In a recent power move by automaker Renault, an entire village was gifted its electric vehicle, the Renault Zoe. The company hopes to prove that EVs are suitable and sustainable in all environments. Whether it’s a quick errand in the city, or a longer trek in a rural community, EVs are just as capable as gas-powered cars.
Residents of Appy, a very small town in the Ariege region of France, are being offered a three-year lease of Renault’s Zoe for just one thing in return: Updates on whether or not they like the car and how they are enjoying owning an electric vehicle. Renault is looking to “understand the way customers interact with and use electric vehicles day to day.” In addition to the three-year lease, Renault will provide a public charging station and home chargers that will also be free of charge.
Renault stated, “If the inhabitants of one of the country’s most isolated towns can adopt an electric way of life, it’ll prove that everyone can. That also means the myths around buying and running an electric car can be dispelled once and for all.”
As we all know, range anxiety is no joke when it comes to customers making the switch to EVs. With Renault trying to break these preconceived notions we can plan on seeing a future where EVs are more widely accepted and utilized.