Better Place Names New CEO to Replace Founder

Better Place Inc. has promoted Evan Thornley, head of its Australia unit, to CEO, effective immediately.

The Palo Alto, Calif.-based company develops and deploys networks for battery rental, exchange and rapid recharging in China, Europe and the U.S.

Thornley succeeds founder Shai Agassi, who will continue to serve on the Better Place board.

The company says Thornley was instrumental in creating EV Engineering Ltd., a collaborative venture between auto suppliers, Better Place and the Australian government. The goal is to demonstrate the feasibility of large EVs in the Australian market.

Better Place opened its first battery switching station in Denmark in mid-2011 and another in the Netherlands last month. The company launched a charging network in Hawaii in February. Better Place also markets the Renault Fluence ZE electric sedan in Israel, where a charging network is planned.