A liveable city demands a reconsideration of how we move around by car. The acceleration of the energy transition process and the technological breakthroughs in electric driving mean cars are taking on a new role: that of batteries on wheels. They function as buffers in a sustainable energy system while offering a maximum distance for each journey.
In Utrecht, the car of the future will be powered by the sun. We Drive Solar is a perfect fit with the urban living concepts of today in which energy generation, energy storage and smart mobility are the main drivers. We Drive Solar integrates solutions for the mobility of the future with the energy system of the future. The car battery will become part of the energy supply system of the home, functioning as a storage facility for renewable energy and feeding excess energy back into the grid at an opportune time.
The We Drive Solar project has the support of Renault because it combines a number of factors that can speed up the electrification of the world. We Drive Solar offers Renault a living lab in which to develop new technologies. At the same time, Renault will outline the necessary protocols in cooperation with ElaadNL (a partnership of Dutch grid operators focused specifically on electric vehicles)
The resulting technical and financial experience will form the basis for the future production of electric vehicles. The project is now well into its second year and is producing some promising results. The protocols developed by the living lab will be shared with other carmakers in an effort to accelerate the transition process.
By choosing to invest in a We Drive Solar living lab, Renault has added a ‘made in Utrecht’ technological touch to every future Renault electric car.
Author:
Robin Berg, Founder, LomboXnet, Utrecht, Netherlands; Speaker at the EcoMobility World Congress 2017.
