The best of the French low-carbon auto industry displayed at the Ministry of Environmental Affairs
The parking spaces at the French Ministry of Environmental affairs was recently filled with alternative cars in many flavors. The alt-fuel vehicles were introduced to Jean-Louis Borloo, the French Environmental Minister and are the results of a €57 million investment from ADEME (The French Agency for Environmental and Wise Usage of Energy - quite a name, no?). Renault participated with three new items: the Velroue, a hybrid city car; a system to improve EV range called Vega/Thop; and a plug-in rechargeable 12-ton freight truck. PSA brought two projects, a hybrid car that favors electricity over the ICE and a new hybrid system. Valeo, Heuliez, EDF, Total and several Universities also had technologies to showcase. Borloo announced that French institutions will purchase up to 100,000 EVs in the coming years, once the recharging station infrastructure is set up.
[Source: Autoplus]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
John Rowell 10:05PM (6/21/2009)
That picture is disturbing - too little leg room!
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Rahul 4:59AM (6/22/2009)
The automotive industry is concerend with saving gas. Thats a noble cause. In India we are expecting Tata Motors to launch its "flying car" . The car industry should bring in more electric cars.
Rahul
Indian Car Advisor (Carazoo.com)
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David Martin 5:54AM (6/22/2009)
If my imperfect French has understood it correctly, the original article and this link here:
http://news.autoplus.fr/news/1217892/plan-industrie-vehicule-electrique-deploiement-borne-recharge
indicates that they intend to buy 100,000 EV's by 2012 by the state and quasi-state organisations. From the fact that they state elsewhere that it is an objective in 'the coming 4 years' presumably they are talking about the end of 2012.
They will also establish 5 million charging points in 'the 3 years to come' - end of 2011, presumably.
There is a bonus of 5,000 Euros for sub 60g of CO2 per kilometre.
It looks as though this plan should put France at the head of all the major nations in going to EV's
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