Chance to drive Renault Z.E. range, learn more about electric cars
By Gavin Conway on June 4, 2012 1:40 PM
From next Friday, 8 June, Renault will be bringing an electric vehicle roadshow to cities all over the UK. The idea is to give people the chance to drive the French company’s ‘Z.E.’ range of pure-electric vehicles, including the Twizy, Kangoo Van Z.E. and Fluence Z.E.
All good, but the one we all want to see is the five-seater Zoe, which will be absent from proceedings – the Zoe looks like now going on sale around December time, and Renault reckons that it will be the company’s game-changing, big volume player.
Having got our little moan out of the way, these 15 three-day events look like quite good fun. A geodesic dome will be set up at each venue and will act as a ‘welcome’ to visitors, as well as housing interactive touch screens that will give information about Renault EVs’ battery range, charging times, pricing and the latest Plugged-in Places infrastructure. It will also be possible to explore the Zoe – virtually, of course.
There will also be a Twizy ‘agility course’ at each location, which sounds like a bit of a laugh. Accompanied test drives of the whole range are on offer, too. And there’s ‘challenge’ called ‘Reward Your Alter Eco’, which ends with a prize draw.
The roadshows will run up until October – see below for dates and locations – and Renault says its as much about educating people about electric vehicles as it is about shifting metal. That said, each venue will be located close to a Renault authorised pure-electric dealer, so if you’re really taken with any of the Z.E. range, there will be somebody on hand to take your order.
And TheChargingPoint.com is currently running a Renault Fluence Z.E. on loan, so check back with us to see how we get on. Early indications are quite positive…
Renault Z.E. Test Drive Tour 2012’ dates and locations
8 – 10 Jun: Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Centre for Life
22 – 24 Jun: Belfast, Odyssey Centre
29 Jun – 1 Jul: Liverpool, Pier Head
13 – 15 Jul: Manchester, Lowry Arts & Entertainment
20 – 22 Jul: Leeds, Briggate
17 – 19 Aug: Glasgow, George Square
24 – 26 Aug: Kent, Bluewater Shopping Centre
31 Aug – 2 Sep: London, Westfield Shopping Centre, Shepherd’s Bush
7 – 9 Sep: Leicester, National Space Museum
21 – 23 Sep: Bournemouth, Bournemouth Square
28 – 30 Sep: Norwich, The Forum
5 – 7 Oct: Brighton, Jubilee Square
12 – 14 Oct: Nottingham, Old Market Square
19 – 21 Oct: Bristol, @ Bristol
26 – 28 Oct: Birmingham, Victoria Square
More info at: http://www.ze-tour.co.uk/