e-mobility

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You can’t hear a thing… The first e-cars arrived at the Berlin Wholesale Market in early June 2013. Wholesale Market foreman Jörg Schröder was one of the first to try out the new electro van: He was amazed at the sound it made driving – namely none at all… Fully concentrated, Schröder takes his place behind the wheel and turns the key. He can’t hear a thing. Then he puts the van into first gear and releases the handbrake. The vehicle starts to roll – in utter silence. “That takes some getting used to,” Schröder says. After all, he’s used to hearing a motor grumble when he steps on the gas pedal. That doesn’t happen with the Electro-Renault, which provides the massive acceleration typical of e-cars. “At a traffic light you can beat many a faster car to the chase,” Schröder grins. Returning from his test drive, he flashes a smile and says: “This is the best thing for the city.” Equipped with a GPS, electric windows and AC, the car embodies comfort. Of course, you have to get used to its limited range: “120 kilometres, then its time to plug her back in,” Schröder estimates. “We’ll have to practice that.” The new electric cars don’t only save energy – they protect the climate too, preventing 5 tonnes of CO2 annually.