Skeptics have voiced their opinions on renewable energy advances for decades. That's not news.

What is news is that Project Better Place, the Israeli/American startup that aims to put millions of electric vehicles on roads worldwide in the next decade, is moving quickly to squelch skepticism with solid technological steps forward.

The Frankfurt Motor Show was the place where French automaker Renault, the main automotive industry collaborator with Better Place, decided to debut no fewer than four electric vehicles that serve a range of urban and mid-range uses.

Below you see the size spread of the four models shown this month, which include the Twizy city car, Zoe compact, Fluence 5-passenger sedan, and Kangoo electric van:

The key to success for all of these models has also been a key point of contention for EV doubters and especially Better Place naysayers. Renault has already committed to a 100,000 vehicle deployment in Israel and Denmark by 2016, making use of Better Place's Lithium-ion battery charging stations.

Twizy, Zoe, Fluence, and the EV Kangoo will all start to hit sales floors in 2011.

Yet the practical reality of widespread EV penetration in showrooms and on roadways depends on easy charging and swapping of batteries.

So Renault's new cars will be optimized to make use of the Quickdrop switchout stations Better Place is developing, where drivers will enter an alcove something like a standard car wash building today. Robotic arms will attach to nodes and grip points that are currently being standardized, and a new battery will be switched for the old one in around 3 minutes.

There is also another Quick Charge system, where 20-30 minutes will be the time needed to recharge the EV battery, rather than switching out altogether.

This isn't about gullwings and gimmicks, and it's certainly not about magic. Better Place is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, and its head is former SAP software head Shai Agassi.

A handful of publicly traded companies are already planning to establish their company fleets as test runs for Quickdrop and other EV innovations, which include range optimization software that makes driving much more high-tech.

Instead of just changing the fuel source, we're seeing a concerted, scientific effort led by one remarkably successful young entrepreneur and droves of bright minds eager to make ideas and make money.

The Israeli and Danish governments have given the firmest national commitments to Better Place, and now the Obama Administration is pushing for the federal fuel efficiency standard (CAFE) to 35.5 miles per gallon from the current 27.5 by 2016.

That's a 4-year nudge from the previous target of 35.5 mpg by 2020, and the White House schedule change now means that the U.S. auto industry will be somewhat in sync with Renault and Better Place's major EV deployment goal.

This project is moving quickly from drawing board to showroom floor, and we'll keep you up to date every step of the way.

Regards,

Sam Hopkins

International Editor