UAE’s Farnek adds Renault Zoe electric vehicle to fleet

Farnek has become the first company in the GCC region to purchase a Renault Zoe electric vehicle.

The UAE-based facilities management (FM) firm has added the environmentally friendly model to its 200-strong transportation fleet.

When compared to the saloon cars in its existing fleet, which travel approximately 72,000km annually, Farnek expects the Renault Zoe to save more than 17 tonnes in carbon emissions during its first year of operations.

Commenting on the purchase, Markus Oberlin, chief executive officer of Farnek, said: “It is part of our strategy to have a more energy efficient fleet, in line with the UAE government’s recommendation to ensure that 10% of our transportation fleet is electric by 2030.

“We also wanted to show leadership within the FM sector, and inspire other organisations to do the same,” he added.

Powered by a Z.E.40 battery, the Renault Zoe boasts a New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) range of 400km, which equates to approximately 300km in real-world driving conditions. The battery can be charged from 0% to 80% within the space of an hour, owing to the patented Chameleon Charger.

The five-door hatchback comes with Renault’s Range OptimiZer technology, a bi-modal braking system, and Michelin Energy E-V tyres as standard.

Marwan Haidamous, managing director of Renault Middle East, said: “This is a key milestone in the story of electric vehicles in this region. Electric vehicles are forming an ever-greater proportion of transport fleets around the Middle East as organisations aim to reduce their carbon footprints, and we are pleased that our products can play a central role in this development.

“[The Zoe] is a real symbol of [Renault’s] commitment to the electric revolution and, since its launch, has always excelled at providing motorists with a stylish, comfortable, and practical electric car at an affordable price.

“The 2017 Zoe, with the Z.E.40 battery, builds on this success and now delivers the longest range of any mainstream electric vehicle,” Haidamous noted.

In June 2015, the Royal Hashemite Court of Jordan placed an order for 150 Renault Zoe electric vehicles.

The zero-emission, noise-free model was launched in France in 2013.