An ironic place to test electric vehicles: Inside an old oil tank in Israel

Better Place, the electric vehicle proponent helmed by charismatic former SAP executive Shai Agassi, has flipped the switch on its first demonstration facility -- which was constructed inside an old oil tank at the Pi Glilot Site site in Israel. Pi Glilot is apparently one of the last oil and gas distribution facilities in the country; Better Place is trying to buddy up with existing gas station networks to help make charging stations more ubiquitous, which it believes will fuel the adoption of electric and electric hybrid vehicles.

You can peek at photos of the facility at this link.

The facility is a place for the company to test its concept for electric vehicle charging stations and for corporate fleet owners to see and test the electric vehicles in action. So far, Better Place has signed up 92 different corporate fleet owners who have pledged to convert at least some of their cars over to the new electric models, which are due from Renault in 2011. The latest companies to sign on are CA and Motorola.

The facility will be open to the general public starting Feb. 14, 2010.