电混合动力车(Hybrid Electric Car)。在进退维谷的开发状态下,这个预售价3万美元的未来汽车本周终于迎来了博爱的Google.org的275万美元 风投。每加仑油行驶230英里是一个很可观的进步了，现在的问题是如何降低生产成本与解决安全问题。同时获得风投的，还有致力于将锂离子电池(lithium-ion battery)用于电动车开发的ActaCell公司。考虑到前两年笔记本轰轰烈烈的锂离子电池自燃、爆炸事件，我们还真得为它捏把汗了。 [...]

  41. July 27th, 2008
    1:08 pm

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  42. August 8th, 2008
    2:44 pm

    Aptera Motors gets $2.75M from Google.org | What did you mean ? said:

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