Shai Agassi’s @TED: how to save the world and make a buck

If you want a problem solved, get a hacker. If you want world problems solved get a mega-world-hacker.

Most people see the system as fixed, and struggle with negotiating the problem description to fit the current state of affairs. Hence we get incentive packages, 20% CO2 reduction by 2020, and all sort of abominations.

Hackers only see two things as fixed: problem description and mathematics. All the rest is a toys to play with. The problem is emissions, and the mathematics is simple: we need to stop burning fossil fuels. So forget hybrids (“hybrids are like mermaids”) or hydrogen fuel cell. We need electric cars that are affordable, convenient and scalable, and we need them with current technology. Fix those parameters, and let loose of the rest. What do you get? Stop thinking of electrons as fuel and batteries as fuel tanks: the battery is the fuel. The rest follows.

Shai Agassi tells your future like you want it to be. Better world is the company 2.0 that will make the car 2.0, and has no problem with including profit and morality in the same sentance.

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