Better Place has just announced a major new set of investors. More details after the jump:

Electric car firm Better Place raises $350 mln "Better Place, an infrastructure provider for electric cars founded by former SAP <SAPG.DE> executive Shai Agassi, has raised $350 million in fresh equity as part of a second round of financing. Better Place's concept is for battery-swapping stations to complement a network of charge spots so that electric cars like partner Renault's <RENA.PA> planned Zoe can extend their range without the need of an additional back-up engine that burns fossil fuel."

Here is the full text of the article, in case the link goes bad: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE60O0DG20100125?type=marketsNews 

Russia's richest man, Mikhail Prokhorov, gets a nod of approval from Putin on his new electric car investments. Read more in the article: Putin Backs Russia's First Electric Car Project

Russia's richest man, Mikhail Prokhorov won early backing from Prime Minister Vladimir Putin for his plan to start mass production of electric cars, Putin's spokesman said on Tuesday.

Russia is seeking to modernize its commodity-based economy, which was hit hard by the global crisis when energy prices fell, and wants to achieve growth in technology sectors where it believes it may have some competitive advantage.

Prokhorov, a gold-to-basketball entrepreneur who sold some of his most lucrative assets just before the crisis, is sitting on a cash pile he is ready to invest. He has previously demonstrated strong interest in technology.

"Putin listened very attentively and wanted to see this project discussed in detail with all the ministries involved as soon as possible," Peskov told reporters without elaborating on the details of the plan.

Industry professionals who had seen the early design of Prokhorov's car told Reuters that the vehicle would be a Golf-class sedan with a body made from plastic. They said Prokhorov was ready to provide project financing for two years.

They said the target price for the car would be around 8,800 euros and it would be a pure electric vehicle as opposed to a hybrid, which runs on both a conventional engine and battery-powered electricity.

Prokhorov's Onexim Group currently has no car production facilities. It was not immediately clear whether Prokhorov planned acquisitions or partnerships to complete the project or whether he had asked Putin for funding.

France's Renault SA (RENA.PA: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), which has a stake in Russia's largest carmaker AvtoVAZ (AVAZ.MM: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), and its Japanese partner Nissan Motor Co Ltd (7201.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) have been the most aggressive proponents of pure electric vehicles.

In August, the alliance unveiled a zero-emission, hatch-back vehicle called "Leaf;" it plans to start selling the first cars in the United States, Japan and Europe towards the end of 2010 at prices comparable to those of a gasoline-engine cars of the same size.

Electric car enthusiasts say that current battery technology has advanced significantly from that of earlier models, making electric cars cost-efficient. Russia's vast defense sector has some expertise in making batteries. (Writing by Gleb Bryanski, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)

A new European-wide electric car initiative will be launched as part of the Spanish presidency of the EU next month. Read more about it in the Irish Times article: EU to introduce electric car initiative From the article:

"Spanish rime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, whose country currently holds the EU presidency, said there was a need for a pan-European strategy to produce a viable electric car... The European Commission is already working on its proposals for electric cars which the Commission President José Manuel Barroso described as a "very important" part of its green strategy. Mr Zapatero told MEPS in the European Parliament that the car industry was already going huge change and there was a need for a co-ordinated response and a common strategy. He said competitors such as China and Japan would have the advantage unless EU car manufacturers had the right incentives to invest in electric vehicles."

A new initiative to launch a Europe-wide plan for an electric car will be launched as part of the Spanish presidency of the EU next month.

Spanish rime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, whose country currently holds the EU presidency, said there was a need for a pan-European strategy to produce a viable electric car.

Mr Zapatero said he had met some of Europe's biggest car manufacturers in recent days who impressed upon him that the EU should take a lead in developing electric vehicles.

The outcome of the meeting will be unveiled in San Sebastian on February 8th.

The European Commission is already working on its proposals for electric cars which the Commission President José Manuel Barroso described as a "very important" part of its green strategy.

Mr Zapatero told MEPS in the European Parliament that the car industry was already going huge change and there was a need for a co-ordinated response and a common strategy.

He said competitors such as China and Japan would have the advantage unless EU car manufacturers had the right incentives to invest in electric vehicles.

"It was felt to be fundamental that there should be co-operation of efforts in developing the electric vehicles among all EU countries with the commission taking a lead in developing electric cars," Mr Zapatero said.

He added that there was a need for a regulatory framework to provide financial support for electric vehicle manufactures, common standards and technologies without which it will be "difficult for Europe to take a lead in this area."