Sub-zero temperatures, piping hot chocolate, world leaders, entrepreneurs, issues, solutions… and electric vehicles. That, in a nutshell, sums up the week spent by the Renault-Nissan Alliance team in Davos, Switzerland, during the 2012 World Economic Forum.
 
Watch our video to see a recap of what we got up to, meet a few of our visitors and hear from the Alliance CEO Carlos Ghosn and Renault's COO Carlos Tavares amongst others. Also, see the Nissan LEAF and the Renault Fluence Z.E. in action.
 

Renault’s Chief Operating Office, Carlos Tavares, has found plenty of good news at the 2012 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

He tells us that although he knew the Davos Forum would be a great place for brainstorming and for debate, he was pleasantly surprised that the atmosphere was not as gloomy as he thought it would be. “Beyond what we hear in the media, I found people here who have significant hope, we will find solutions for the problems we are facing”, he said.

See what he has to say...

The hardiest soul in Davos is Lu Ying. She’s been outside the Hub Pavilion for the last five days, wrapped up against the freezing temperatures to dish out free warming cups of hot chocolate to passers-by.

The hob keeping the chocolate on the boil is powered by renewable energy supplied by Nissan LEAF – it’s the first time the innovative LEAF-to-Home technology has been demonstrated in Europe.

Lu tells us that everyone who’s sampled a cup loves the idea… find out more in her video

He visited us at the Hub Pavilion in Davos last year… and he’s been back for more this year. In 2010, Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, showed great interest in our EVs, asking many questions about Nissan LEAF.

This year, Boris was tempted back to the Pavilion by a cup of hot chocolate. Hobs under the vast pans of cocoa are heated by Nissan’s innovative LEAF-to-Home technology which harnesses energy stored in Nissan LEAF’s battery to power domestic appliances.

Over a warming cuppa, the Alliance’s Matt Loader was able to tell Boris about e-LCV prototype, our battery-powered van currently undergoing trials with FedEx in London. Our LCV, NV200, is also available as a passenger vehicle, of course, so maybe we should built an electric version for the extended Johnson family!

And the chocolate? “An absolutely splendid idea,” said the Mayor.

He runs two Fortune 500 companies and travels more than 150,000 miles per year. But we caught up with Renault-Nissan Alliance CEO Carlos Ghosn between sessions this week at the 2012 World Economic Forum in Davos.

Mr. Ghosn stopped by the Renault-Nissan Alliance pavilion, which showcases innovative Nissan technology called LEAF-to-Home. The system uses the electric vehicle’s battery to power household appliances. In Davos, LEAF-to-Home powers a hot chocolate stand – a popular attraction for delegates and tourists on Davos’ main street.

After a meeting with Mexican President Felipe Calderon to announce a $2 billion Nissan manufacturing facility in Mexico, Mr. Ghosn talked to Matt Loader of the Renault-Nissan Alliance communications team about the Alliance’s focus on zero-emission transportation and emerging markets.
 

Visitors to the Hub Pavilion in Davos, Switzerland – where the Renault-Nissan Alliance is offering test drives in a fleet of zero-emission electric vehicles – are being encouraged to pace up and down in front of the welcome desk.

The reason? Kinetic energy generated by their footsteps is being converted into renewable energy to power LED lighting in the Hub.

The special walkway is the result of a collaboration between sports shoe maker Nike and Pavegen Systems. Nike Grind is a material created from recycled sports shoes and used to create athletic and playground surfaces… since the early 1990s the Nike Reuse-A-Shoe programme has recycled more than 25 million pairs.

Tiles made from Nike Grind cover the Pavilion floor and have been placed over energy harvesting equipment developed by Pavegen. As visitors walk over the tiles, they flex an imperceptible 5mm generating the renewable energy.

When a number of Pavegen slabs are linked together in a high footfall location, they can provide enough energy to power lighting for more than 12 hours, for example. And music fans at a recent UK pop festival danced on a Pavegen floor to generate electricity to recharge their mobile phones.

Walking – and dancing – is not only good for you, it's also good for the environment.

Europe’s newest production electric vehicle, the Renault Fluence Z.E., is taking a starring role in Davos, Switzerland.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance has two examples of the stylish zero emission sedan running around the snow-covered streets, offering test drives to the legion of world leaders, top businessmen and opinion formers gathered in the town for the 2012 World Economic Forum.

The Renault Fluence Z.E., which has just gone on sale in Europe alongside the Renault Kangoo Z.E. - International Van of the Year 2012 -, is a well equipped and roomy four-door sedan with space for five adults and their luggage.

New York-based David Kirkpatrick, technology commentator and founder and CEO of Techonomy, describes his first ever EV experience after a lap of Davos behind the wheel of a Nissan LEAF.
 

Watch the video to discover his verdict...

The sun might be shining but the snow is lying deep and crisp and even. And the mercury has fallen to -4 degrees C. What better way to warm up than with a mug of hot chocolate… especially when it’s heated using renewable electricity?

The Cocoa Hut at the Hub Pavilion in Davos, Switzerland, is proving a magnet for passers by, all keen to sample the latest innovation from the Renault-Nissan Alliance.

LEAF-to-home technology reverses the Nisan LEAF’s usual energy flow by using power stored in the car’s batteries to drive domestic appliances.

As the thermometer drops and night falls, the Renault-Nissan Alliance looks back on the first full day at the Hub Pavilion in Davos Promenade and ahead to a busy day tomorrow.

Overnight there had been yet another huge snowfall – locals can’t remember a winter with so much snow – so the first task was simply getting to the Pavilion. Thankfully, Swiss efficiency meant snowploughs and sweepers were out at first light clearing the way.

With the 2012 World Economic Forum not due to start officially until tomorrow, day one in Davos has been spent making sure everything is in place and that the fleet of Alliance electric vehicles – two brand new full-production Renault Fluence Z.E. models and a pair of Nissan LEAFs -– are ready for a busy few days of test drives ahead.

With high levels of security around the town ready for the influx of world leaders, drivers and cars all need security clearance, so part of the day for the team has been spent sorting the paperwork.

At the Hub itself, there’s been much interest in a third Nissan LEAF, which has been demonstrating Nissan’s innovative LEAF-to-Home technology. Electricity stored in its battery has been powering hobs heating vast pans of hot chocolate ,cups of which have been handed out to passers-by… just the thing for the sub-zero temperatures.

The Renault-Alliance team have also welcomed a number of visitors to the Hub, including Simon Sproule, corporate vice president, global marketing communications at Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., who’s over from Japan for the Forum and have chatted to the key people behind Hub Culture, including Creative Director Stan Stalnaker (see Stan's interview).

Don’t forget to come back to the Alliance blog tomorrow and discover what day two at Davos has to offer.