California-based Better Place and Denmark utility operator DONG Energy said Tuesday they will build a charging network so the nation's motorists can switch to electric cars.

Dong and the Palo Alto-based startup said they have signed a deal aimed at cutting the amount of Earth-warming carbon gas emissions by giving Danes access to environmentally-friendly electric vehicles "at attractive prices."

Better Place is to make available battery-powered electric vehicles offering "at least the same road-holding qualities as fuel-based cars" by the year 2011.

Better Place has procured 135 million dollars in private funding for the Denmark project.

"With this project, we hope to contribute substantially to reducing CO2 emissions from Danish cars," said DONG chief executive Anders Eldrup.

"At the same time, we will achieve a new way of storing the unstable electricity output from wind turbines, as EVs are typically charged during the night, when the exploitation of power generation is low."

Better Place struck a partnership a year ago with France-based Renault for electric cars that are expected to be powered by an advanced lithium-ion battery pack created by Nissan in a joint venture with NEC of Japan.

"Together with DONG Energy, Project Better Place will ensure an environmentally clean and sustainable approach to energy and transportation," said Project founder Shai Agassi.

"Existing technology, combined with our unique business model and scalable infrastructure will provide a financially viable solution to significantly decrease CO2 emissions."

Project Better Place and DONG are members of the Copenhagen Climate Council, a forum devoted to establishing a global agreement at the climate summit in Copenhagen and developing innovative solutions to climate challenges.

Better Place is reportedly working on a similar project in Israel.