Renault Group

In Italy, the Dolce Vita has gone electric

20 May 2019
5 min
South of the Alps, the electric car is seen as a way of encouraging a form of mobility and tourism that is more conscientious of its heritage, environment and inhabitants. New initiatives are multiplying throughout the country, be it in Sicily, Tuscany or Apulia.
by Renault Group

Lombardy, : at the forefront of electric carsharing

Lombardy, a region located in the far north of Italy, was the first to introduce an electric carsharing initiative back in 2014 with its E-Vai service. With a large fleet composed of 110 electric Renault vehicles, E-Vai is unique in terms of its integration with the rail network and availability in close proximity to airports.

ZOE carsharing in Palermo since 2015

Since 2015, tourists and locals in Palermo have had access to a carsharing service. ZOEs are available in the city’s main parking lots, and 16 charging stations are available for use at strategic locations along main thoroughfares.

In order to preserve the city center, the Sicilian capital has set up a limited traffic zone (abbreviated as ZTL in Italian,) where access is reserved for residents and outside vehicles that have paid a special fee. The use of electric vehicles, on the other hand, is unrestricted in this area.

A tour of Sicily by electric car

How better to enjoy the splendor of the Sicilian landscapes than by traveling in the peaceful atmosphere of an electric car? Won over by the range and comfort offered by ZOE, the rental company Sicily by Car has asked Renault to partner with them in the creation of a new service: a tour of Sicily by electric car. As part of the launch of this “Eco Tour di Sicilia,” the company has ordered one hundred ZOEs to add to its fleet, which is expected to continue to grow in the future.

The electricity provider Enel has also promised to install a network of charging stations near the towns and main points of interest along the route. Some are being installed directly at the various villas and palazzos that offer lodging, meaning visitors can rest easy knowing they can recharge their battery overnight.

The best part? There is no fee to recharge: access to all charging points is included in the rental package!

ZOE and Kangoo Z.E. under Florentine campaniles

Literally overrun with tourists at the first signs of summer, the city of Florence is also encouraging electric carsharing throughout the city, well beyond the popular area around the Ponte Vecchio. The industry expert Adduma Car has offered a fleet of 40 self-service ZOEs since 2017. Electric utility vehicles are also available: Kangoo Z.E.s make it easy to transport bulky luggage or deliver goods across the city.

Electric carsharing available in Lecce since 2018

Lecce, the capital city of the Puglia region, is found at the heart of a surprising web of towns and small villages. Soon, it will be possible to crisscross the Salento peninsula thanks to an electric carsharing service operated by 4Usmobile. It will make use of fleet management tools developed by Renault and will initially consist of about fifty ZOEs. The project also calls for the installation of 45 collective charging stations, to be followed by individual charging stations fed by local and renewable energy sources.

Electric vehicles on the west coast

70 km south of Rome, the city of Latina also offers a carsharing service, launched with the help of the company Alea Mobilità Urbana. Introduced in Spring 2018, Eppy has 30 Kangoo Z.E.s and ZOEs available for rent. The city council has supported this project by installing 30 public charging stations.

280 ZOEs hit the roads in Bologna

As for the northeast of Italy, the city of Bologna introduced its own carsharing service, Corrente, in October 2018. Operated by the public transport authority by request of the municipality, it now has a large fleet of 280 ZOES, available for use by locals and tourists alike!

Corrente expands its service to the city of Ferrara

In May 2019, Corrente extended its service beyond the city of Bologna, making 25 ZOEs available to drivers in the city of Ferrara, 50 km from the capital of Emilia-Romagna.

Like its other Italian counterparts, the city of Ferrara chose ZOE based on its reputation for quality, as well as Renault’s fleet management expertise. Groupe Renault is supporting other initiatives of the same type on a European scale.

In October 2019, the Corrente carsharing service celebrated its first anniversary. Over the course of the first year, 20,000 clients rented the cars 150,000 times and traveled 1.5 million kilometers. The service is also available to small- and medium-sized businesses who benefit from the use of a fleet of vehicles reserved for their employees. Soon, a special Corrente ZOE parking lot, located near the Bologna train station, will make it even easier for travelers and residents to make use of these electric vehicles.

 

Copyrights: Giovanni Tagini, Renault Communication

All the electric vehicles in your country

Discover our range

How electricity changes the automobile, energy, territories...

I rediscover the event


Read also

All you need to know about Renault ZOE battery leasing
Electric mobility

All you need to know about Renault ZOE battery leasing

13 September 2023
View More
All there is to know about electric car maintenance
Electric mobility

All there is to know about electric car maintenance

24 July 2023
View More
Different methods for storing energy
Electric mobility

Different methods for storing energy

10 June 2021
View More