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Renault and its Rugby Ambassadors share an “electric” moment

- In two days it will be crunch time for France and England in the RBS 6 Nations Rugby tournament. Renault took advantage of a rest day yesterday to show off its new all-electric Z.E. vehicles to its rugby ambassadors Morgan Parra, Imanol Harinordoquy, Stéphane Marconnet, François Trinh Duc and Dimitri Szarzewski.
- The day's highlights were the introduction to Twizy and Fluence Z.E., and a contest to see which of the players was the best eco-driver.
- The players from the French national squad shared the field with the young members of the Athlétic Club de Boulogne-Billancourt, France's top amateur rugby club, which Renault also partners.

Welcome to the world of the Renault Z.E.

After arriving at the Z.E. Centre, Renault's rugby ambassadors, along with Jo Maso visited the Z.E. Club for a short presentation of Renault's environmental policy and a special look at the electric vehicles they would shortly be trying out. Sylvain Marconnet also raised an issue close to his heart - a project for Renault to locate Kangoo Z.E. models and charging stations close to his stores in the Basque Country to facilitate his business while minimizing his environmental footprint.

Getting to grips with the new Twizy

For their first time behind the wheel of an electric car, the players tested the brand-new Twizy on a specially outfitted track at Île Seguin. They tried their hand at a different way of driving and experienced the new sensations created by this original type of vehicle. François Trinh Duc said: "The most surprising thing about these cars is their acceleration: they are much more responsive than internal combustion vehicles and give you an entirely different feeling, midway between the freedom of a scooter and the safety and comfort of a car".

Eco-driving challenge on Fluence Z.E.

To get its ambassadors' competitive juices flowing, Renault organized an eco-driving contest on Fluence Z.E. The aim was for each player to consume as little electric power as possible over two laps. The success of this tricky tactic hinges on anticipation and careful acceleration. It was Dimitri Szarzewski who won the title as the best eco-driver: "It's interesting to see how you can adapt your driving style and reduce your energy consumption to a minimum.  Also, it's surprising to be in such a silent car: the atmosphere is so peaceful that you don't necessarily want to rev up hard during the laps".

A salute to Boulogne Billancourt

Renault took advantage of the event being held on its "home turf" to invite the young members of the Athlétic Club de Boulogne-Billancourt to come and talk rugby with its ambassadors. The carmaker took the opportunity to establish the link between its rugby partnerships, which range from the elite French XV to amateur clubs such as the ACBB. The youngsters from Boulogne-Billancourt shared some rugby action and swapped passes with the ambassadors before heading back home with an autographed rugby ball. Imanol Harinordoquy commented: "It's always a pleasure to spend time with kids and encourage them to play. I think it's great that partners such as Renault don't overlook the grass-roots level and the amateur clubs that form the bedrock of everyday rugby".
All that remains is to hope that the French XV were able to recharge their batteries before taking on England on Sunday.

Guillaume Josselin -Marketing and Communications Director France said: "We are delighted to have shared this Z.E. experience with our rugby ambassadors and the staff of the French squad. The players really enjoyed the day, which gave them an opportunity to discover electric vehicles and the special techniques for handling them, especially when eco-driving. With this initiative, Renault can continue forging links with the rugby world and show that it is a committed partner for French rugby in particular".

Renault and rugby

In addition to its longstanding involvement in motorsport, Renault also enjoys a close association with the world of French rugby. As the country's number one automotive brand and its leading network with 5,000 sales outlets, Renault is naturally involved in the sport on a daily basis at local level, with professional and amateur clubs alike. Rugby takes pride of place across Renault's French network thanks not only to the brand's partnerships with the French rugby federation (FFR) and the French national squad (Official Partner and Official Car of the 'XV de France'), but also through more than 80 partnerships that extend from teams contesting France's 'Top 14' premier league to clubs at grass-roots level

Photo gallery Renault Twizy