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.A fully-charged Nissan LEAF can provide enough energy to run a home for up to two days, providing perfect emergency cover in a power failure.
In Davos, a Nissan LEAF has been hooked up to hobs warming the pans of hot chocolate as well as to wireless charging stations for lap-tops and mobiles. It’s even powering the Hut’s lights and music. And the car itself has been charged using 100 per cent renewable energy from Davos-based EWD.
There’s more good news. For every cup of warming hot chocolate served, the Alliance is donating $1 to Nike’s Mata No Peito programme to save and preserve the Amazon rainforest.