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>> 22/June/2011 - Renault Set To Electrify Australia

Renault Australia has announced it will introduce electric vehicles to Australia in 2012.

The first electric vehicle to be launched by Renault Australia will be the Fluence Z.E. (Zero Emission) sedan, which is set to arrive in quarter two, 2012 for select Canberra customers and go on general sale in quarter four of the same year.

Renault believes it is essential to ensure that the most effective Zero Emission technologies are available to as many motorists as possible at an affordable price.

Aware of the impact that motor vehicles can have on the environment over their complete life cycle, Renault has been working actively for many years to achieve on-going improvements regarding the ecological footprint of a vehicle at every phase of its life (production, on-road use, recycling).

Electric vehicles represent an affordable, clean-break solution involving vehicles that emit neither CO2 nor harmful particulates when driven.  As a global leader in electric vehicle technology, Renault will be one of the first manufacturers to bring this new era of motoring to life in Australia.

In order to ensure that Renault will be ready to launch in 2012, Renault today announces an historic agreement with Better Place, the leading global electric car charging network.  Under the terms of the agreement, Better Place will provide the charging and infrastructure networks and services; including charge spots and battery switch stations that support the Fluence Z.E.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 95% of Australian car trips are less than 120km and many cars are parked for between 20-22 hours a day. So most drivers will be constantly “topping up” their range while parked at home or work, through the charge spots Better Place will install for them. A charge spot delivers around 25km of range per hour, so 100km of range can be delivered in just four hours.

Justin Hocevar, Managing Director of Renault Australia, said; "This is an enormously exciting and momentous occasion in the history of Renault in Australia.  We are all too aware of the impact that vehicles have on the environment and the responsibility that we have as an automotive manufacturer to work towards minimising that impact.

"Electric vehicles represent the clean-break solution that can put zero-emission mobility within everybody's reach.

"The Fluence Z.E. sedan is the first C segment electric vehicle and is proof that electric vehicles can be practical, feasible, and as we will detail closer to launch, eminently affordable.  Although we are yet to release pricing, our aim is to make electric vehicles attainable for everyone.

"We are also excited to be announcing our agreement with Better Place, making Australia the third country in the world to bring the Better Place concept to life, after Israel and Denmark. Electric cars themselves are only half of the equation - keeping them charged and on the road is the other half.  Better Place will provide the comprehensive electric car charging infrastructure that is a crucial part of enabling us to bring electric cars to Australia.

"Today is just the start of a journey into the future of the automobile and personal mobility. We hope Renault will be able to give a large number of Australians their first and very favourable electric vehicle driving experience."

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