Fun in the sun! Renault 4 ETech electric ‘Plein Sud’ completes solarpowered Land’s End to John O’Gro
• 1,000-mile summer solstice route uncovers the many ways solar power is already being used across Britain
• From commercial solar farms to off-grid communities and cutting-edge research, the drive reveals a country already running on sunshine
• Charging came via fixed solar installations and portable solar-charged energy storage
• Renault 4 E-Tech electric ‘Plein Sud’ is available to order now priced from £27,445 OTR after the Electric Car Grant
Timed around the summer solstice, the journey set out to follow the sun the length of Britain. What it found along the way was something more compelling: a country already putting solar energy to work in ways that are practical, inventive and, at times, remarkable.
Early in the route, solar power was already doing plenty of heavy lifting. At Roskilly’s Ice Cream in Cornwall, solar panels are helping power a hard-working business day in, day out, while at Chard Junction – where the Renault 4 E-Tech electric recharged for the first time since leaving Land’s End – the UK’s oldest commercial solar farm continues to generate clean energy on an impressive scale. As the Renault 4 E-Tech electric reached Derbyshire, Whaley Bridge Cricket Club was showing a different side of the same story, using solar to run fully off grid, keeping the lights on and the pavilion going without relying on the grid at all.
By the time the Renault 4 E-Tech electric reached Scotland, solar had taken on yet another form. A striking solar pyramid south of Edinburgh stood as a reminder of how far the technology has come, while on the east coast, off-grid homes and businesses are already using solar generation and battery storage to live and work independently of traditional infrastructure.
Threading all of this together was an electric car that, quite literally, let the sun in. With its full-length electric opening canvas roof, the Renault 4 E-Tech electric ‘Plein Sud’ brought an open-air dimension to a journey shaped entirely by sunlight, while its 52kWh battery and 150hp powertrain carried it the length of Britain on solar energy gathered along the way.
That energy came from a combination of established solar installations and portable solar-charged energy storage, delivered via a Charge Pro three-phase EV charger provided by Easee, at key points on the route. The result was a complete end-to-end drive, the full length of Britain, without drawing electricity from the grid.
Project leader Jeremy Hart said: ‘You set out thinking this is about getting from one end of the country to the other, but it quickly becomes about everything in between. One stop is a solar farm doing exactly what you’d expect, the next is a cricket club running itself off grid, then you’re looking at research that could change how solar works altogether. Each stop adds something different, and by the time you reach the end, you realise the car has been picking up that same energy all along and quietly turning it into miles.’
Renault 4 E-Tech electric ‘Plein Sud’ is the only electric car in its segment to offer a fully opening roof, combining open-air character with the usability and versatility of Renault 4 E-Tech electric. Its wide 80x92cm opening gives passengers an open view of the sky above, while boot space remains unchanged at up to 1,350 litres with the rear seats folded.
Available in techno+ and iconic+ trim levels, the Renault 4 E-Tech electric ‘Plein Sud’ qualifies for the full Electric Car Grant and is available to order now priced from £27,445 OTR.
For more information on the Renault 4 E-Tech electric, please visit https://www.renault.co.uk/electric-vehicles/r4-e-tech-electric.html
Photo credit: Renault
Posted on Autotech-plus.com
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