As President Clinton was leaving lunch at Schneider’s in Davos, his advisor surveyed the pastries, pressed to pick a selection as good as the one that Clinton took home last year. Seizing the moment, I asked if President Clinton, or anyone in his party, wanted to test drive Nissan LEAF or a Renault Fluence Z.E. His advisor said they might stop by for a spin.
Welcome to Davos, where the world’s political and business leaders descend by helicopter and armored car to the World Economic Forum. As part of this community, what better place than here to bring zero emissions mobility?
For the very first time, the Renault-Nissan Alliance brings its new 100% electric cars to the snow-laden roads and hills that surround the main buildings where many of the sessions are held.
Located between the Steigenberger Belvedere Hotel -- full of business luminaries and political elites whose secretaries were lucky enough to book rooms – and the Congress Center, is the Hub Pavilion. Here, the Alliance shares space with Nike and the Wall Street Journal. Just outside, the Nissan LEAF and Renault Fluence Z.E sit parked, charged and ready, for visitors wanting to experience the reality of zero emissions firsthand -- the silence and spaciousness of the cabin in a completely emission-free ride.
Again this year, Davos, for all it symbolizes and achieves, continues to work on its green credentials. There’s the green badge for your windshield if your car doesn't exceed a certain level of CO2 emissions; there are various talks, including Climate Deal Day, to boost the efficacy of the dialogue to impact real change toward a global clean economy.
And driving around town, Nissan LEAF and the Fluence ZE become palpable examples of the arrival zero emissions technology – and its potential for the future. From well to wheel, LEAF and Fluence ZE reconcile the car with the environment. No tailpipe; no fuel. And to charge the cars during the WEF, the Alliance is only using locally produced hydropower and solar energy. Two days after Nissan received the award for Car of the Year in Europe, the LEAF has something to say at Davos, albeit, very quietly. To hear it for yourself, come to the Hub through Friday for a bilateral.
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