Sicily, on the road with zero emissions
Ready, get set, go. In the year for sustainable tourism, a breakthrough for green holidays in Italy arrives from Sicily. Now it is possible to go on the road with electric cars in one of the most fascinating islands in the Mediterranean. The agreement signed by Enel and Sicily by Car, the leading car rental in Italy, in a partnership with French automaker Renault, starts the era of zero emissions tourism in Italy for those who do not want to give up the pleasure of driving.
A seamless circuit
This is the first initiative of its kind in Italy. Launched on March 29 in Palermo, the Sicily eco-tour - approximately 1200 km long - can count on a fleet of 200 Renault ZOEs: the only car for the public can travel up to 400 kilometres with one recharge, based on the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) standards. Under normal conditions, this means that the car can drive some 300 kilometres. Should the gauge start blinking, no worries: by the end of the year, 200 of the 400 charging stations provided by Enel for the island will be installed.
Sicily by Car has already purchased fifty stations and twenty are installed in key strategic points. The Head of Enel’s Italian Market Nicola Lanzetta explained that the goal is to cover all major tourist locations. The infrastructure can also be used for charging private vehicles.
“We are proud to contribute to this project, at the forefront not only in Italy but throughout Europe, which will grant Sicilians and tourists the opportunity of electric drive on the island. Electric mobility is becoming more and more tangible and effective”
– Enel’s Head of Italian Market Nicola Lanzetta
Municipalities are competing to join the tour
The first cities to have joined the project were Palermo, Catania and Agrigento, but the circuit already provides for the possibility of stops in smaller towns like Capo d'Orlando, Erice, Mazara del Vallo and even the island of Pantelleria. Soon Syracuse, Messina and Savoca will also take part in it.
The supply network will take shape through agreements between Sicily by Car and local administrations, while Enel will be the preferred supplier of technology, charging software management and station control. Innovation and technology, according to the President of Sicily by Car Tommaso Dragotto, can only be increased jointly, to offer environmentally friendly solutions for mobility throughout Sicily.
“I believe that electric vehicles will improve the future of mobility and quality at the local level. From today we will be able to offer a new driving mode with zero impact in Sicily, a land where environmental protection must be a priority shared by public administration and the private sector”
– Tommaso Dragotto, President of Sicily by Car
Consumption and kilometres always under control
To cover the entire tour it is important to know the location of the nearest stations, their actual availability, and if the sockets are suitable to recharge Renault cars. Problems easily solved by downloading the e-go app by Enel Energia, an essential tool for traveling without any concerns on the reads of Sicily, as well as in all the cities where the electric car charging service is available. Charges are billed directly to credit cards and, among other things, they increase the points of the Enelmia loyalty card.
The number of available Renault Zoes will also increase. The 50 cars scheduled for service by May will become 200 in early 2018. For Renault Italy General Manager Bernard Chrétien, Sicily is therefore a testing ground and the project could soon expand to other areas in the country.
“Focusing on electric mobility also means enhancing and preserving the unique natural, cultural and artistic heritage of Sicily. The Sicily Ecotour is a positive example and the Sicily Region is once again a benchmark at the national level”
– Bernard Chrétien, Renault Italy General Manager