With the unveiling of Israel’s newer, cheaper, and more efficient solar cells, there is a lot of talk among the world’s economists that an Israeli solar economy, producing renewable power at a hundredth the cost of current systems, could allow the rest of the world to loosen the shackles of Arabian oil giants. In tandem with this announcement, Israeli officials strongly endorsed the popularization of clean, electric cars on its highways.

A project led by an anonymous venture capital mogul, the French motor manufacturer Renault, and Japan’s Nissan, the idea is to first create a nation-wide support infrastructure for electric and hybrid fuel cell powered cars in the form of service centers, specialized mechanics, and abundant recharging stations that would allow green commuters to extend their travel radius to every corner of the country.

The second stage of this initiative will be the completed development of the ‘ultrabattery’ which will be cheaper, higher-powered, and will enjoy a longer lifespan.

Then, they want to bring the up-front cost of buying an electric car down below the cost of today’s conventional fuel economy cars. It is their hope to engage electric car drivers in a new and untold model of fuel consumption for the purposes of transportation. Basically, drivers would get a subsidy on the purchase of the proposed cars, and then would sign up for a monthly mileage package based on their typical use – much like a cell phone plan.

Israeli efforts and their impressive steepening of the curve of advancement in solar power are a testament to what can be done with a little good old fashioned human innovation. Though it is a project at the national level of funding and development, it can apply to the individual solar power enthusiast as well, and stands as an example that anyone can follow in search of new and super-efficient ways to take control of their energy needs, reduce their impact upon their environment, and save money at the same time!