SMART MOVE

Renault and Portuguese energy company EEM are combining to create a smart electric ecosystem on the island of Porto Santo.

Some 20 volunteer residents are being provided with Renault Zoe and Kangoo ZE electric cars that can be charged through a network of 40 public and private charging points.

By the end of the year it is hoped that these vehicles will return electricity to the island’s grid during peak hours, thus serving as temporary energy storage units.

And a third phase of the project envisages Renault supplying the island with old electric vehicle batteries which will be given a second life at Porto Santo’s solar and wind farms, storing power and then releasing it when required.

Eric Feunteun, Renault’s Electric Vehicles and New Business Programme Director, said: “This unprecedented smart electric ecosystem… demonstrates to what extent the electric revolution is changing our everyday lives beyond just transport.

“Our aim is to build a model that can be carried over to other islands, ecodistricts and cities, while consistently striving to achieve the large-scale rollout of electric mobility solutions that are affordable for all.”