The environment is a hot topic, and rightly so. With climate change high on the agenda car manufacturers are taking notice and stepping up. Several of the major motor vehicle producers have, in recent years, produced green cars.
Renault’s latest environmental innovation
Renault is leading the way in innovative, environmentally friendly technology and superior design. The European market has embraced this latest offering with open arms. Winner of the Best Green Car at the Paris Motor Show in 2012, Zoe is the latest fully electric offering in the green car market.
There are several major advantages to driving an electric car. The obvious one is of course the lack of carbon emissions and other pollutants into the atmosphere. They are also quieter, perform better than combustion engines and the overall running costs are much lower – not only is the cost of petrol no longer an issue, but parts-replacement and wear and tear are substantially reduced. Maintenance costs are also much lower.
The simplicity of driving an electric car cannot be overstated. It is quite literally as easy as plugging it in overnight and then off you go. There are several methods by which to charge: a dedicated charging station at home, typically in a garage; you can also simply plug it into a standard socket, although this will increase the charging time quite considerably; and public charging points, which are faster and require much less recharge time.
The question still remains whether or not we in South Africa are ready? The price point of electric cars is substantially higher than their petrol equivalents, but the cheaper running costs offset this. There is also very little government incentive at the moment to motivate buyers, unlike in the European market. And then there is the lack of infrastructure – there are a few public areas with charging stations, and as more and more people buy green this will network will grow. Perhaps one of the biggest barriers though is the ongoing issue of Eskom’s unreliability and the cost of electricity. We do still have a long way to go before we see too many of these cars on the road. Having said that, South Africans are change makers and once all the pieces are in place the Renault Zoe might be an all too common site on our roads.
